Rovers defeated at the Mem, as Fleetwood register a 4-1 victory.

Callum Camps' brace and goals from Madden and Evans proved to be enough for Fleetwood to take home all three points.

Camps' free-kick on the stroke of the half-hour provided the opening goal in what had been a fairly even first-half up until Fleetwood’s opener.

Barton's side capitalised on the momentum gained from Camps’ strike, with Padden Madden adding a second goal ahead of half-time.

Rovers did dent Fleetwood's lead on the hour, as Josh Grant completed a well-worked passage of play with an equally good finish, but Rovers were unable to find the all-important second goal in the final thirty minutes. 

Fleetwood put the game to bed with ten minutes remaining, as cross turn shot from Camps sailed into the top corner and substitute Ched Evans converted from the spot. 

Rovers headed into Saturday’s contest on the back of an Emirates FA Cup win over Walsall last weekend. With a returning focus on league duties, Ben Garner’s side knew that three points at the Mem could lift them towards the top ten in the table if results elsewhere fell in their favour.

Fleetwood made the long trip to BS7 after a midweek outing in the Papa John’s Trophy against Sunderland. 

The previous three encounters between the sides had ended goalless, with Rovers having fond memories of Fleetwood trip to Mem in December 2018, where a late James Clarke goal secured a momentum-shifting three points that proved to be the catalyst for the Gas to retain their League One status.

Ahead of kick-off, Rovers opted to make several changes to the side that featured in the Emirates FA Cup last weekend, four in total to the side that faced Walsall.

As expected, Jordi van Stappershoef deputised for Anssi Jaakkola, who is away on international duty. The further changes saw Josh Hare, Josh Grant, and Cian Harries return to the line-up.

On the Rovers bench, youngster Liam Armstrong was called on as Rovers’ back up goalkeeper, the first time that the Academy graduate has been involved in the first-team matchday squad.

In the early stages, there wasn’t much action at both ends of note. Josh Morris fired wide for the visitors, while a glancing header from Paddy Madden not close enough to the Rovers goal to trouble van Stappershoef.

It was typical wintry conditions on show at the Mem, with the driving rain and forceful wind impacting play early on.

Rovers amassed half chances when a neat touch from Westbrooke fed the ball to Oztumer inside the Fleetwood area, but the eventual effort from the loanee was blocked. The rebound fell to McCormick, who shaped a curling attempt high over the Fleetwood goal,

The same pair, Oztumer and McCormick combined moments later, as the latter received the ball on the fringe of the Fleetwood box. This time, opting for a low effort, McCormick’s shot was held by Leutwiler.

With deadlock looking increasingly likely to remain in place at the break, it was a set-piece from the visitors the registered the first goal of the game on the stroke of the half-hour. Callum Camps stood over the free-kick, that was located towards the corner of the penalty box and struck a forceful effort that swung across the face of goal and nestled into the top corner to give Fleetwood the lead.

The one-goal lead for the visitors was doubled minutes later, as Rovers came undone from a corner. It was Andrew’s corner that did the damage, aimed high towards the far-post where Connolly was hand to nod the ball back across goal. The header fell to the feet of Paddy Madden, who steered his low finish through a sea of players to add Fleetwood’s second goal of the afternoon.

There was a late first-half chance for Fleetwood to add a third when a quick break led to Wes Burns firing a low cross into the area, where Paddy Madden narrowly missed the opportunity to apply a finish from close range.

During the interval, Rovers made two attacking changes, introducing James Daly and Sam Nicholson, at the expense of Josh Hare and Luke McCormick.

Looking to dent Fleetwood’s advantage, Rovers had an early chance in the second half, as a placed attempt from Westbrooke caused issues for Leutwiler, who could claim the attempt cleanly but could only tip the effort wide.

Rovers had a distant appeal for a penalty turned down when Max Ehmer went to ground when attempting to reach a corner at the far post, with the Gas looking to apply more pressure on the visitors during the second half.

It was substitute Nicholson that had a major part in Rovers reducing Fleewood's lead on the hour mark. A driving run forward from the winger took Rovers to the edge of the area, where Nicholson and Grant combined with a neat one-two that allowed Nicholson to burst into the box. Nicholson returned the ball to Grant, who lost his marker, inside the Fleetwood area and the midfielder lifted a finish into the roof of the net to give Rovers a pathway back into the contest.

As Rovers' belief returned, so did the horrendous conditions, with once again the wind and rain combining to impact the game.

Fleetwood turned to the bench and made a double change, introducing Evans and Rossiter.

Nicholson's impact on the game continued, as the winger teed up a useful cross that narrowly missed the run of James Daly inside the six-yard box, as Rovers continued to press for an equalising goal. 

For Rovers' third and final change, Ali Koiki made way for David Tutonda. 

With ten minutes left on the clock, Fleetwood were able to add a third goal to restore a two-goal cushion. Somewhat against the run of play, a cross/shot from Camps veered towards the Rovers goal and found the top corner.

Substitute Ched Evans completed the scoring for the penalty spot, converting to add Fleetwood's fourth goal of the afternoon inside the final few minutes.

Rovers are in action on Wednesday evening, hosting Chelsea U21s in Papa John’s Trophy, before returning to league action against Swindon next Saturday.

Rovers: Jordi van Stappershoef, Max Ehmer ©, Jack Baldwin, Cian Harries, Ali Koiki (74' David Tutonda), Josh Hare (45’ Sam Nicholson), Luke McCormick (45’ James Daly), Ed Upson, Erhun Otzumer, Zain Westbrooke, Brandon Hanlan.

Subs not used: Liam Armstrong, Ed Upson, Alfie Kilgour, Jayden Mitchell-Lawson.

Booked: Harries 27’, Ehmer 79', Hanlan 90'

Fleetwood Town: Jayson Leutwiler, Tom Edwards (45’ James Hill), Danny Andrew, Callum Connolly, Wes Burns, Callum Camps, Josh Morris (68’ Ched Evans), Charles Mulgrew, Paul Coutts (C), Paddy Madden, Sam Finley ( 68’ Jordan Rossiter).

Subs not used: Alex Cairns, Glenn Whelan, Barrie McKay, Shayden Morris.

Booked: Leutwiler 90'