Fleetwood Town 0 Northampton Town 0: Town's goal famine continues in another stalemate

Interim boss Simon Wiles is still looking for his first win after five games in charge as Fleetwood continue to stutter.
Charlie Mulgrew climbs highest but Fleetwood could not get on top of NorthamptonCharlie Mulgrew climbs highest but Fleetwood could not get on top of Northampton
Charlie Mulgrew climbs highest but Fleetwood could not get on top of Northampton
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Message from Simon Wiles stays the same as Fleetwood seek elusive win over North...

Struggling Northampton fully deserved to take a point back down the M6, though at least Wiles will take a second consecutive clean sheet as some consolation.

However, his side looked short of a spark again in this one and have found the net only once in Wiles' four League One games at the helm.

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Wiles opted to make a couple of alterations to his starting line-up on the back of Saturday’s goalless draw at Wigan.

His side perhaps ought to have won at the weekend but still Wiles chose to freshen up his starting XI, with Mark Duffy replacing Shayden Morris and Harvey Saunders coming in for recent loan signing Kyle Vassell. Both Morris and Vassell were named among the substitutes.

Against a Northampton side who had lost five of their previous seven games, it was rather a nervy start from the hosts on another bitterly cold Highbury evening.

An uncharacteristically poor defensive header from Charlie Mulgrew allowed Ryan Edmondson to play in Sam Hoskinsbut he lifted a 20-yard effort over the crossbar.

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Minutes later Hoskins was in space again on the edge of the Town box, though again he fired off-target.

Paddy Madden headed well wide as Wiles’ men sought to gain a foothold, then Saunders saw a powerful shot deflected behind for a corner.

It had been a ragged opening half-hour from the hosts but it was almost lit up by Saunders, whose acrobatic strike from Madden’s cross was well saved by Jonathan Mitchell.

The Cobblers’ ‘keeper then superbly tipped Callum Camps’ free-kick over the crossbar.

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Keith Curle’s men always looked a threat on the break, and that was highlighted in the 35th minute when Alex Cairns raced out impressively to thwart Edmondson in a one-on-one situation.

Wiles will have demanded more from his team after the interval – the performance up to that point a little too flat.

The hosts did apply some pressure in the opening minutes of the second period, and Callum Connolly almost broke through when he lashed into the side-netting after pouncing on a loose ball.

This was still a game very much up for grabs, and back came Northampton when Danny Rose headed debutant Peter Kioso’s cross a couple of feet wide.

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The final 20 minutes approached and there was still no breakthrough, though Madden came close when his quickfire shot on the turn from 20 yards only just cleared the crossbar.

Saunders then lashed over the top as the hosts increased the tempo.

That didn’t last, however, and Cobblers sub Ryan Watson threatened to stun the hosts after he came on with 17 minutes to go.

He fired inches off-target from the edge of the Town box before forcing Cairns into a smart full-length stop, with just a couple of minutes left on the clock.

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It's just one win in 11 league games now for Town, with a total of five goals scored in those games, as they prepare to visit Oxford United on Saturday.

Fleetwood: Cairns, Donacien, Connolly, Mulgrew (Holgate, 63), Andrew, Finley (J Morris, 74), Duffy (McKay, 71), Rossiter, Camps (Vassell. 71), Saunders, Madden; Subs not used: Coleman, Rydel, S Morris.

Northampton: Mitchell, Horsfall, Bolger, Jones, Kioso, Hoskins, McWilliams, Morris, Mills (Korboa, 69), Edmondson (Watson, 73), Rose (Ashley-Seal, 88); Subs not used: Berry, Harriman, Missilou, Chukwuemeka.

Referee: Martin Coy

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