Morecambe midfielders Fraser McLachlan and Ian Craney made a welcome returns to action tonight as the Shrimps bowed out of the Lancashire Senior Cup to a strong Preston North End side a Christie Park tonight.
Goals from Adam Barton and Scott Davidson gave North End victory against a Shrimps side that contained a mixture of youth and experience.
Preston had the better start with Neil Dougan forcing Scott Davies into an early save which he followed up decent saves to deny Stephen Elliott and George Miller.
Preston's pressure paid off when they took the lead on 16 minutes when Jamie Proctor found skipper Adam Barton who slid the ball into the empty net.
Davies continued to keep the Shrimps in the game with another good block from Neil Dougan before the break.
The second half saw the Shrimps under pressure again at the start of the second half before the Shrimps hit back with Matty Poole coming close as he just missed the target after a good run.
The pressure was short lived however as Preston came back with Davies making a brilliant double save before the visitors sealed the game with a second in the final minute of the game when Scott Davidson scored at the second attempt after another excellent Davies save.
Morecambe: Davies, Jackson, Clark, Artell, Smyth, McLachlan (Yeates, 61), Twiss, Poole (Parkinson, 83), Curtis, Craney (Ball, 69), Edan. Subs not used: Watson, B Proctor.
PNE: Henderson, M Hart, S Hart, Miller, N Collins, Chilvers, Owens (S Davidson, 62), Barton, Elliott, J Proctor, Dougan (McGreevy, 69). Subs not used: Comrie, D Collins, Leather.
Referee: Mr D Handley
Attendance: 112
