Burns praised after answering Fleetwood's shock call

Town were unfortunate to lose 1-0 at stadium:mk due to Chuks Aneke’s 43rd- minute strike.

It was a game Fleetwood deserved more from as Burns, 22, slotted in on the right to cover for Lewie Coyle, who started his three- match ban.

Coyle was sent off for a challenge on Jake Cottrell in Town’s 2-1 FA Cup first round comeback win at non-league Chorley last Monday, when striker Burns filled his role for a short cameo in the dying stages.

And after impressing up front in the 2-1 Checkatrade Trophy win at Carlisle last Wednesday, Burns was given the nod to make his first start since the 4-2 defeat to Southend in September.

The 22-year-old had played at wing-back before for Bristol City, the club Town signed him from last January, and Rosler played him there for over an hour on Saturday.

He said: “I think Wes Burns did surprisingly really well. We didn’t have time (before) to play him in that position.

“We tried him and worked him in training, and he did really well. He told me afterwards it is different from (playing as) a striker because you have to be spot on mentally all the time.

“Physically he could have played longer but mentally he was tiring and you could see that at the end of the first half.

“I’m very proud of Wes. He did really well against Carlisle for 90 minutes, when he ran over 12k.

“And on Saturday he did everything I asked him to, especially in the first half, when they had more of the ball and more questions were asked of us.

“We did really well because they did not create any chances.

“In the second half we got on top and the plan was always to bring the third striker on. That gave us the momentum to push them back.

“Unfortunately on Saturday we didn’t have that little bit of quality in the final 20 metres.”

That lack of a cutting edge in the final third was all that Rosler felt was missing as his side played their third away game in the space of six days.

And Rosler says he was not only proud of Burns but of his whole squad for their efforts last week.

He said: “The last ball, the last little bit of quality in the final 20 metres, was the only thing that was missing.”

“My players gave me everything. We had the chance twice to clear the ball (for their goal), which is disappointing. That is the detail that we lost today.

“We lost not against a team who outplayed us or were better than us – we lost on a detail on a player in Chuks Aneke who has very good potential.

“That little bit of knowhow and nous to deal with those cost us today.

“I’m really proud of my players, how we pushed in a stadium like that.

“Three away games in six days – that is all that I can say.”