Fleetwood Town 1 Accrington Stanley 1: Town left to rue late penalty miss

Just 11 minutes were left when Morris saw his spot-kick brilliantly saved by Nathan Baxter, meaning it was a frustrating end to an entertaining clash during which Town created numerous opportunities.

It means Fleetwood’s second half of the season continues to stutter as they have now won just once in their last 14 games.

There were a few surprises when Town’s starting line-up was revealed ahead of the game.

The main eyebrow-raiser from boss Simon Grayson was Ged Garner coming back in from the cold.

Garner was handed a chance in Paddy Madden’s absence, having not featured since the EFL Trophy tie against Aston Villa last October.

Charlie Mulgrew returned after missing a couple of games due to his positive Covid-19 diagnosis, while also back in the starting XI were Wes Burns and Callum Camps.

Harrison Holgate was out altogether, while Mark Duffy, Harvey Saunders and Janoi Donacien dropped down to the bench.

Stanley threatened first at a sun-drenched Highbury as Burns was yellow-carded for a clumsy foul before Alex Cairns saved Ben Barclay’s resulting 20-yard free-kick.

Fifteen minutes had passed by the time the hosts went close.

Danny Andrew fed Garner, whose sidefooted effort from outside the box had to be palmed round the post by Baxter.

Midway through the first half, two goals inside fewer than 90 seconds lit the blue touch paper.

Stanley struck first with a completely unmarked Adam Phillips crashing home from 22 yards after he had been picked out by Joe Pritchard’s free-kick.

However, little more than a minute later, it was 1-1 with Burns slamming past Baxter from the tightest of angles after he’d met Dan Batty’s smart pass.

Town were soon on the offensive again, Kyle Vassell looking sharp as his shot on the turn was well gathered by Baxter.

Colby Bishop nodded inches over for Stanley before the final opportunity of the first period saw Burns fire an almost carbon copy of his goal straight at a grateful Baxter.

Town’s second-half intentions were perhaps signalled in the opening minute when Callum Connolly headed inches over from Mulgrew’s cross.

Stanley quickly rallied though, and five minutes later, the woodwork saved Town as Pritchard’s 25-yard strike thumped the post before bouncing to safety.

Mark Hughes’ audacious effort from the halfway line also forced Cairns to scramble back and concede a corner.

Much like the game against Charlton Athletic seven days previously, this was also very much up for grabs as the final quarter-hour approached,

However, Morris’ late penalty miss, awarded after Cameron Burgess had tripped Burns, meant Grayson’s second win in charge continues to prove elusive.

Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Hill, Connolly, Mulgrew (J Morris 51), Burns, Rossiter, Batty, Andrew, Camps, Vassell (Saunders 89), Garner. Subs not used: Coleman, Duffy, Donacien, Biggins, S Morris.

Accrington Stanley: Baxter, Barclay, Hughes, Burgess, Nottingham, Conneely, Phillips (Smyth 66), Butcher (McConville 66), Pritchard (Morgan 81), Bishop, Charles (Russell 84). Subs not used: Savin, Maguire, Uwakwe.

Referee: Sam Allison.

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