Match Report: Exeter City 3-1 Morecambe
MORECAMBE went down to a controversial defeat as two injury time goals gave Exeter the three points at St James’s Park.
The Shrimps looked set for a battling point until they were undone in the 91st minute by a harsh penalty decision when Reuben Reid went over in the box., Reid slotted home the spot kick to make it 2-1 and Liam McAlinden added a third two minutes later to give the scoreline a one side look.
Shrimps’ boss Jim Bentley made two changes to the side tht drew with Colchester with Ryan Edwards and Antony Evans coming in for Alex Whitmore and Kevin Ellison who dropped to the bench.
The first half saw both sides play some decent football without creating too many clear cut chances.
Morecambe passed the ball around well but Exeter created the majority of the chances.
Jake Taylor went close for the home side with a shot that was deflected wide and Wheeler then went on to see a close range shot well blocked by Nizic at full stretch.
Nizic then had to be at his best again to get well down to his left to hold on to an excellent effort from Joel Grant from the edge of the area.
At the other end Evans forced Christy Pym into a similar close range save in a half where both defences remained on top.
The deadlock was broken two minutes into the second half when Exeter scored the scrappiest of opening goals. Wheeler stabbed a shot forward but the ball somehow found its way between Nizic and Michael Rose and crept over the line.
Grant went close to doubling Exeter’s advantage two minutes later when he produced a superb run into the areda but failed to find the target with his final effort that went inches wide of the right hand post.
The Shrimps then hit back and produced a stunning equaliser on 61 minutes. Paul Mullin crossed to the far post and substitute Kevin Ellison produced a brilliant volley that flew past Christy Pym and hit the top left hand corner of the Exeter goal.
It was a goal worthy of winning a point but then the soft penalty changed the complexion of the game completely and the Shrimps could once again feel hard done by by the latest refereeing decision to go against them this season.
Exeter City: Pym, Sweeney, Moore-Taylor, Brown, Ampadu (rep Reid 76), Tillson, Harley, Taylor, Wheeler, Grant (rep Holmes 86), Watkins (rep McAlindern 87).
Subs not used: Olejnik, James, Stacey, Croll.
Morecambe: Nizic, Edwards, Kenyon (rep Ellison 59), Winnard, McGowan, Rose, Fleming, Duckworth, Wildig, Evans (rep Molyneux 68), Mullin (rep Turner 78).
Subs not used: Roche, Wakefield, Murphy, Whitmore.
Ref: L Swabey
Att: 3,991.