Fleetwood Town 1 MK Dons 1: Paddy Lane secures fourth successive draw

Harry Darling’s first-half header had put MK Dons ahead but a much-improved Cod Army came out of the traps after the break to earn a share of the spoils.

The draw sees Fleetwood remain in 19th place but now three points above the relegation zone following Morecambe's defeat at Lincoln City.

There was a full debut for Fleetwood loan striker Dan Butterworth and a recall for Harrison Biggins, who replaced Callum Camps following his red card at Shrewsbury Town on Saturday.

Although Fleetwood failed to register a shot on target in the first half, they had been the brighter of the two teams before the 12th-minute opener.

Barely two minutes had gone when captain Danny Andrew fired over the crossbar from long distance after a good cross-field pass from Dan Batty.

Shortly after that, Shayden Morris fired a wicked cross right across the face of goal that nobody was able to get on the end of.

And confidence continued to rise when Andrew drifted through the back line with great one-touch football before shooting high and wide again.

The early momentum was dashed, however, when Darling found himself in acres of space from Scott Twine’s free-kick from the right and he guided his header past a helpless Alex Cairns.

Morris continued to look threatening down the right for Fleetwood, with another dangerous ball collected by goalkeeper James Cumming.

But it was the promotion-chasing visitors who had their tails up by this point on a very difficult surface and Cairns needed to be quick on his feet just after the half-hour mark to thwart Mo Eisa’s close-range attempt as MK Dons threatened to double their lead.

Fleetwood came out with renewed vigour after the break, with 21-year-old Harvey Macadam brought on for his league debut in place of Morris and looking very much at home in the midfield.

It wasn’t long before Town got their just rewards, with Lane’s equaliser coming six minutes after the restart.

Biggins did well to win the ball in the middle of the park before feeding Ellis Harrison, who then laid the ball off for Lane to strike home.

MK Dons still carried a threat at the other end and Cairns had to be sharp once more to deal with Troy Parrott’s shot in the 66th minute.

At the other end, freescoring substitute Anthony Pilkington tried to catch Cumming off guard by looking for goal from range but the Dons goalkeeper tipped it over.

The resulting corner found the head of Toto Nsiala at the back post but he directed the ball just wide and Pilkington went close again moments later only to see his effort from Biggins’ cross blocked.

Tempers flared as the match reached its conclusion, with Dons substitute Tennai Watson fouling Lane and then proceeding to start a tussle with Pilkington - both Watson and Pilkington were booked.

There was also a Fleetwood penalty claim waved away after man-of-the-match Harrison went down under pressure from the MK Dons defence.

Harrison then went close to winning it but his header was saved by Cumming from Lane’s cross.

Fleetwood were good value for a point against the third-placed team and will at least take confidence from the fact they have lost only one of their seven games since the turn of the year.

A big game now awaits on Saturday at Cheltenham Town, who are four points above Fleetwood in 16th.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Johnson, Nsiala, Clarke, Andrew, Lane, Batty, Biggins, Morris (Macadam 45), Harrison, Butterworth (Pilkington 74); Subs not used: O'Hara, Baggley, Boyle, Hayes, Johnston.

MK Dons: Cumming, O'Hora, Darling, Lexington, Hayden (Watson 72), Smith, Coventry, Hardie, Parrott, Eisa (Wickham 72), Twine; Subs not used: Ravizzoli, Kemp, Boateng, McEachran, Corbeanu.

Referee; Chris Sarginson.

Attendance: 3,227

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