Fleetwood hero Anthony Pilkington says new arrivals can help Town shoot up table

Matchwinner Anthony Pilkington believes the signings of defenders Toto Nsiala and Zak Jules can help Fleetwood Town surge up League One.
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Nsiala made an instant impression on Pilkington, setting him up for his first Fleetwood goal to seal Saturday’s 1-0 win over a Rotherham United side who had arrived at Highbury as league leaders.

Nsiala, signed the previous day from Ipswich Town, made an impact off the bench like Pilkington, while Jules started the game after his loan move from MK Dons was confirmed on the morning of the match.

Anthony Pilkington says his late winner against Rotherham was no more than Fleetwood deservedAnthony Pilkington says his late winner against Rotherham was no more than Fleetwood deserved
Anthony Pilkington says his late winner against Rotherham was no more than Fleetwood deserved
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Both new boys helped Town to make it two wins out of two for 2022, completing a double over the high-flying Millers after winning the first game at the New York Stadium in September.

Pilkington said: “The lads had to put in a massive shift because we knew what was coming at us.

“They make it really difficult, and I thought we were excellent to a man and got our just rewards at the end.

“Two big players have come in and maybe more to come in the near future – and we’re getting bodies back from the medical room as well.

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“To keep a clean sheet with the barrage they put us under... Tom Clarke has been fantastic the last few weeks and Conor McLaughlin did a shift there when he was here (McLaughlin’s short-term contract expired last week).

“You look at the number of crosses that came in today, with lads putting their heads in and getting first contact against a really tough team who put teams under a lot of pressure.

“If we keep clean sheets like we have in the last two games we will win games because we know we can score goals.”

Nsiala played a part in the stoppage-time winner, heading back across goal for Pilkington to get off the mark on his 10th league appearance for Town.

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It was no fluke that the 33-year-old reacted quickest, having trained with Nsiala the previous day.

Pilkington explained: “We were doing set-pieces on Friday and I think he won every header, so when you have someone like that in your team you’ve got to gamble and expect him to win it. I’ve been lucky enough to get on the end of it.

“It’s obviously great for the lads, beating the top of the league and putting back-to-back wins together.”

Fleetwood remain 19th but are now four points clear of the bottom four, though Morecambe have a chance to cut that gap when they host Wigan Athletic this evening.

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