Match ends, Fleetwood Town 2, Bristol Rovers 0.
FleetwoodFleetwood Town2Bristol RoversBristol Rovers0
Fleetwood Town took a big step to League One survival with victory over 10-man Bristol Rovers.
Town boss John Sheridan has steered Fleetwood from the bottom four to 13th in a seven-match unbeaten run since taking the reins from Uwe Rosler and his side hit the 51-point mark with a gritty performance against Rovers.
It was a clash that was as grey as the skies above Highbury until a second-half sending-off woke the game up.
Bristol's Chris Lines only had himself to blame as he picked up two bookings in quick succession.
The Bristol man was livid by referee Ross Joyce's refusal to award a set-piece after Ellis Harrison and Cian Bolger tangled in Town's half and received a yellow for his protestations in the 55th minute.
But just two minutes later - even after Joyce had told skipper Tom Lockyer to calm his man down - Lines still persisted with his complaints and Joyce sent him for an early bath.
Fleetwood used that man advantage to take the lead through Ashley Hunter, although Rovers nearly struck back but the woodwork thwarted a late Ellis Harrison screamer.
Sheridan's men finally put the game to bed in the 89th minute as Jordy Hiwula latched on to Bobby Grant's through ball to calmly slot home with the hosts securing their fifth-straight clean sheet.
Match report supplied by Press Association
Line-ups
Fleetwood
Formation 3-5-2
- 21Cairns
- 5Eastham
- 6Pond
- 12Bolger
- 2Coyle
- 8Dempsey
- 16DiagouragaBooked at 41mins
- 28SowerbySubstituted forGrantat 74'minutes
- 22Hunter
- 10McAlenySubstituted forHiwula-Mayifuilaat 69'minutes
- 17MaddenSubstituted forBurnsat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Neal
- 7Hiwula-Mayifuila
- 9Burns
- 11Grant
- 18Glendon
- 19Jones
- 27Biggins
Bristol Rovers
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Slocombe
- 22PartingtonSubstituted forSweeneyat 30'minutes
- 25Craig
- 4Lockyer
- 3Brown
- 19MooreSubstituted forGaffneyat 69'minutes
- 8O Clarke
- 14LinesBooked at 57mins
- 26Bennett
- 18TelfordSubstituted forRusseat 60'minutes
- 9Harrison
Substitutes
- 6Sweeney
- 21Smith
- 23Mensah
- 30Gaffney
- 32Russe
- 39Hargreaves
- Referee:
- Ross Joyce
- Attendance:
- 2,890
Match Stats
Home TeamFleetwoodAway TeamBristol Rovers
- Possession
- Home45%
- Away55%
- Shots
- Home15
- Away9
- Shots on Target
- Home9
- Away3
- Corners
- Home3
- Away3
- Fouls
- Home10
- Away9
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Fleetwood Town 2, Bristol Rovers 0.
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Lewie Coyle (Fleetwood Town) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Foul by Rory Gaffney (Bristol Rovers).
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Corner, Bristol Rovers. Conceded by Lewie Coyle.
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Attempt saved. Bobby Grant (Fleetwood Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Goal!
Goal! Fleetwood Town 2, Bristol Rovers 0. Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Fleetwood Town) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Bobby Grant.
Substitution
Substitution, Fleetwood Town. Wes Burns replaces Paddy Madden.
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Foul by Bobby Grant (Fleetwood Town).
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Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
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Attempt saved. Kyle Dempsey (Fleetwood Town) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
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Ellis Harrison (Bristol Rovers) hits the bar with a right footed shot from outside the box.
Goal!
Goal! Fleetwood Town 1, Bristol Rovers 0. Ashley Hunter (Fleetwood Town) right footed shot from the left side of the box to the top right corner. Assisted by Bobby Grant.
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Attempt missed. Lewie Coyle (Fleetwood Town) right footed shot from the right side of the box is close, but misses to the left.
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Attempt saved. Kyle Dempsey (Fleetwood Town) right footed shot from long range on the left is saved in the bottom right corner.
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Foul by Jordy Hiwula-Mayifuila (Fleetwood Town).
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Tom Lockyer (Bristol Rovers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Substitution
Substitution, Fleetwood Town. Bobby Grant replaces Jack Sowerby.
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Attempt saved. Rory Gaffney (Bristol Rovers) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
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Attempt saved. Paddy Madden (Fleetwood Town) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
