The Shrimps earned the point they needed to secure Football League status at the Ricoh Arena this afternoon.

In a cautious game, Barry Roche was the hero as he made three top-drawer saves as Barnet were relegated on goal difference despite beating Chesterfield.

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley had made three changes to their starting XI, seven days on from their defeat against Barnet.

In came Andy Fleming, Gregg Wylde and Aaron Wildig at the expense of Alex Kenyon, Adam Campbell and Callum Lang.

Morecambe started brightly with a neat passing move but Kevin Ellison’s cross failed to reach Aaron Wildig in the centre of the goal.

Coventry hit back, with Michaell Doyle forcing Barry Roche to tip over the bar from 20 yards at full stretch.

With 30 minutes gone, Michael Rose’s cross-field-ball found Aaron Wildig free on the right hand side. His teasing ball to the back post towards an unmarked Adam McGurk was cut out superbly by Tom Davies at full stretch.

Coventry though had the chance of the game shortly before half time, Shipley raced into the Shrimps’ area with the ball across finding Jonson Clarke-Harris but, somehow, Roche got down to his right-hand side and kept out the close-range effort.

They went closer six minutes into the second half when Wildig sent Kevin Ellison into the Coventry area, where he shot into the side netting – though his vociferous protests made it clear he thought keeper Lee Burge had made a save.

However, the second half was a much scrappier affair than the first with the home side initially labouring in possession.

They finally rose from their slumbers going into the final quarter-hour with Morecambe indebted to Roche.

This time, Bayliss got away from Fleming and Ellison before racing to the edge of the bos, only for Roche to save his low shot.

Moments later and Clarke-Harris was again off target, this time getting underneath Liam Kelly’s cross and heading over. With the Coventry fans becoming increasingly restless at their side’s lack of cutting edge, it became a case of Morecambe holding onto what they had. They did so with aplomb, seeing out two minutes of added time to get the result they required.

Coventry City: Burge, Grimmer, Davies, Hyam, Stokes, Doyle, Kelly, Shipley (Reid 56), Bayliss, Clarke-Harris (Biamou 80), McNulty. Subs not used: O’Brien, McDonald, Maguire-Drew, Haynes, Ponticelli.

Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Lavelle, Old, Conlan, Fleming, Rose, Wylde, Wildig (Kenyon 82), Ellison, McGurk (Lang 77). Subs not used: Nizic, Brough, Campbell, Lund, Muller.

Referee: Andy Davies.

Attendance: 15,874.