Northwich, beaten twice by Town this term, were convincing winners and condemned Fleetwood to back-to-back league defeats for the first time all season following the previous Saturday's reverse at lowly Gainsborough Trinity.
After eight straight home league wins, Town fell short of title-winning form as former Blackpool striker Andy Preece's resurgent Northwich recorded their third consecutive victory.
The troubled Cheshire club were much improved since Town beat them 2-0 at Highbury in the FA Trophy and 3-0 at Victoria Park before Christmas, and they would be in the play-off zone but for a ten-point deduction.
Town manager Micky Mellon made two changes, with Nick Rogan replacing the unwell Adam Warlow up front and Jamie Mullan taking over from Nathan Pond in midfield. Steven Connors made a welcome return to the bench, having been out injured since mid-January.
The 1,267 supporters had to wait until the 20th minute before the game sprang to life when a 30-yard shot by Sean Clancy, scorer of all three Town goals in the clubs' last meeting, was tipped over by Curtis Aspden following good work by Rogan.
Rogan fired the resulting corner straight at the in-form Vics keeper.
Wayne Riley responded with a shot for the visitors which clipped Craig Dootson's bar.
Northwich kept the ball well in Town territory but Alan Wright showed composure to dispossess striker Mark Danks at a crucial moment.
Former Northwich winger Jamie Mullan set up Gareth Seddon with a shooting chance after a good run down the right but Junior Brown saved the exposed Aspden.
Mullan was then brought down by former team-mate Michael Connor, who was lucky to see yellow and not red for his rash challenge.
The home side were creating chances but poor finishing didn't match their build-up play. Clancy fed Anthony Barry on the half-hour and then supplied Seddon, though both shots went wide.
Just as the half looked like ending goalless, Danks collected a free-kick into the box and had time to turn and blast the opener on 45 minutes.
Town started the second half positively, but Rogan couldn't capitalise when Steve McNulty headed on Barry's long ball.
Barry worked hard to inspire Fleetwood, while Vics' Connor continued to impose himself on Mullan, who was replaced on the hour in a double switch.
Mellon also withdrew Jamie McGuire as Jamie Milligan and Pond entered the fray. Michael Wilde was then brought on for the off-key Rogan.
The changes proved ineffective as Fleetwood were guilty of providing Brian Dutton with a relatively soft goal on 69 minutes.
Dutton outjumped right-back Ashley Wooliscroft for a cross to the far post to head home his team's second.
Town still couldn't break through a tight Vics defence as they pushed forward in the closing 20 minutes. A string of efforts on goal were either off-target or stopped by the solid Aspden.
Wilde, Seddon, Barry, Milligan and Michael Taylor all saw chances go begging.
Goalscorer Dutton also played a part in the third on 78 minutes, when the home side were caught on the counterattack and Lee Elam tapped in from six yards.
Fleetwood's afternoon was summed up in the closing minutes, when Pond rattled Aspden's bar and fellow replacement Wilde couldn't latch on the rebound.
The one consolation for Town was that title rivals Southport were held to a draw at Corby. It leaves Fleetwood with a five-point lead over Southport, who have three games in hand and are at home to Alfreton tomorrow. Fleetwood face a testing visit to third-placed Hinckley in their next match on Saturday.
Fleetwood team: Dootson, Wooliscroft, Wright, Taylor (capt), McNulty, McGuire (Pond), Clancy, Barry, Rogan (Wilde), Seddon, Mullan (Milligan); subs not used: Cahill, Connors.
DERICK THOMAS
