Lewie Coyle confident for play-offs as Fleetwood Town step up preparations

Defender Coyle played yesterday as Joey Barton’s squad stepped up their preparations with a behind-closed-doors friendly against Championship club Wigan Athletic at the DW Stadium.

The first leg of Town’s semi-final is now just 10 days away at Highbury and Coyle believes his confidence is fully justified.

The 24-year-old told BBC Radio Lancashire: “I’m massively confident. If you were going into the play-offs you would want to have the run we have had going into this final stage. If everything was normal, we’d have been going into the play-offs on a great run.

“You only have to look at our recent results and the performances more so. We have confidence in our ability and teamship going into these games against Wycombe.

“It will be a tough test and I’m sure it will make for a very good encounter across the two legs, and we’ll be looking to make sure we are in the final.”

Before lockdown Town were on a 12-game unbeaten run stretching back to January, when Coyle signed a long-term contract after two and a half seasons on loan from Leeds United.

And after a run of three-game weeks before the action was suspended, Town are now in the third of four training weeks to prepare for their clashes with Wycombe.

It’s a very different challenge for Coyle, who added: “It’s sometimes hard to gear up for games when they come so thick and fast.

“Sometimes you have only two or three days between games to prepare. Each game is different and the game-plan changes, so it’s nice to know who we are playing, where and when, and to have those few weeks to prepare.

“During those weeks we’ll do everything in our power to progress and reach our goal of getting promoted.”