PREVIEW | Morecambe v Bradford City

8 October 2019

Bradford City are the guests at the Globe Arena this Saturday afternoon as the Shrimps search for their first home victory of the SkyBet League Two campaign.

Gary Bowyer's side travel to the Globe off the back of a 2-1 home victory over Swindon Town and will be hoping to record their third away win of the season.

The visitors will be boosted by the return of top goalscorer James Vaughan who missed out at the weekend due to suspension after receiving his fifth booking of the season in the 1-1 away draw with Scunthorpe United. The former Everton forward has three league goals to his name this season.

Former Morecambe favourite Jamie Devitt, who joined Bradford on loan from Blackpool in August, will miss out with a long-term hamstring injury.

Bradford sit 6th in the SkyBet League Two table with 21 points, 14 ahead of the Shrimps who sit 23rd after only one win in 12 league games. The Bantams have scored 17 league goals so far this season, recording an average of 14 shots per game.

Jim Bentley will be looking to build on his side's last home outing, where the Shrimps came from 2-0 down at half-time to draw 2-2 with Northampton Town. The Shrimps looked on course to back up that performance when they took a first half lead away at Vale Park at the weekend but after going down to 10 men, Morecambe were picked off in the second half by Port Vale who remain unbeaten at home.

TICKET INFORMATION

Shrimps fans are reminded to purchase their match tickets in advance as prices rise by £2 on the day.

Bradford have sold out their allocated tickets and Bantams' fans are advised not to travel if they don't have a ticket. With 1750 tickets sold, Morecambe Football Club would like to reiterate that there will be no away tickets available for purchase on the day.

Tickets are no longer available for purchase at individual turnstiles, therefore, supporters are advised to pre-purchase their match tickets in advance of the fixture to take advantage of price savings and to avoid queues at the ticket office.

Tickets are available from the Morecambe FC Club Shop up to 7pm Friday, and Saturday from 10pm - 12pm. The Ticket Office will be open from 12 noon on Saturday.

Online sales are available up to kick off with the £2 price increase coming into effect at midnight on Friday 11th, tickets can be collected from the Ticket Office on the day.

Alternatively, Shrimps fans can print off their own e-ticket or opt to receive the ticket QR code via SMS message directly to their smartphone. Either of these options can then be scanned directly at the turnstile.

RELATED | Ticket Details for 2019/20

Match Reports

MORECAMBE 1-2 BRADFORD CITY

12 October 2019

MORECAMBE suffered defeat in the Roses battle against Bradford despite a brave late rally.

Goals from Hope Akpan and Aramide Oteh in the second half gave Bradford the advantage before Tom Brewitt scored a deserved consolation goal in injury time.

Unfortunately, Brewitt’s second Shrimps’ goal was too little too late as their defeat left them at the foot of League.

The Shrimps went into the game with one change as Shaun Miller replaced the suspended Jordan Cranston and Morecambe were more than a match for the former Premiership side in the first half.

The first real opportunity of a subdued opening period went to the Bantams, with Callum Cooke’s long-range drive whistling just wide of the post - on 13 minutes.

City again came close five minutes later when Clayton Donaldson was unable to convert Zeli Ismail’s back-post cross when he somehow failed to turn the ball into the empty net from close range.

Morecambe played some neat football in stages with Lewis Alessandra and Brewitt firing over from the edge of the area as they looked to break down Bradford’s tight defence.

The killer blow came two minutes after the restart with Hope Akpan breaking the deadlock.

Adam Buxton lost possession on the edge of the Bradford box and the visitors countered swiftly with Dylan Connolly getting the better of his man and bursting into the box before squaring for the onrushing midfielder to slot the ball past John O’Sullivan on the line.

The introduction of former Bantam Kevin Ellison saw the hosts go in search of an equaliser, with the 40-year-old striker's header rattling the crossbar.

But the visitors doubled their advantage with just over 10 minutes remaining, through substitute Aramide Oteh.

Neat play from Harry Pritchard saw the midfielder find Oteh who finished from an angle for his first goal in City colours. Morecambe continued to press and laid siege to the visitors’ goal.

Cole Stockton saw a shot brilliantly saved by Richard O’Donnell and Shaun Miller headed wide from close range.

Aaron Wildig shot straight at the Bradford keeper before the Shrimps pulled one back through Brewitt's finish but it was too little too late for the Shrimps.

Bradford: O’Donnell; Henley, O’Connor, A O’Connor, Wood; Cooke, Akpan (rep Devine 77), Pritchard; Ismail (rep Oteh 62), Donaldson (rep Vaughan 77), Connolly. Subs not used: Sykes-Kenworthy, Staunton, Anderson, McCartan.

Morecambe: Roche; Tanner, Lavelle, Old, Buxton (rep Wildig 72); O’Sullivan, Kenyon, Brewitt; Leitch-Smith (rep Ellison 56), Miller, Alessandra (rep Stockton 83). Subs not used: Halstead, Sutton, Howard, Brownsword.

ATTENDANCE: 3,899 (1,765 visitors).

REFEREE: Chris Sarginson (Staffordshire).

MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

Standings

PREVIEW | Morecambe v Bradford City

MORECAMBE 1-2 BRADFORD CITY