91Èȱ¬

Manager Graham Alexander has stressed that Fleetwood are still in control of their own fate, despite his team missing out on automatic promotion.

The Cod Army drew 1-1 with Southend on Saturday, allowing Scunthorpe, Rochdale and Chesterfield to confirm their spots in the third tier next season.

Alexander's side will now attempt to go up via the play-offs next month.

"Our destiny is still in our own hands. If we win the games, we get promoted," Alexander told 91Èȱ¬ Radio Lancashire.

"I don't go along with the thought that it's a lottery. I think you earn it."

Fleetwood have been in contention for a top-three finish for much of the campaign and could have been involved in a promotion decider with Chesterfield in their final game, but the Spireites won 2-0 at Burton on Sunday to clinch their place in League One next term.

Fleetwood are guaranteed to finish fourth, although their play-off semi-final opponents have yet to be decided.

The 42-year-old is now concentrating on ending the club's second season in the Football League with a Wembley victory.

"We set the bar high here," added former Scotland international Alexander. "We have, as a club, taken really good strides this year.

"We're all ambitious, we all want to be successful and we want to win promotion. We have to stay positive."