MORECAMBE secured their second successive League 2 draw in this game of few chances.

The Shrimps followed up their 2-2 draw at Mansfield last weekend with another point as they picked up their first clean sheet of the season on a frustrating afternoon. 

Morecambe hit the woodwork before the break while the Robins had half a claim for a penalty in the second half but that was about it on a windy afternoon on the Lancashire coast.

Boss Jim Bentley made seven changes to the side that started the Carabao Cup tie at Mansfield with George Tanner making his Football League debut in place of the suspended Luke Conlan.

It was Cheltenham who started brightly with Luke Varney heading a Sean Long cross straight at Barry Roche before Morecambe came into the game.

There was a sight of goal for seasoned campaigner Kevin Ellison around the 20-minute mark, seizing on some hesitation between Charlie Raglan and Ben Tozer but Scott Flinders did enough to see off the danger and by the half-hour mark, very little had transpired in terms of goalmouth action.

But each side had a fantastic chance to break the deadlock as the opening 45 minutes drew to a close. First Gavin Reilly wasted a great chance to open his account for the Robins, spurning a chance at the far post before Lewis Alessandra, in the end, watched an angled drive come back off the angle of the goal.

Reilly almost caught Roche off guard with a looping cross in the opening moments of the second period. The hosts had changed formation to match Duff's men which was a testament to his young side's effort before the break.

The next chance fell to Stockton, who wrapped his foot around an Adam Buxton cross from the right but it flew a foot over.

Ryan Broom tried his luck from distance but it travelled well wide of the target during a spell of promising possession in the final quarter of the match which culminated in the midfielder being hauled down just outside the box by Roche, racing from his line.

The Morecambe number one was carded for the indiscretion but Doyle-Hayes' subsequent free-kick was cleared. Five minutes from time Long lifted a clever effort onto the roof of the net after George Lloyd had won a throw in out of nothing on the far side.

Both sides pushed for the winner with Morecambe going close as Alessandra tested Flinders with a shot from the angle in the closing seconds.

MORECAMBE: Roche; Buxton, Old, Lavelle, Tanner (Cranston 64); O'Sullivan, Tutte, Kenyon (Sutton 70), Ellison (Miller 64); Stockton, Alessandra. Subs not used: Halstead (Gk), Brewitt, Oates, Brownsword.

CHELTENHAM TOWN: Flinders; Raglan, Tozer, Greaves; Long, Broom, Sheaf (Thomas 56), Doyle-Hayes, Debayo; Reilly (Lloyd 66), Varney. Subs not used: Lovett (Gk), Bowry, Campbell, Brennan, Chamberlain.

REFEREE: D Rock

ATTENDANCE: 1,692 (128 from Cheltenham)