YORK City fans eyeing Fleetwood Town’s coveted fifth place spot in Blue Square Bet Premier need look no further than their 3-1 at Luton Town to realise the threat they will pose at Bootham Crescent tonight.

A Gareth Seddon brace and an Anthony Barry strike cancelled out Lloyd Owusu’s early goal and gave the Lancashire-based side a precious win in Bedfordshire and pushed them ten points clear of the Minstermen in the league table.

Fleetwood boss Micky Mellon said the result was the best in the club’s history – his side having been promoted at the end of last term from Blue Square North with a play-off final victory over Alfreton Town.

It was their first visit to Kenilworth Road and, in a portent of what might come tonight, Mellon played a 4-4-2 formation with two wingers. “I can’t be any bolder than that,” Mellon said in the aftermath.

“We let the early goal in but the lads stood up when in the past we might have folded. I keep saying to everyone that you’ve got to enjoy your wins – and that is the best result in Fleetwood’s history.”

Fleetwood’s treble goal haul was only the fourth time the Cod Army had scored more than twice in a game this season and their campaign tally of 44 goals is the lowest in the top eight.

Of those strikes, former Carlisle striker Magno Vieira is responsible for 17 of them – his tally placing him third in the top scorer’s table behind Grimsby Town’s Alan Connell and Crawley’s Matthew Tubbs.

Seddon is next up for Fleetwood with seven.

But while they may not have been hugely prolific in front of goal, Fleetwood have been tight at the back.

Conceding 28 goals in 32 games, with only 14 of those coming away from home, only Crawley, Luton and Darlington have shipped fewer overall.

Having lost their last two matches before their Luton success, 1-0 at AFC Wimbledon and 1-0 at Histon, Fleetwood will look to build on an away record which has brought six successes so far.


Match facts

This is Fleetwood Town’s first visit to Bootham Crescent.

It happened on February 15

1930: Wally Gardner, Harold Beck and Tom Fenoughty scored in a 3-2 win at Stockport County watched by 9,434 at Edgeley Park. It was City’s first away success since the opening day of the season and they were ninth in Division Three North.

1936: A 3-2 win at Rochdale with Fred Speed, Jimmy Hughes and Peter Spooner on target. City were 18th in the Northern Section.

1958: City’s run of League games without a win was extended to nine when they held to a 3-3 draw at home to Chesterfield and they were 22nd in Division Three North. Arthur Bottom scored from the penalty spot in his last appearance for the club prior to his move to Newcastle United. The other marksmen were Terry Farmer and Billy Hughes and the crowd was 4,813.

1983: Gary Ford and John Byrne netted in a 2-0 home victory over Blackpool watched by 2,937 and City were in the top half of Division Four.

1986: In front of 12,572 at Bootham Crescent City drew 1-1 with Liverpool in the fifth round of the FA Cup. Gary Ford gave City the lead with Jan Molby equalising from the penalty spot. City lined up as follows: Leaning, Senior, Hood, McAughtrie, MacPhail, Mills, Ford, Banton, Walwyn, Haslegrave, Canham.

1997: Gillingham won 3-2 at Bootham Crescent and City were 20th in the Second Division (League One). Steve Bushell and Tony Barras were the scorers and the crowd numbered 2,748.

Compiled by David Batters