Walsall 2 Fleetwood Town 0: Fleetwood boss Barton 'disappointed' with some senior players and labels promotion hopes an 'impossibility'

Fleetwood Town boss Joey Barton was left disappointed with some of his senior players as he classed their faint promotion hopes an impossibility.
Joey BartonJoey Barton
Joey Barton

Morgan Ferrier's 54th minute header and Dan Scarr's 68th minute effort saw the Saddlers cruise to three points.

Ferrier's goal came from a corner with Scarr sliding the ball through keeper Alex Cairns' legs after Town failed to clear a set-piece.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Barton was left disappointed with the second half performance and was frustrated to see his side's hopes of breaking into the top six slide further away.

With Peterborough United and Doncaster Rovers both losing Town could have cut their six point gap on sixth-placed Rovers.

But having failed to do so Barton now sees a late promotion surge as a long shot.

The Town boss is now determined to give more chances to youngsters like Barry Baggley and Ryan Rydel.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

U18 prospects Baggley, 17 and Rydel, 18, came off the bench to make their debuts as the Banks's Stadium.

And Barton thought they fared better than some of his senior professionals.

Speaking about the young duo he said: "I thought they helped us get a bit more energy and poise in the game which is incredible to say a 17-year-old and 18-year-old came on and put some of the senior players to shame.

"They have got to take a good hard look at themselves (the senior players).

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"Because some of them are towards the latter end of their careers, or fighting to have a career here.

"We have some good young kids who are hungry and desperate to have careers.

"I will blood them.

"We will not waste anything this season.

"If we cannot get promoted - which now looks an impossibility then we will use the time wisely.

"That will be to find players that are capable of getting us out of this division.

It is nice to see two of them on the pitch today.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"I have got high hopes and ambitions for young Ryan Rydel and Barry Baggley.

"We have a couple more behind that.

"I told the lads in there 'if you want to play like that in the second half then fine, you can stay in League One or drop into League Two if you need too. We will put the young kids in and they will show the energy, hunger, desire and determination to be a footballer.

"Disappointed in some of the seniors because you want to put the young kids on when we are winning a game 2-0 and we are in the ascendancy so they can showcase a little bit more.

"But I felt it was the right time to put them in because they deserve an opportunity.

"We tested them and I think they both did well."