Fleetwood striker: Portsmouth and Peterborough aren't better than us

That’s despite Joey Barton’s side suffering 1-0 defeats to League One’s top two in recent weeks – and the Blues currently sitting 12 points clear of 10th-placed Reds.

Fleetwood travelled to Fratton Park on October 20 and returned to Lancashire without even registering a shot on goal.

Oli Hawkins scored the only goal of the game for Kenny Jackett’s side in what was a comfortable victory, regardless of the scoreline.

The following week, Barton took his troops to second-placed Posh – a game Madden missed because of a hamstring injury.

And, once gain, Fleetwood returned home empty-handed, with a Rhys Bennett effort enough to separate the two teams.

The Cod Army returned to winning ways last time out with a 3-2 win against Blackpool.

Madden came off the bench to score the winner in that game – and he believes his side are just as good as the division’s current top two.

Speaking to the Blackpool Gazette, he said: ‘We have been beaten by first and second in the league and they did not outplay us.

‘By no means are those top teams better than us and we will be right on their tail all the way.

The squad we have is great. We have players that can play in all sorts of formations.

‘It is a strong squad so, if the gaffer chooses to go 4-3-3 or 4-4-2, we have the players to do that.’

This weekend, Pompey travel to Bradford in a bid to maintain their lead at the top of the table.

Peterborough travel to Wycombe and Fleetwood head to Gillingham.