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Mark Peers scores for Fleetwood

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Hyde United 5-3 Fleetwood Town

Fleetwood Town will be disappointed with a score-line that could easily have seen them take three points from Hyde United.

Instead, an improved Town performance and rearranged back-line couldn't prevent a second heavy away defeat within a week.

The eight-goal thriller at Ewen Fields saw two penalties and John Hills seeing red. Hills, starting at left-back and making his first full start for Fleetwood, clumsily brought down his man on 77 minutes when he was last line of defence.

The visitors started the brighter and looked a distinctly different side to the one overturned by Farsley Celtic 4-1 in mid-week. In came Farrell Kilbane to partner Ricky Mercer in the centre of defence, with Phil Doughty continuing at right-back and John Hills completing the back line. Mark Peers and Warren Beattie took the game to Hyde on 6 minutes, but an off-side flag broke-up their move.

Skipper Jamie Milligan tested Craig Dootson on 11 minutes with a low, wide drive that went to the left of the post. The offside flag again prevented another Fleetwood move when John Hills put Phil Denney through on 14 minutes. It was a bright opening spell by Fleetwood and Danny Hurst collected confidently on the quarter hour mark. Hyde then picked up their game and Mercer needed to react quickly to deal with a James Dean run. Peers managed to net the ball only to find the assistant's flag had once again intervened.

Dean again threatened on 23 minutes and managed to put Chris Simm through. Simm managed to beat Hurst but saw his effort bounce off the near post. Town responded with a four-man build-up organised by Milligan that provided Warlow an opportunity to put Town one up. Instead, his shot was drilled straight at the approaching Dootson. The action was immediately back in the Town half and this time Simm took his chance. Danny Hurst managed to parry the first attempt, but Simm was quickest to the loose ball.

Adam Warlow was in the Hyde box straight after the restart and was flattened by Chris Brass. Skipper Milligan stepped up to claim his first of the season. The remainder of the half played out in the same manner with both sides going close and both defences needing to be on top of their game.

Mercer typified the efforts with a brave, diving header at the feet of Matthew Tipton on the stroke of half-time.

A busy second period was only two minutes old when Mark Innes put away a low shot at the approaching Hurst. Fleetwood didn't allow Hyde time to settle their lead and Warren Beattie was given a free header on 47 minutes to make it two apiece. Beattie, who scored a pre-season hat-trick, showed his hunger on 53 minutes when Hills cleared to provider Adam Warlow but was frustrated by the Hyde back line.

Mercer was again sharp on 53 minutes when John Hills had gone forward only for Fleetwood to be caught on the break. The Town pressure paid-off on 69 minutes when Mark Peers put the visitors in front. The former Witton man came in from the wing and placed the ball over the advancing keeper.

Chris Simm grabbed the Hyde equaliser two minutes later and eight minutes further on the home side were in front. Simm was through on goal and Hills, the last man, tussled in the box. Mr Dowd immediately pointed to the spot and Hills saw red. Tipton converted as the game entered the last ten minutes.

Fleetwood then spurned chances not only to equalise but take the three points. Peers, Warlow and Milligan were all denied. A Hyde corner on 83 minutes allowed the unmarked Simm to claim his hat-trick and give Fleetwood plenty to think about in all departments before they make their home bow against Vauxhall Motors on Saturday (August 23rd August KO 3:00pm).

Assistant manager Nigel Greenwood felt Fleetwood should have made sure of the game at 3-2. "We took the game to them after they scored their first. We kept the ball better than Tuesday and went on to s core some decent goals. We are defensively looking weak at the moment. The back-line was changed because we had to do something after shipping four goals in mid-week.

"It didn't work out and we still have to find the right blend. We scored three away from home and usually that's enough to win away. I've no complaints about the Hills decision. He was the last man and it was a red.

"We should have killed the game off at 3-2 and gone on to score more goals. They caught us on a counter attack to equalise. That shows were we must concentrate. We will look at our back four and defending as a team in training next week," added Greenwood.

The attendance of 316 included around 100 travelling supporters from the Fylde Coast.