Joey Barton: Ashley Nadesan will be back in January to fight for a place at Fleetwood Town

After Ged Garner scored his first goal for Fleetwood Town in the FA Cup win at Alfreton, another of the club's young attackers will be  back to fight for his place in January.
Ashley Nadesan will have a chance to add to his four Fleetwood appearances in the New YearAshley Nadesan will have a chance to add to his four Fleetwood appearances in the New Year
Ashley Nadesan will have a chance to add to his four Fleetwood appearances in the New Year
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Alfreton Town 1 Fleetwood Town 4: VERDICT

The striker, 24, has netted seven times in 17 appearances for ex-Fleetwood boss John Sheridan’s League Two club, having scored four in 15 during his previous spell at the end of last season, and Town head coach Joey Barton says Nadesan will return to Highbury when his loan expires in the New Year.

That’s why Barton would not allow the striker to play in the Cumbrians’ FA Cup win at Crewe Alexandra and risk being cup-tied.

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Barton said: “We didn’t think he would get enough minutes here and he is a lad who needs to play football.

“He has gone to Carlisle, done really well and we are going to bring him back in January and see where he is at.

“He will have an opportunity to fight for his place in the side. We are hoping to still be in the FA Cup in January, so it would be foolish for us to get him cup-tied.

“We did not want him to play at Crewe with an eye on us being in the third round in January.”

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With Nadesan out on loan, 19-year-old academy product Garner is fighting for first-team recognition.

The forward scored his first senior goal on his third appearance on Sunday, nodding home Ross Wallace’s injury-time cross to complete Town’s 4-1 win at Alfreton.

In the second round Town will visit another National League North club in Guiseley, who stunned League Two Cambridge 4-3 last weekend.

Before then, Barton says Garner is pushing for a start in tonight’s Checkatrade Trophy group decider at League Two Bury, where victory by a two-goal margin will secure a place in the next round for Fleetwood.

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Barton said: “Ged was very impressive in a development game at Huddersfield last week, to the point where we were tempted to start him at Alfreton.

“But we all know what the FA Cup can throw up if you go in with uncertainty and we didn’t really want to pitch him into that, but we always had a plan to throw him in (as a substitute). He is progressing great.

“We asked him to do certain things in pre-season. We said he needed to go away, work on certain things. He has done that and he got that goal. I thought he was excellent when he came on.”