Jaze Kabia’s 89th-minute header ensured the Mariners started 2026 with their first-ever away victory over Fleetwood Town at Highbury Stadium.

Town were the better side for much of a tight New Year’s Day contest in Lancashire and had opportunities to break the deadlock in the first half, with Jude Soonsup-Bell going closest.

Fleetwood, unbeaten at home in Sky Bet League Two since August, rarely seriously threatened but as the clock ticked down, it looked likely that the Mariners would have to settle for a second goalless draw of the festive period after Boxing Day’s home stalemate with Oldham Athletic.

But Town kept battling and when the chance came from substitute Darragh Burns’ pinpoint right-wing cross, fellow sub Kabia was in place to grab the goal which secured all three points as David Artell’s side registered back-to-back wins and a third consecutive clean sheet.

Justin Amaluzor came into the starting XI after scoring the winning goal against Shrewsbury Town as a substitute on Monday.  He replaced Burns in one of two changes to the team, with Kieran Green also coming in as Jamie Walker made way.

Jackson Smith continued in goal, with an unchanged defence of Harvey Rodgers, Doug Tharme, Cameron McJannet and Jayden Sweeney in front of him.  Geza Turi again started behind Amaluzor, Green, Evan Khouri and Charles Vernam in midfield, while Soonsup-Bell led the attack.

Walker and Burns were both named on the bench, alongside Charlie Casper, Tyrell Warren, Reece Staunton, George McEachran and Kabia.

Fleetwood were looking for a victory which could see them move to within one point of the play-off places, depending on other results.  They were protecting an unbeaten home record stretching back to a 4-1 defeat by Crewe Alexandra on August 19 but dropped points on the road in both of their two previous games over the Christmas period, with a goalless draw at Salford City following a 1-0 defeat by Tranmere Rovers.

Manager Pete Wild included former Town defender Toby Mullarkey in his starting line-up, with ex-Mariners loanee Jordan Davies named on the bench.

FIRST HALF

The game kicked off in windy conditions on the Fylde coast and a Vernam cross was headed clear as Town attacked for the first time on three minutes.

Smith had to watch a long, wind-assisted kick from home keeper Jay Lynch bounce over his bar, before a push on Vernam by Manchester United loanee Ethan Ennis brought a free kick in a promising position, left of centre.  Vernam found Soonsup-Bell from it but his header dropped just wide.

Defender Finley Potter needed treatment after going down with an injury but was passed fit to continue, then good challenges by Mullarkey stopped Vernam and Khouri as Town continued to go forward in the early stages.

Soonsup-Bell fired just wide of the far post after being played in by Green for what was the best chance so far on 16 minutes.

Potter was then replaced by Conor Haughey as the hosts were forced into making the first substitution.

Fleetwood’s first opening led to a corner on 19 minutes but they were unable to make it count as leading scorer Ryan Graydon headed wide from a narrow angle after Harrison Neal’s return ball into the penalty area.

Veteran striker Ched Evans saw the first yellow card of the afternoon soon afterwards for a foul on Turi, then Tharme stepped in to stop the danger after a quickly-taken free kick at the other end.

McJannet headed a right-wing cross clear as the hosts continued to come into the game, although Town had been the better side so far and they had another opportunity to create danger with a free kick on the right for a foul on Amaluzor.  Vernam sent it to the near post but Green’s volley went across goal and wide.

Matty Virtue sent a cross from the right out for a goal kick under good pressure from McJannet, then the former Derry City defender was in place to clear another ball into the box from the right.

Fleetwood had to make a second change to their back three on 37 minutes after Kayden Hughes went down with an injury.  Zach Medley was the man to come on.

A foul by Tharme gave the home side a free kick just inside the Town half but it was well-defended, then a cross from Ennis on the right was caught by Smith.

A handball decision against Virtue brought a free kick for the Mariners two minutes before the break and it proved to be the start of a period of pressure for the visitors, with a Vernam corner eventually cleared after an acrobatic attempt by Khouri was blocked.

Five added minutes were played at the end of the first half and Neal was booked for a foul on Amaluzor near the halfway line but neither side managed to create any further chances, so the game remained goalless at the interval.

SECOND HALF

No additional changes were made before the restart and a promising early attack by the Mariners came to an end when Mullarkey beat Khouri to the ball on the left.

Town now had the strong wind behind them and Virtue stepped in to clear for a throw-in after Green made his way into the box from the right.

Rodgers saw the yellow card for a foul on Lewis McCann near the halfway line, before Soonsup-Bell did well to get on the end of a long ball from Tharme but could not turn it into a chance in front of goal.

Smith was called into serious action for the first time on 56 minutes when he dived to stop a low strike from Mark Helm, then a great block by  McCann denied Amaluzor at the other end.

Town were starting to get on top again as the hour mark approached but a cross from Fleetwood’s Ennis caused danger.  Tharme did well to head it over his own bar for a corner, which led to another one on the home left.  This time, Turi cleared at the near post for a throw-in.

Smith stopped a low cross from the Fleetwood right, then a triple-substitution on 62 minutes saw Kabia, McEachran and Walker replace Soonsup-Bell, Turi and Vernam for the visitors.

A home penalty appeal came soon afterwards when Graydon looked to meet a long ball from Evans and went down as he battled with McJannet, who also fell to the ground.  The referee gave the decision in favour of the Town defender.

Evans turned a Fleetwood corner wide of the far post for a goal kick, before Elliott Bonds was sent on in place of McCann in the home side’s third change.

Amaluzor needed treatment after going down with an injury on 68 minutes and had to be replaced, with Burns coming on in Town’s fourth substitution.

A foul by Green then gave Fleetwood a free kick on their left but Ennis sent it harmlessly over the bar, before Graydon was crowded out as he looked to shoot from inside the box as the hosts attacked again.

Burns called keeper Lynch into action as he dived to stop a low strike from distance on 73 minutes, then Kabia got on the end of a long ball by McJannet to set up a Grimsby attack, although they were unable to create a goalscoring opportunity from it.  Fleetwood broke and Ennis shot from the edge of the box but a deflection took the ball through to Smith.

Kabia saw a shot blocked for a corner at the other end but Town could not make it count and Burns was booked for stopping a home counter-attack.

Jordan Davies and Will Davies replaced Virtue and Graydon in Fleetwood’s final changes on 79 minutes, with the result still in the balance as both teams looked for what could be a crucial opening goal.

Evans headed straight at Smith from a Helm cross, before a Sweeney free kick from just inside the home half was flicked into the path of Tharme but the offside flag went up.

Sweeney was penalised for a foul on Evans close to the right edge of the Town box with four minutes to go but Green was first to Ennis’ free kick to head clear for a throw-in.

Staunton replaced Sweeney for the closing stages in the away side’s last substitution and the left-back’s low cross soon afterwards looked to have caused a problem until Lynch dived on the ball.

But moments later, the Mariners had their winner, as a free kick was played wide to Burns on the right and his cross found KABIA at the far post to head back across goal, past the keeper and into the net.

Five added minutes gave Fleetwood an opportunity to get back into the game but Town saw out the remainder of the time and were left to celebrate their first win at Fleetwood from four meetings in Lancashire with the 525 travelling supporters.

The Mariners are back in action on Sunday, when they travel to Cambridge United.

Town: Smith, Rodgers, Tharme, McJannet, Sweeney (Staunton, 87), Turi (McEachran, 62), Amaluzor (Burns, 68), Green, Khouri, Vernam (Walker, 62), Soonsup-Bell (Kabia, 62)

Subs not used: Casper, Warren

UTM