Charlie Adam praised his players’ “magnificent” performance in his first win as Fleetwood manager following a 3-0 victory over Port Vale.
The result lifted Fleetwood off the foot of the Sky Bet League One table and they were comfortable winners with goals from Jayden Stockley, Ronan Coughlan and Ryan Broom.
After his maiden victory, and Fleetwood’s first in 15 games, ex-Stoke midfielder Adam was full of admiration for the performance that got them the points.
“We’re obviously delighted,” he said. “I think it’s been a month since I came into the building and the performances have been coming, slowly but surely.
“I thought we had the first win last week (drawing 2-2 with Wycombe after leading 2-0) but the lads showed tremendous character to bounce back this week.
“We freshened it up today with Promise Omochere being suspended and we managed to get that win, I thought the lads were excellent. It’s a great lift for the football club and the whole town.
“For the players in there it’s been a while. We’re delighted but we look to another tough game against Bristol Rovers on Tuesday night now.
“We always say that if we get the performance right the results will come. In the last game and a half, I mean the first half against Wycombe last week, I thought we were excellent.
“The clean sheet was massive, it’s big for defenders and for the goalkeeping department because we’ve conceded too many goals.
“The whole team performance was big, from Stocks (Stockley) right the way back to Jay Lynch in goal, they were magnificent.”
While Adam enjoyed his team’s success, Valiants boss Andy Crosby issued an apology to the travelling fans who saw a well below-par showing from their team.
Vale sit precariously above the drop-zone and Crosby was in no mood to offer any excuses for his team.
“I need to apologise to the 1,100 people who came to watch us, to the Port Vale fans who were here or listening at home,” he said.
“Our performance lacked anything you should need to win a game of football. There was no pride in our performance, individually or collectively.
“We got outfought, we got out-battled and we got outplayed and when all those things happen you don’t give yourself a chance to win a game of football.
“What I have said to the players in private will remain that way. But when you don’t do the basics required you end up on the end of a scoreline like that.
“Yes, the pitch is difficult and maybe we didn’t move the ball quickly enough. But before you even get to that stage you have to win duels, win headers and tackles, you have to out-run your opponent when you are making a recovery run.
“You have to show desire to land on second balls and anticipate where the game is going to go. You have to use your body.
“You have to do a hell of a lot of things before you come to the technical side of the game. And when you don’t, that is what happens.”
Al-Ahli 1-2 Al-Hilal: Mitrovic double keeps Saudi champions perfect
Aleksandar Mitrovic proved to be the difference once again for Al-Hilal as the reigning Saudi Pro League champions beat Al-Ahli 2-1 on Saturday.
Al-Ahil went in front with 12 minutes played when Gabri Veiga was sent through on goal by Franck Kessie, with the Spaniard rounding Yassine Bounou to open the scoring at King Abdullah Sports City.
The hosts went close to doubling their advantage soon after, with Riyad Mahrez and Ivan Toney going close, before Sergej Milinkovic-Savic saw his effort cleared off the line at the other end.
But parity was restored early in the second half through Al-Hilal's master marksman, as Mitrovic nodded home a trademark header from Renan Lodi's delivery.
Al-Ahil were then awarded a penalty when Rayan Hamed fouled Malcom inside the box, only for Mitrovic to see his effort saved by Abdulrahman Al Sanbi.
However, the Serbian was given the chance to redeem himself after the VAR deemed encroachment had taken place, and he made no mistake at the second time of asking to net his 14th goal of the season in all competitions.
Data Debrief: Mitrovic the main man
Mitrovic has been in fine form since his move to Saudi Arabia, with his latest double taking his tally to 54 goals in as many appearances for Al-Hilal.
This time out, he contributed 1.16 expected goals (xG) tally to the visitors' 2.24 total, while also recording the most touches in the opposition box (six).
Malcom also impressed for Al-Hilal, creating more chances (three) than anyone on the pitch, with his 14 passes into the final third a total only bettered by Ruben Neves (18) and Salem Al Dawsari (15) among his team-mates.
Al-Nassr 3-0 Al-Orubah: Mane double helps hosts close in on leaders
Sadio Mane scored a goal in either half, helping Al-Nassr cruise to a 3-0 win over Al-Orubah and close in on the top two in the Saudi Pro League.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given the hosts the lead from the spot, setting them on their way to a dominant victory.
After a slow start, Jean Seri was penalised for a handball, and Ronaldo made no mistake from the spot. After a stuttering run-up, he coolly slotted his strike into the bottom-left corner.
Mane got his first on the stroke of half-time, latching onto Ronaldo's pull-back before firing his low shot into the far side of the net.
He could have had a hat-trick, having also hit the woodwork and squandered a first-time shot by slicing it wide, but he did get his second in the 71st minute, guiding Nawaf Bu Washi's cross past Gaetan Coucke.
Cristian Tello came closest to a consolation for the visitors, smashing a long-range effort off the crossbar.
Data Debrief: Mane's time to shine
Mane, so far this season, has been providing the spark as a playmaker after registering five assists in Al-Nassr's first five games in the Saudi Pro League.
Today, however, he regained his scoring touch, getting his first two goals of the campaign.
He had the most shots (five), and shots on target (three), as he accumulated 0.97 expected goals (xG), while his seven touches in the box was the most of any player on the field.
Napoli 3-1 Como: Lukaku and McTominay on target to extend hosts' Serie A lead
Romelu Lukaku continued his fine start to life at Napoli as the Belgian notched a goal and two assists in his side's 3-1 win over Como on Friday.
The hosts found themselves ahead with just 26 seconds on the clock when Scott McTominay was picked out by Lukaku, with the Scotland international firing home his first goal for Gli Azzurri off the post.
But Como would draw themselves level two minutes before the break when Gabriel Strefezza's strike from distance rifled into the bottom corner.
However, Antonio Conte's side needed just eight minutes after the interval to restore their advantage when Sergi Roberto brought down Mathias Olivera in the box, with Lukaku stepping up from 12 yards to net his fourth Serie A goal of the season.
Napoli continued to push for a third goal to secure the victory, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia going closest but saw his effort saved by Emil Audero.
But the points were sealed in the 86th minute when Lukaku turned provider once again, holding off his marker before slipping through substitute David Neres who slotted home with a fine finish to extend Napoli's lead at the top of the standings to four points.
Data Debrief: Lukaku continues Conte love story
Lukaku has been a player reborn under Conte's stewardship. The Belgian is the player who has been involved in the most goals in his first five appearances for Napoli in Serie A since the Italian top-flight returned to 20 teams (since 2004/05) with three goals and four assists.
He has also managed to better his assist tally for the whole of last season, managing just three in 32 appearances for Roma last term.
McTominay's goal after 26 seconds is the third-fastest scored by Napoli since the start of a Serie A match in the three points for a win era, after Hirving Lozano's goal against Hellas Verona in 2021 (nine seconds) and Ezequiel Lavezzi's goal against Genoa in 2008 (25 seconds).
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