The story of the season for Fleetwood Town: Part One

It began as promisingly as it would continue with a 3-1 victory away to Peterbrough United, where Town’s summer investment paid immediate dividends with three new signings on the scoresheet.

Harry Souttar, who Town were delighted to welcome back on a season-long loan from Stoke City, and Josh Morris put Barton’s side two up inside 13 minutes.

Souttar headed home a Paul Coutts corner before Morris cashed in on hesitation in the Posh defence to lob keeper Christie Pym.

Town retained control until Ivan Toney’s strike on 67 minutes threatened a nervous finish but Danny Andrew made the points safe for Town with a free-kick nine minutes from time.

Town’s first home game of the season a week later brought a 2-1 victory over AFC Wimbledon, who led at half-time thanks to Kwesi Appiah’s header at a rain-lashed Highbury.

Conditions improved in the second half and so did Town, half-time substitute Paddy Madden equalising on 56 minutes. And Morris won it nine minutes later, when his cross from the right flew into the net untouched.

Fleetwood’s usual early exit in the Carabao Cup (1-0 at Nottingham Forest) was followed by a first league defeat, 3-2 at Doncaster Rovers.

An own goal by Wes Burns was the injury-time heartbreaker for Town, who had led through Conor McAleny’s close-range header after only 10 minutes.

Donny recovered to lead at half-time through Wolves loanee Cameron John and James Coppinger, curling in a cracker.

Again substitute Madden engineered a Fleetwood response shortly after half-time but they were denied a point when Burns’ attempted clearance went askew.

At home to Wycombe Wanderers three days later, Madden was Town’s hero with the 89th-minute equaliser, having been restored to the starting line-up.

Burns’ luck remained out as he went closest in the first half by rattling the bar, then the Chairboys went ahead after the break when Adebayo Akinfenwa outmuscled everyone to beat Town’s debutant keeper Matt Gilks, whose saves then kept Town in the hunt before Madden struck again. The 1-1 scoreline repeated the previous season’s result when the sides met at Highbury.

Winning ways returned for Fleetwood with a 2-0 home victory over Accrington Stanley.

Madden’s third of the season separated the sides at half-time before his fellow frontman Ched Evans stole the show after the break.

Making his first appearance since making his move from Sheffield United permanent, Evans sealed the points with a penalty on 71 minutes after a foul on Morris.

Sean McConville lashed out at Evans soon afterwards and Stanley ended the game with 10 men.

A busy six-game month ended with a 2-0 defeat at Lincoln City, Nottingham Forest loanee Tyler Walker scoring twice in as many minutes late in the first half. The first was set up by another loan player, Everton’s Callum Connolly, later to play a big part in Town’s journey.

It means Fleetwood slipped to ninth at the end of August, five points behind early pace-setters Ipswich Town.

Accrington gained revenge 2-1 over Town at Wham Stadium as September began with the opening skirmishes in the Leesing.com Trophy.

More importantly, Town ended the week with a victory by the same scoreline at home to Oxford United in the league.

Madden gave Fleetwood a deserved lead on 15 minutes, after a shot by impressive loanee Jordan Rossiter rebounded off the post, but further chances went begging and Town were pegged back by half-time as Elliott Moore headed Anthony Forde’s cross home.

But resolute Town remained unbeaten at home since February and won it 11 minutes from time, when Lewie Coyle’s cross was perfect for Peter Clarke to score his first for the club.

Town twice let the lead slip at Southend United a week later, where the managerless Shrimpers collected their first point of the season from a 3-3 thriller.

Having sacked Kevin Bond on the back of six straight defeats, the hosts took the lead through Stephen McLaughlin’s curled free-kick on 17 minutes. But Town were ahead by half-time courtesy of Burnley loanee Jimmy Dunne’s first goal and a Morris effort on the rebound.

Stephen Humphry equalised shortly after the restart but Town were soon back in front via a Kyle Dempsey header from Coyle’s cross.

Victory could have sent Town top but they had to settle for a point as Humphrys bagged a second three minutes from time.

It was Town’s turn to be celebrating on 87 minutes a week later, when Evans headed in Andrew’s cross for a 2-1 Highbury win over Rochdale.

Rekeil Pyke gave Dale the lead after only eight minutes and Ian Henderson should have made it two.

Town responded to the let-off as Andrew converted Burns’ cross and Fleetwood had chances to win it before Evans’ late strike lifted them to fourth.

Fleetwood’s first EFL Trophy win came courtesy of a penalty shootout against Liverpool Under-21s at Highbury, then they made it 10 points out of 12 in the league for September with a 3-0 win at Shrewsbury Town.

The Shrews actually had the better chances until an own goal gave Fleetwood a half-time lead, Dunne’s header bouncing back off the bar and going in off the luckless Callum Lang.

Town controlled the second half as goals by Morris and Madden sealed victory which saw Barton’s side leapfrog Blackpool and end the month in third spot.