Hull 3 Fleetwood 2: Coyle haunts Town in stunning Tigers fightback in Papa John's Trophy

The Cod Army, who hadn’t played since Boxing Day because of Covid-19 issues, seemed to be coasting to victory thanks to goals from Paddy Madden and Wes Burns.

However, Hull substitutes Mallik Wilks and Keane Lewis-Potter restored parity within two minutes of each other to set up an intense final 10 minutes.

And former Fleetwood defender Lewie Coyle haunted his ex-employers with a winner deep in stoppage-time for Hull, who also knocked Town out of the FA Cup.

Wiles made five changes from the side that proved to be Barton’s last for his first game as interim boss, fielding a side that blended youth and experience.

That team included goalkeeper Joe Hilton, who signed earlier in the day as an emergency loan from Blackburn Rovers.

The first notable action of the game saw Town’s Burns burst forward in the fifth minute, cut inside and drill a low shot just wide of Matt Ingram’s goal.

Referee Ross Joyce, however, deemed the ball to have touched Ingram and awarded a corner. Paul Coutts took the set-piece, which was cleared behind, but the second came to nothing.

Burns was soon in the thick of the action again and, following a marauding run down the right flank, he found Madden with a low cross.

The striker turned and fired home off the post to put Wiles’ men ahead in the eighth minute.

It took Hull until the 18th minute to launch any attack and this resulted in Regan Slater’s corner coming to nothing.

Three minutes later, though, an excellent diagonal pass from Daniel Batty found Coyle on the right for the hosts.

His low ball found Thomas Mayer in the area but Callum Connolly was on hand to block his goal-bound strike.

At the other end Shayden Morris saw his shot take an awkward deflection and force Ingram into a fine one-handed save before Hull went close themselves on the half-hour, but James Scott scuffed his effort from close range with Hilton’s goal at his mercy.

A nice move involving Glenn Whelan, Ryan Rydel and Coutts on the left resulted in Callum Camps blasting just wide from 25 yards as the Cod Army looked to increase their lead before the break.

The Tigers made a triple substitution ahead of the second half, with Wilks, Honeyman and Lewis-Potter replacing Batty, Scott and Mayer.

Fleetwood’s first attack of the half saw Morris win a free-kick on the by-line, which Camps rolled to the impressive Burns on the edge of the area and his shot under Ingram doubled the advantage.

Hull looked to respond quickly and went close through Coyle from Wilks’ pass, but Hilton cleared his lines well.

Wiles made his first change just after the hour, with Mark Duffy replacing Whelan. Moments later, Hilton did well to keep out Lewis-Potter’s shot.

With 25 minutes to go Hilton was again called into action, this time denying Coyle low to his left – a third fine save within five minutes.

A double blow for Town saw Burns and Morris both limp off within four minutes of each other, and they were replaced by Harvey Saunders and Jay Matete in the 70th and 74th minutes respectively.

The hosts looked to capitalise and won a succession of corners on the left, culminating in Wilks heading home fellow substitute Honeyman’s delivery to half the deficit.

Disaster struck for Fleetwood two minutes later as another Honeyman corner found Alfie Jones and his initial header hit the post.

However, the ball rebounded kindly to Lewis-Potter, who headed in off the other post to equalise.

It perhaps should have been worse for Town in the 85th minute but Wilks managed to miscue his shot from Callum Elder’s left-wing cross as Hull’s period of dominance continued.

The 88th minute saw some rare respite for Town’s defence as Josh Morris won two corners on the left, but the home defence cleared Coutts’ deliveries.

In the final minute of injury time a sweeping move between Elder and Honeyman resulted in another corner on the left.

This time Honeyman’s delivery was cleared to Coyle some 35 yards from goal and he rifled a shot past Hilton to earn Hull a dramatic victory at the death.

Fleetwood: Hilton (GK), Connolly, Whelan (Duffy 61), Burns (Saunders 71), Camps, J.Morris, Coutts (C), Madden, Hill, Rydel, S.Morris (Matete 75); Subs not used: Borwick (GK), Baggley, Boyle, Batch.

Hull: Ingram, Coyle (C), Elder, Batty (Wilks 45), Scott (Honeyman 45), Jones, McLoughlin, Slater, Mayer (Lewis-Potter 45), Magennis (Salam 65), Smith; Subs not used: Long (GK), Greaves, Leake.

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