Fleetwood 2 City 1

THERE was no love in the air for City as their Valentine's Day went spectacularly flat at Highbury last night.

Stuart McCall's men had been in the mood for most of the game as they bossed a Fleetwood side who had started just one point ahead in fourth.

Jordy Hiwula was the object of their affections when he slotted home his 11th goal of the season and everything was going so well at that stage.

Yet Fleetwood have not lost for 15 games now and showed just why by picking themselves up off the floor to score twice in the final 22 minutes.

City had only themselves to blame after switching off fatally – and the points slipped away once more.

The buoyant mood they should have been taking into Saturday's mouth-watering tussle with Bolton had disappeared with a first-ever defeat at Fleetwood hands – and one that was very tough to swallow.

Uwe Rosler, the man many tipped to be Phil Parkinson's successor after City's German takeover last summer, has been masterminding a quiet revolution on the west coast.

They went into the night unbeaten in the league since November 12 – a club record. But Fleetwood are used to punching above their weight. With owner Andy Pilley piling an estimated £10million into the former non-League club, they have won six promotions in 13 years.

Rosler is trying to reduce expectations by comparing the modest size of the club to those around them in the promotion battle. But anyone in the top six at this stage is there on merit.

McCall was playing down any suggestion that this week's double-header with Fleetwood and Bolton was the definitive week in City's push.

But he knew what three points would have meant last night – and how frustrated that result will have left everyone.

McCall had freshened up the line-up with four changes from Bristol Rovers, including a first start for Newcastle winger Alex Gilliead as City switched to 4-3-3 with top scorer Jordy Hiwula the other side of Charlie Wyke.

The most welcome sight for the travelling fans was Josh Cullen back in midfield after recovering from the minor tweak that had kept him out at the weekend.

McCall had predicted an open game and the early exchanges were suitably frantic.

Gilliead got a chance to stretch his legs with a burst out of defence. Cullen was fouled as he tried to pick him out on the overlap and Nicky Law's free-kick was nodded just over by Rory McArdle.

Then keeper Alex Cairns came to Fleetwood's rescue as he spread himself to deny Hiwula from closer range after another Law assist.

McCall was keen for City not to give the home side time to bring the ball out from the back, forcing them to hit it long.

Fleetwood could not settle and when they tried to break from a City corner, Romain Vincelot swept up the loose ball to set up another attack. James Meredith moved the ball into the box, where Wyke fired over.

Cairns shovelled the ball off Meredith when the left back suddenly appeared inside the box as City continued to back up McCall's promise that they would take the game to the hosts.

Liverpool loanee Cameron Brannagan, who was on City's long list of summer targets before Cullen's return, shot straight at Colin Doyle from distance but it was the Bantams enjoying the bulk of possession once more.

Meredith kept popping up on the left wing and another cut-back from the Aussie saw Cullen and Law both have shots blocked. Gilliead floated a decent ball into the mix but Wyke failed to make contact.

Just when it seemed that another one-sided half would pass without reward, City finally made the breakthrough. Hiwula started and finished it, picking out Wyke and taking a neat return pass before finding the bottom corner with a confident finish.

A jubilant McCall punched the air on the touchline as the far end erupted.

Fleetwood got a half-time rocket from Rosler and showed more menace in the opening couple of minutes of the second half than the previous 45.

Brannagan headed down from Conor McLaughlin's cross and David Ball dragged a shot wide. But Hiwula threatened again as he darted towards the Fleetwood box – only to stand on the ball when he tried to cut past Cian Bolger.

Rosler made an attacking double change on the hour but it was City who nearly pounced again within minutes.

Law hunted down McLaughlin and twisted and turned inside the box to get off a cross-shot. Ben Davies denied him a yard in front of the line and the ball sprang out to Gilliead, who thrashed over the bar.

The City fans were growing noisier as they sensed three big points but with the lead still a slender one, the visitors could not afford to step off the throttle – and that's exactly what happened as the game reached the three-quarter point.

For once, City gave Fleetwood room to exploit as freshly-arrived substitute Ashley Hunter got in behind the defence. He crossed low to the far post where Devante Cole, inevitably, was on hand to pounce from a couple of yards.

As the ridiculous Captain Pugwash celebration tune rang out, City must have been kicking themselves as one momentary lapse undid their control on proceedings.

The chance of a first away clean sheet since October 1 had been blown out of the water. It signalled a sea-change as the Cod Army sprung into life.

With the unbeaten run back on, they were now hunting a second and Doyle, getting stick from the home fans for his Blackpool past, had to be alert to tip over from McLaughlin.

The reprieve was only temporary. Fleetwood took a short corner to the Northern Ireland international, who beat Law and drilled in a low cross that flew into the net off the unfortunate Cullen.

A night that had looked so promising for so long had unravelled in the closing stages. An opportunity to get right back in the mix had been frustratingly wasted.

In the town that has made its name on the fishing industry, City were left cursing one that got away.

Attendance: 3,418