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Fleetwood Town 2 Farsley Celtic 1
TOWN scored very early and very late to climb to their highest ever place in the league structure – ninth in Blue Square North.
They duly avenged their 4-1 defeat at Farsley on the opening day but wasted chances almost cost them the victory.
Micky Mellon made no changes to his starting line-up after Saturday's comprehensive 3-0 victory over King's Lynn.
And the game was barely a minute old when Sean Clancy, Adam Warlow and Mike Wilde found themselves in acres of space in front of exposed Farsley keeper Curtis Aspden.
It was Wilde who found the net, despite the best efforts of former Seasider Rory Prendergast to clear off the line.
Town were denied a second when Wilde's stooping header from Jamie Milligan's free-kick was ruled out by an offside flag.
After 15 minutes, Michael Taylor released Warlow, who exchanged neat passes with Clancy before blasting high over the bar.
A superbly timed tackle by Steve Connors then halted a break by Farsley's Gareth Grant, but Town continued to create the better chances as Milligan released Warlow, whose penalty claim was turned down after he was sandwiched between Prendergast and Nathan D'Laryea.
Farsley enjoyed a good spell as Prendergast sent his free-kick over the top and then Town keeper Danny Hurst was alert to the danger after Taylor misread a long ball, though he and Ricky Mercer were otherwise solid at the heart of the home defence.
After the break, Milligan drove a free-kick low and hard into the side-netting and Fleetwood paid for failing to convert their chances on 65 minutes, when Celtic equalised.
Prendergast whipped in a testing cross from the left and Tom Penford headed home.
As Beeley blasted off-target from 25 yard, the game looked to be heading for a draw until Milligan's 89th-minute penalty winner.
When Mercer's shot rebounded off the post, Warlow looked set to nod home only for Iqbal Shazad to handle and earn a straight red card.
Milligan stepped up and put Fleetwood in front for the second time to ensure all three points.
Manager Mellon said: "The lads showed a great deal of character and battled right to the end.
"The game should have been put to bed early doors with the number of chances we had, so I am disappointed that we made it difficult for ourselves.
"The important thing, though, is that we won. We are under no pressure now and the visit to Vauxhall on Saturday will provide us with an opportunity to work on our away form.
Fleetwood team: Hurst, Beeley, Hills, Mercer, Taylor,6. Beattie (Rousse), Clancy, Milligan, Wilde, Warlow, Connors; subs not used: Bell, Leadbetter, Pond, Elderton. Att: 671
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 20 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 12 C to 16 C
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