MORECAMBE secured their third win in four league games to move up to second in the League 2 table.

An Adam Phillips penalty 15 minutes from time earned the Shrimps the three points against a side who had made a good start to the new season.

It was Phillips’ third goal of the season and was enough to earn the victory in a game of few chances played in constant driving rain.

After the midweek defeat at Salford boss Derek Adams selected the same side that won at Southend last week.

The first half produced few clear cut chances.

Port Vale started the game the better with Devante Rodney looking the most threatening player down the left for the Valiants.

He beat right-back Ryan Cooney with his pace twice in quick succession with an early cross well cut out by Sam Lavelle before he created a chance with a run into the box that ended with a smart save from Jake Turner.

The first effort of any note came on 20 minutes when Leon Legge got behind the Morecambe defence and was well picked out by James Gibbons but the centre half could only direct his header straight at Turner.

Morecambe struggled to make any headway in the early stages but came into it with Alex Kenyon volleying over and Adam Phillips slashing an effort wide before Cole Stockton volleyed inches wide from 10 yards out after a well-worked short corner.

The Shrimps maintained the pressure at the start of the second half and they forced an early chance on the counter-attack. Carlos Mendes Gomes’ pass was dummied by Stockton, releasing Aaron Wildig, who squared the ball for Phillips but his first-time effort was kept out by Scott Brown.

The deadlock was finally broken when Legge was deemed to have barged into the back of Stockton in the penalty area and Phillips kept his nerve to score from the spot.

Port Vale looked to get back into the game but the Shrimps defended superbly and the only effort of note from the visitors was when a Danny Whitehead cross come shot flashed a shot across the goal as Morecambe stayed firm to take the points.

Morecambe: Turner, Cooney, Davis, Lavelle, Gibson (Mellor 89), Kenyon, Wildig, O’Sullivan, Phillips (Songo’o 80), Mendes-Gomes (McAlinden 54), Stockton. Subs not used: Da Silva Mendes, Knight-Percival, Leitch-Smith, Pringle.

Port Vale: Brown, Gibbons, Legge, Brisley, Fitzpatrick, Joyce, Burgess (Whitehead 74), Conlon, Worrall, Cullen (Robinson 61), Rodney (Amoo 77). Subs not used: Visser, Crookes, Pope, Montano.

Referee: Robert Madley.