Ash Eastham hopes Fleetwood Town’s fans take hope from Sunderland victory

Ash Eastham celebrates Town's last-gasp winner

Town ended their home campaign with a 2-1 victory over the Black Cats in midweek.

It was a game in which Eastham thought he had scored an injury-time winner but replays showed it was Ashley Nadesan who got the final touch.

With Fleetwood only capable of a ninth-placed finish at best if they beat Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday, Eastham wants the fans to be buoyed by the Sunderland win going into next season.

Ash Eastham was involved in Towns winner against Sunderland in midweek

He said: “What a feeling for the fans, the players, the management.

“The manager (Joey Barton) gave us a bit of a rocket at half-time.

“We really put on a performance there to show what this club and team are capable of.

“It was brilliant to send the fans away with a smile on their faces.

“Hopefully it brings them back with more motivation and encouragement for next season.

“We did not want to end this season flat and the fans to go away thinking ‘what a negative end to the season.’

“We wanted to give them something to hold onto and hope going forward.”

Eastham praised goalkeeper Alex Cairns for his role in the victory.

The shot-stopper was named players’ player of the season at the fans’ awards and Eastham says his Sunderland heroics were not a one-off.

He said: “Credit to Cairnsy for an unbelievable save in the first half.

“That is what he has done all season; kept us in the game at critical times.

“The gaffer said and we feel it ourselves that we are one of the fittest teams in the league.

“We train at an intensity that means we are going to be naturally fit on a matchday.

“There is something; looking in their players’ eyes second half, I did not feel they wanted it.

“They got a bit nervous and we pounced on that, used the momentum and it was great to get the equaliser and the winner.”