Fleetwood Town 1 Sunderland 1: Callum Connolly's goal earns the Cod Army a point

The Cod Army skipper pounced with a 73rd minute equaliser to cancel out Charlie Wyke’s 59th minute opener for the Black Cats.

The Everton loanee finished with aplomb, netting his first goal since February to make it three games unbeaten in League One for the home side.

Joey Barton’s players came flying out of the traps and tested Sunderland keeper Remi Matthews after only four minutes.

Danny Andrew tried his luck from the edge of the box but his volley was saved by Matthews at the near post.

At the other end, Wes Burns teed up Andrew but his goalbound shot was deflected wide.

Jordan Rossiter made an important challenge to charge down a Wyke effort inside the box, while Josh Scowen had two shots blocked as the visitors pushed hard for the opening goal.

Town’s Charlie Mulgrew fizzed in a dangerous free-kick from an acute angle which struck a defender and was within a whisker of flying into the net.

Sunderland had a decent shout for a penalty waved away by referee Robert Madley seven minutes before the break when Scowen went down in the box after a strong challenge from Connolly.

Wyke headed well wide from Luke O’Nien’s cross as the contest showed no signs of slowing down before the break.

Town boss Barton freshened up his pack at half-time as Ched Evans replaced Josh Morris, who had been booked after just six minutes.

Callum Camps struck the bar for Town in the opening minute of the second half and Matthews saved Paddy Madden’s follow-up.

Wyke headed just wide from a Conor McLaughlin cross but Fleetwood then had an excellent shout for a penalty turned down.

Madden went down after a crunching challenge from Tom Flanagan, but again, referee Madley was not interested.

Rubbing salt into the wound, Flanagan then provided the long pass which saw Wyke head over Leutwiler and into the corner of the net.

However, Connolly levelled for the home side with a finish into the bottom corner after some trickery from Camps, who beat his marker and teed up the captain to score.

Substitute Will Grigg then came close to restoring the visitors’ lead but he headed over from Scowen’s cross, though Evans also rifled wide as the hosts could have snatched victory late on.

Fleetwood Town: Leutwiler, Edwards, Andrew, Connolly, Burns (McKay 74), Camps, Morris (Evans 46), Mulgrew, Rossiter (Coutts 74), Madden (Duffy 74), Finley. Subs not used: Cairns, Whelan, Hill.

Sunderland: Matthews, McLaughlin, Flanagan, Wright, Maguire (Power 87), Wyke, O’Nien, Scowen, Graham (Grigg 70), Leadbitter, Hume (McFadzean 87). Subs not used: Burge, Sanderson, Embleton, Diamond.

Referee: Robert Madley.

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