Fleetwood Town 2 Peterborough United 1: Late goal gives Town a fourth consecutive victory

Fleetwood Town's Callum Connolly celebrates scoring his side's first goal with team-mates

With both sides shrugging off the best that Storm Dennis could throw at them, the Cod Army went on to deservedly secure a fourth straight victory which leaves them on the brink of the League One play-off places.

Burns, heavily bandaged following a first-half clash of heads, won the game with 14 minutes to go, leaving Niall Mason on his backside before drilling home from an acute angle.

Town boss Joey Barton had made one change from the XI which started the victory at Wycombe last time out.

Ched Evans was out through suspension following his red card at Adams Park, with Lewie Coyle stepping back up from the bench.

A daunting task awaited Barton and his players with second-placed Posh in town looking to secure a seventh straight League One victory.

However, they were without the suspended Ivan Toney with his place going to Mo Eisa.

It was Eisa who fluffed a terrific opportunity after only eight minutes when he missed a penalty.

Referee Martin Coy pointed to the spot after Siriki Dembele was taken out by Alex Cairns just inside the Town area.

However, the keeper redeemed himself by diving to his right to keep out Eisa’s effort as Posh missed a spot-kick at Highbury for the second consecutive season.

They were punished further seven minutes later when Town struck the opener, Callum Connolly lashing home his first Fleetwood goal from 12 yards after meeting Danny Andrew’s through ball.

Town, despite kicking into the wind, were coping better with the conditions, and just past the half-hour mark, Harry Souttar headed narrowly over from Burns’ corner.

Burns also skied an effort after he darted onto Barrie McKay’s pass but Town maintained their momentum early in the second period.

They were thwarted by the woodwork in the 49th minute when Andrew pounced on a loose ball and struck the base of a post from 30 yards.

Having survived that let-off, Posh evened it up after 54 minutes as Dan Butler charged down the left before drilling past Cairns from 25 yards.

It was now anyone’s game, and as the storm worsened in the closing stages, Paddy Madden tested visiting keeper Christy Pym with a well-struck half-volley.

However, Burns was left to secure Town the glory their efforts had richly deserved on a difficult afternoon.

Fleetwood Town: Cairns, Coyle (Thorvaldsson 84), Gibson, Souttar, Andrew, Burns, McKay (Morris 72), Coutts, Whelan, Connolly (Sowerby 64), Madden. Subs not used: Crellin, Biggins, Saunders, Hill.

Peterborough United: Pym, Thompson, Beevers, Mason (Jade-Jones 83), Ward, Knight, Taylor, Butler, Szmodics, Dembele, Eisa (Kanu 64). Subs not used: Brown, Reed, Bennett, Boyd, Chapman.

Referee: Martin Coy.

Attendance: 2,801.