Fleetwood Town youngster's happy to frustrate opposition attackers

Town won the game without scoring themselves, Wes Burns’ cross being turned into his own net by Eoghan O’Connell.

One goal is often enough to take all three points for the Cod Army, who boast the third best defensive record in League One – despite occupying a place in the bottom half of the table.

Keeping out the opposition is something the defenders at Highbury take pride in.

For Hill, the structure of the team plays its part and he feels the whole team is a disciplined outfit when out of possession.

He said: “It was a very good performance from the boys. We ground it out, and in the end, managed to keep the goals out.

“It’s nice to carry the clean sheet (run) on, in eight games we’ve had six clean sheets. Overall it’s a great performance.

“We’re very proud of our defensive record. That’s what we base ourselves off, our defensive structure.

“Overall, as a team, we’re very disciplined out of possession.

“I think we did very well trying to keep the shape and putting bodies on the line to stop the ball going into the back of the net.”

The 19-year-old believes Town are taking a rather simple approach to proceedings as keeping things tight at the back gives them a platform to build on for the rest of the game.

Hill’s contribution since breaking into the first team has seen him receive plenty of plaudits, with scouts from up and down the Premier League arriving at Highbury regularly.

The win against Rochdale also saw the youngster explain how he approaches his game.

Hill said: “We’re trying to just keep the goals out and keep clean sheets, the basics of the game.

“For us defenders, if we keep the goals out it gives us a better chance of winning games.

“What we have to do then is leave it up to the attackers to put the ball in the back of the net, which I think they have done well at.

“We need to keep going the way we are.

“That’s my joy, I love keeping clean sheets, I love winning my tackles, my headers.

“I become frustrated after the game if I haven’t won my headers, or tackles or not beat my man in my one v one battle.

“That’s what I base myself off after the game and during the game as well.”

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