Fleetwood Town 1 - 0 Rochdale: Morris keeps Fleetwood in hunt

Posted Sunday, March 15, 2015 by PA

Josh Morris scored his third goal in as many games to keep Fleetwood in the play-off hunt with a 1-0 home win against Rochdale.

Morris broke the deadlock in the second half with a well-struck shot from the edge of the penalty area.

Neither side created a clear-cut chance in an attritional opening 45 minutes in which the visitors dominated but could not find a way past a resolute Fleetwood defence.

Ian Henderson went closest, a flicked ball from Jamie Allen releasing the forward, who dragged his shot well wide.

At the other end there was precious little to celebrate. Morris fizzed the ball across the face of goal but nobody was able to get a foot on the end of it.

Morris was the man to liven things up after the interval as he cut in from the left and drove a shot just wide of the far post.

Dale went closer still, testing Fleetwood goalkeeper Chris Maxwell for the first time when Jamie Allen's header was scooped off the goalline.

The deadlock was finally broken just before the hour-mark when Morris let fly from the edge of the box, his low drive beating Dale goalkeeper Jamie Jones to find the far corner.

Rochdale were far from beaten and looked to bully their way back into the match, with Andy Cannon lucky to avoid a second yellow card for a crunching challenge on the goalscorer.

Home substitute Liam McAlinden almost sealed the win when Jones was caught in possession inside his six-yard box, but the keeper was just able to scramble the ball clear.

Then Fleetwood midfielder Stewart Murdoch rattled the woodwork with a looping 20-yard effort and Morris dragged the rebound wide.