Fleetwood Town 0-0 Bristol Rovers
Sky Bet League One, Highbury Stadium, Tuesday 12 March 2024
Bristol Rovers were held to a 0-0 draw away to Fleetwood Town in Tuesday’s Sky Bet League One fixture.
An entertaining stalemate saw both sides hit the woodwork. First, the home side struck the cross-bar through Gavin Kilkenny’s well-taken hit on 60 minutes, before Antony Evans’ late free-kick was deflected onto the post.
But neither team could make the breakthrough in a tightly-contested outing at Highbury Stadium.
Matt Taylor kept faith with the same starting that welcomed Derby County to The Mem at the weekend, and it was the Gas that enjoyed the opening proceedings.
Evans tested his luck early on with a first-time effort, which was blocked away, before Harvey Vale and Scott Sinclair combined to almost set Chris Martin for a close-ranged finish.
Kamil Conteh’s smart pass then found Vale, who saw his effort also blocked, before Fleetwood’s Danny Mayor pulled a shot wide.
The hosts went within inches of opening the scoring with five minutes to play in the first half when a pull-back found Mayor waiting six yards out. The midfielder’s effort seemed destined for the net but a combination of Jed Ward and Elkan Baggott stopped the shot on the line, allowing Rovers to clear and regroup.
Minutes later, it seemed like the Gas would take a lead into half-time when Evans latched onto a looping ball, sweetly striking an effort on the half-volley. An instinctual stop by Fleetwood’s Jay Lynch denied the No21 a fine finish.
Evans was involved four minutes after the restart too when he found Vale on the counter-attack. Vale, in turn, looked to set Sinclair, but the winger’s shot was well-saved by Lynch.
Midfielder Kilkenny went close for the hosts on the hour mark when his first-time effort from the edge of the penalty area hit the cross-bar, while Sam Finley’s shot eight minutes later was from a similar distance and was powered narrowly wide.
Jed Ward did well to catch Jayden Stockley’s header moments later, before the travelling Rovers fans saw the return to action of Grant Ward, with the midfielder making his first league appearance for the Gas since New Years’ Day.
With just a minute to play, Rovers registered their best opportunity. Evans’ free-kick caused havoc in the Fleetwood box, with Hoole getting a flick, sending the ball into the woodwork.
But it was not to be and both sides took a share of the spoils from Highbury Stadium.
Fleetwood Town: Lynch, Wiredu ©, Lawal, Kilkenny, Stockley (Lonergan 90), Mayor (Graydon 58), Broom, Heneghan, Omochere, Rooney, Patterson.
Subs not used: McMullan (GK), Johnston, Boyes, Samuels, Potter.
Booked: Rooney, Broom
Bristol Rovers: Ward, Gordon, Finley ©, Sinclair, Taylor, Martin, Vale (Vaughan 76), Evans, Conteh (Ward 76), Baggott, Hoole
Subs not used: Cox (GK), Crama, Grant, Brown, Marquis
Booked: Hoole, Finley
Referee: Ross Joyce
Attendance: 2,456
