Chester FC 1-1 Shrimps
Pre-Season friendly
Deva Stadium
Saturday 16 July 2022
Kick-Off: 15:00
Attendance: 779

Morecambe shared a draw with their National League North opponents in an excellent pre-season workout for the Shrimps at the Deva Stadium.

The hosts had the first chance of the game in the third minute. A corner from the left was glanced wide by Matty Williams from the edge of the six yard box.

Chester got in again on the 11^th minute, but Kurt Willoughby couldn’t make the most of the chance after being found by a cross from Jamie Morgan, after he’d flashed an initial effort cross the face of the Shrimps’ goal.

Morecambe’s first effort of note came on the quarter hour, as Jon Obika was put through with a ball over the top. The striker rounded keeper Harry Tyrer but his effort was cleared off the line by Harrison Burke.

Four minutes later, Wes McDonald’s cute through ball found Ash Hunter in space on the edge of the area, but his chipped effort drifted wide of Tyrer’s far post.

The Shrimps continued to exert their dominance and we’re almost rewarded on 21 minutes. Ousmane Fane was fouled on the edge of the area and Hunter’s resultant right footed free kick rattled the far post.

Derek Adams’ men were finally in front midway through the first half. Dylan Connolly broke with pace down the right flank, and his cross was collected by Hunter who took a touch before finishing neatly into the top corner of Tyrer’s goal from around 15 yards.

Obika’s smart turn on the edge of the box on 35 minutes saw his fierce drive deflected away for a corner.

Seven minutes before the break, captain Declan Weeks fed Willoughby on the edge of the area, but his effort couldn’t get through a sea of Shrimps’ defenders.

The same pair combined three minutes later, as Weeks bundled his way into the box. The ball broke loose off Willoughby, but Adam Smith in the Shrimps’ goal was out smartly by smoother the Seals’ midfielder’s effort.

Ryan Cooney saw a rasping drive from the edge of the box deflected behind for a corner in the closing moments of the first period.

Half-time: Chester FC 0-1 Morecambe

Both sides made several half time substitutions, and it was the hosts who started the second period the brighter.

Sub Joe Lynch sent a chipped effort onto the roof of Smith’s net, before Weeks pulled an effort well wide following a mazy run on the edge of the Morecambe penalty area, as the Seals enjoyed a sustained spell of pressure.

That pressure told in the 56^th minute, as Weeks strode into the Morecambe penalty area, riding a couple of challenges before finishing emphatically past Smith with his right foot.

Just two minutes later the Shrimps could have been back in front. Jake Taylor fed Caleb Watts on the edge of the box, and his drive clipped the top of the bar with the keeper beaten.

Twenty minutes into the second half Seals’ sub, James Horsfield saw his effort from range fly well over the crossbar, before three minutes later Cole Stockton’s long ranger was straight at sub keeper Wyll Stanway.

On 75 minutes the ball fell for Dudley 15 yards out but his low effort was straight at Smith who gathered comfortably.

Eight minutes from time a delicious through ball by Stockton found McDonald, but keeper Stanway just did enough to block the ball away for a corner, before seconds later Ryan Cooney found himself through on goal, only to be denied by a combination of goalkeeper and defender.

Hall saw a late chip comfortably held by Smith, before Matty Williams hurriedly put over his own bar following a Shrimps’ counter in the final minute of action.

Full-time: Chester FC 1-1 Morecambe

Chester FC: Tyrer (Stanway 46’), Morgan, Heywood, Burke, Weeks, Murray (Lynch 46’), Earl (Dudley 46’), Willoughby (Hall 46’), Stephenson (Marsh-Hughes 71’), Williams, Kenyon (Horsfield 62’).

Subs not used: Clarke, Turner, Daly.

Goals: Weeks 56’

Bookings: None.

Red cards: None.

Morecambe: Smith, Cooney, Gibson (Melbourne 46’), Fane (Taylor 46’), O’Connor (Rawson 61’), McLaughlin (Delaney 61’), Connolly (Gnahoua 61’), McLoughlin (Love 61’), Obika (Stockton 61’), Hunter (Watts 46’), McDonald

Subs not used: Ripley.

Goals: Hunter 22’

Bookings: None.

Red cards: None.

Referee: Peter Gibbons.

Assistants: Louis Smith, Elliot Holman.