Goals from Ashley Hunter and Jordy Hiwula gave Fleetwood their fourth straight victory as they beat ten-man Bristol Rovers 2-0 at Highbury on Easter Monday.

Second half strikes from Hunter and substitute Hiwula was enough for John Sheridan’s side to go seven games unbeaten – and move to 51 points in League One.

Chris Lines was sent off midway through the second half for two yellow cards for dissent, giving Town an added advantage as they pressed for the three points.

Highbury’s pitch was in good condition despite heavy overnight rainfall as Sheridan named an unchanged side from Good Friday’s 1-0 win against AFC Wimbledon.

Fleetwood got off to a great start as Conor McAleny shot wide within the first two minutes of the game.

Hunter performed well in the first-half, getting plenty of the ball, including an excellent chance with a free kick for Fleetwood, which was palmed away by Rovers goalkeeper Sam Slocombe.

The Cod Army played some great football, particularly from Toumani Diagouraga who was unlucky to receive a yellow card just before half-time after a foul on Moore. Cian Bolger was also unlucky after a collision with Ellis Harrison left him with a nasty head wound, but luckily was bandaged up and able to continue.

Despite the rain beginning to pour once again, both sides began the second-half energetically with it all to play for at 0-0. However it all began to go downhill for Rovers in 55th-minute when Lines was saw red for disputing the referee’s decisions.

The Cod Army used this to their advantage and began building pressure with some excellent attacking play, coming close in 65th-minute as a cross from Lewie Coyle found McAleny who headed the ball which unfortunately Paddy Madden was unable to reach at the back post.

Fleetwood came close again in the 77th-minute as an attempt from Kyle Dempsey forced Slocombe into a low save, with the ball finding Coyle whose attempt was too wide.

With momentum building just one minute later Fleetwood made it 1-0 with goal from Hunter whose 25-yard hit bent past Slocombe hitting the back of the net.

However The Pirates responded with their own chance at goal from Harrison who hit the bar from outside the box, almost making it 1-1.

The game then became end-to-end as Town responded with an attempt from Dempsey, but Slocombe was not caught out this time.

Fleetwood were able to make it 2-0 thanks to a late goal from substitute Jordy Hiwula who slotted the ball past Bristol’s goalkeeper after a great ball from Grant.

The home side then hung onto their win until the final whistle after three-minutes of added time.

Fleetwood: Cairns (GK), Coyle, Eastham, Pond ©, Dempsey, McAleny (Hiwula), Bolger, Diagouraga, Madden (Burns), Hunter, Sowerby (Grant)

Subs not used: Neal (GK), Glendon, Jones, Biggins

Bristol Rovers: Slocombe (GK), Brown, Lockyer ©, Clarke, Harrison, Telford (Russe), Lines, Moore (Gaffney), Partington (Sweeney), Craig, Bennett

Subs not used: Smith (GK), Mensah, Hargreaves

Attendance: 2,890 (548)

Referee: R Joyce