A GOAL for Cole Stockton earned Morecambe a vital victory over Colchester United.

Stockton scored his first goal of the season on 66 minutes to give the Shrimps the three points and move them off the bottom of League 2.

Boss Jim Bentley made three changes to the starting line up with Luke Conlan coming back from injury and recalls for Stockton and Kevin Ellison with Adam Buxton and A-Jay Leitch-Smith ruled out through injury and Shaun Miller dropped to the bench.

The first half was an even affair with few chances created.

Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu saw a shot from the edge blocked and on 12 minutes Cohen Bramall’s low cross zipped across the six-yard box but too far ahead of any Colchester strikers.

Three minutes later a Theo Robinson’s cross was millimetres too high for Frank Nouble before the latter forced Barry Roche into a great save after the striker ran in on goal.

At the other end, Colchester keeper Dean Gerken had to make two good saves, palming out a Stockton effort before tipping away a near post shot from the dangerous Lewis Alessandra who ran on to George Tanner’s lay off.

The Shrimps continued to ask questions in the second half with Gerken making another couple of saves to make to keep the scores level, with Stockton and Sam Lavelle both denied. 

The first sight of goal for the home side came on 50 minutes, but Poku shot over after cuts back onto his right foot just outside the box.

It was the Shrimps who got the all important opener on 66 minutes when Alessandra whipped in a near post area and Stockton got away from his marker to head past Gerken from eight yards out.

The Shrimps were then forced to defend valiantly.

On 80 minutes Roche produced a flying save to tip away Courtney Senior’s left foot drive and in injury time it was Luke Conlan who provided the heroics with a superb close range block from Luke Norris’s attempted finish as the Shrimps held on for a much needed win.

Colchester: Gerken, Jackson, Prosser, Eastman, Bramall, Poku, Lapslie (rep Gambin 76), Wiredu. Harriott (rep Senior 62), Nouble, Robinson (rep Norris 59). Subs not used: Ross, Sowunmi, Clampin, Stevenson.

Morecambe: Roche, Tanner, Old, Lavelle, Conlan, O’Sullivan (rep Sutton 89), Brewitt, Kenyon, Alessandra (rep Wildig 76), Ellison, Stockton (rep Miller 83). Subs not used: Halstead, Howard, Mendes-Gomes, Bakare.

Ref: T Kettle.