Rosler pleased with winning start for Fleetwood

Fleetwood head coach Uwe Rosler was pleased his side started the new term with an opening day win.
Rosler with two-goal McAlenyRosler with two-goal McAleny
Rosler with two-goal McAleny

Town currently top the League One table after beating Rotherham 2-0 at Highbury.

Two Conor McAleny goals were enough to sink the Millers.

Rosler was pleased with the reaction of his players as they bounced back from their 5-1 pre-season defeat to Championship side PNE.

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He said: “I think from game-to-game in pre-season, the players got to know the system better, unfortunately - or maybe fortunately the second half against Preston somebody hit us with a real sledgehammer and on Saturday we showed the right reaction.

“It did not affect our confidence and on Saturday that was my only worry.

“The players went out, we gave them a game plan, they executed it well.

“We are off the mark.

“I think it is important in this league to start the season well, to be in and around.

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“To beat a very strong Rotherham team is a compliment to my players.”

Earlier on Saturday Fleetwood’s development squad full-back Michael Duckworth left the club to join National League side Halifax.

The defender spent most of last term on-loan at League Two side Morecambe after joining from Hartlepool before Rosler’s arrival at Fleetwood last summer.

And Rosler says the two faces of his team, creativity but also the ability to grind out a result were on show against Rotherham.

He said: “We had a hard week.

“The second half against Preston knocked us a little bit.

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“We needed longer to overcome that but on Saturday we showed two really good faces and that was us.

“The first half I think we played really well, scored a goal, had more chances.

We were organised, we looked a real threat.

“Second half I think the wind made it really difficult for us to clear our lines, they brought on Moore, a six-foot-four striker, plus Proctor who are physically very strong players.

“In general they are a very fit team, they have all the ingredients as to what you need to get out of this league and they pushed us to the limit.

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“In the second half we ground out another clean sheet and won 2-0.

“Second half against the wind it was very difficult for us to clear our lines, from every angle they put the ball into our box, when you are permanently on the back foot because you can’t stop the keeper kicking the ball, nearly on our box, is very difficult.

“They did that very well so compliments to them.

“In the first half the wind helped us, we played our football we got the ball down and we were creative.

“That is what I am looking for but we also showed that we can grind out results like we did last season.”

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It could have been a different story had Rotherham man Lee Frecklington’s 13th minute effort not been ruled out for offside.

And Rosler praised the officials for the brace decision.

He said: “Coaches we always intending to blame referees or linesmen when things are not going our way.

“I have to give a big compliment to the whole refereeing team but also to the linesman because we are Fleetwood Town playing against Rotherham United who have just come down from the Championship.

“They sold out their allocation, a full crowd and he had the bravery to get up his flag and make the right decision, because it was the right decision.

“That was a crucial moment in the game and I just want to say well done for ebign a brave man.”