A test of character for Fleetwood

Stephen Dobbie insists he’s at Fleetwood Town to do battle at the business end of the table – after scoring a crucial late equaliser against League One leaders Bristol City.

Dobbie’s 88th-minute strike was enough to ensure a share of the spoils at Highbury, where Town battled back from 3-1 down against Steve Cotterill’s ambitious Robins.

And the former Blackpool loan ace made it clear he’s joined Graham Alexander’s Fleetwood side to go head to head with the clubs challenging for a place in the Championship.

“I came here to win,” Dobbie told The Gazette. “Everywhere I’ve been I’ve had some success, whether it be Blackpool, Swansea or Crystal Palace.

“I didn’t come to lose or sit in mid-table. We’ve got the players here who can push on.

“When we get to Christmas, we’ll see where we are and I’m sure the gaffer will know exactly what we need.”

Saturday’s draw was a real thriller, Alexander’s men throwing away a first-half lead and then battling back from a two-goal deficit.

Dobbie admitted Town’s players would have welcomed something a deal less entertaining, but he hailed the character of his team-mates.

The striker said: “Saturday was more exciting than we might have hoped for after scoring the first goal, but they are top of the table for a reason.

“I think it showed the character in our squad, including the subs who came on because it’s a whole squad game.

“I’m sure the fans went home happy and we did at the end after getting the point.”

Josh Morris ended Fleetwood’s three-game goal drought before Jamie Proctor bagged Town’s second with a header with his first touch of the game and Dobbie’s curling strike was the pick of the afternoon’s finishes

“I just tried to control it on my chest, then side-foot it and look for the corner,” explained the 31-year-old.

“Luckily it went in. It was pleasing.”

And he hopes Fleetwood have proved a point after finally rediscovering their scoring touch, even if defensive errors cost them a win.

He said: “You look at the games against Crawley and Barnsley, and we could have scored two or three in either.

“The defence has been brilliant in those games.

“On Saturday we ended up scoring three but we give away three too.

“It’s just one of those things, but if we can play the way we did on Saturday – apart from a 20-minute spell in the second half – we’ll do OK at Peterborough this weekend.”

It was the second time 
Dobbie, on a season-long loan from Palace, has rescued a point for Fleetwood. He also scored a late leveller against Leyton Orient.

But the Scotsman made it clear it shouldn’t just be him taking the credit. He said: “It’s a whole team effort and the boys coming on have played their part.

“There are going to be so many ups and downs this season.

“On Saturday it’s fallen to me, as it did against Orient, but on other days other people will get the goals.”