Match Preview | Barrow AFC (H)

10 October 2023

Our EFL Trophy campaign continues with the visit of Barrow AFC to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

The Shrimps head into Tuesday night's fixture full of confidence after an excellent 3-1 away win at Colchester United on Saturday. Despite being reduced to 10-men on 36 minutes, JJ McKiernan's first professional hat-trick blew the opposition away despite a late consolation.

Barrow managed to league leaders Notts County to a 1-1 draw in their last outing - Dean Campbell's 79th minute spot kick cancelled out David McGoldrick's first half penalty.

Since their promotion to the EFL in 2020 after the season was curtailed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the two sides have met twice with the Shrimps winning both encounters.

The Opposition

The Cumbrian side currently sit 12th in the Sky Bet League Two table, two places and two points behind Morecambe. After 11 games played, the Bluebirds have registered four wins, four draws and three defeats.

Pete Wild.jpg

Pete Wild was appointed manager at the SO Legal Stadium in late May 2022. Since his arrival, the 39-year-old has taken charge of 66 games, winning 25, drawing 12 and losing 29, earning a points-per-match average of 1.32.

Wild's first managerial experience came at Oldham Athletic where he spent a brief stint as caretaker manager before becoming the full-time boss in March 2019. That summer, he joined Halifax Town where he three seasons.

Key Players

Emile Acquah currently tops the goalscoring leaderboard with four League Two goals to his name. Born in London, the 23-year-old began his career within the youth ranks at Southend United where he benefited from loan spells with Harlow and Maidenhead United respectively. Earlier this year, Acquah earned his first international call up for England C. He made his debut in March in a 1-0 win over Wales C.

A proven threat in front of goal, Dom Telford arrived in Cumbria in August following a season at Crawley Town. The 26-year-old has scored 80 goals in 278 professional appearances to-date, 26 of which came for Newport County in an impressive 2021/22 campaign. Telford has experience in League's Two, One and the Championship, where he made 14 appearances for Blackpool in the 2014/15 season.

One player who brings a wealth of experience to the side is Jamie Proctor. At just 31, the Preston-born forward has represented no fewer than 15 clubs professionally, including the likes of Wigan Athletic, Bolton Wanderers and Preston North End. He was part of Port Vale's promotion winning squad of 2021/22, who overcame Mansfield Town by three goals to nil at Wembley in the League Two play-off final.

Pete Wild's Pre-Match Thoughts

Ahead of Tuesday night's encounter, opposition manager Pete Wild has detailed what his side can expect from Derek Adams' men.

He said: "Morecambe are very well organised, they're very tough to play against and very tough to beat.

"They're very good on the counter attack and have got some really good players - Derek has done a fantastic job in moulding them into what looks like a really good League Two side.

"I'm expecting a well organised, well drilled team who are a threat certainly on the counter attack."

Team News

Michael Mellon, JJ McKiernan, Eli King and Jacob Bedeau all miss out due to international call ups while Adam Mayor remains on standby for England U19s and U20s respectively.

Jake Taylor remains sidelined through injury.

Meet The Officials

Simon Mather takes charge of the game and will be joined by assistants Karl Buckley and Paul Stonier as well as fourth official Elliot Bell.

Mather has been the man in the middle of seven games so far this season; four in League One, two in League Two and one in the Carabao Cup.

Simon Mather.jpg

In those games, he's issued a total of 42 yellow cards and seven red cards.

The Manchester-based official last took charge of the Shrimps on Boxing Day of the 2022/23 campaign in a 1-0 away defeat against Port Vale.

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Match Reports

Report | Morecambe 3 Barrow AFC 1

10 October 2023

The Shrimps brushed Barrow AFC aside by three goals to one in the EFL Trophy.

Charlie Brown opened the scoring on 38 minutes before youngster Cameron Rooney doubled the advantage 13 minutes into the second half.

Ben Whitfield pulled one back for the Bluebirds on 68 minutes before Cammy Smith won it just five minutes later.

Neither side were able to carve out any clear-cut chances in the opening 15 minutes, though the Shrimps came close after Ethan Walker’s through ball looked to play Brown in one on one, but the linesman’s flag flew up for offside.

Some neat one-two play between Smith and Brown saw the latter break through into the box, though he lost his footing before the goalkeeper smothered the danger.

With half of the first half gone, it was the home side who again came close to an opener, this time Walker sent the ball into the box from the right toward Brown, though there was too much elevation on the cross.

Minutes later and the partnership of Brown and Walker continued to threaten. This time, Brown looked to pick out Walker with a low cross from the left, but a Barrow defender just about got his toe to the ball first before clearing his lines.

Just before the half-hour mark, Brown looked to test Josh Lillis’ resolve from distance, but the strike had too much lift on it and sailed well over the bar.

Seven minutes before the break, the deadlock was broken through Brown. Youngster Cameron Rooney did excellently to thread the ball into our number 20 who calmly slotted the ball beyond Lillis to open his account for the Club.

Our lead was nearly doubled five minutes later as Smith forced Lillis into a smart save with his feet at close range.

The Shrimps finished the first half strongly and again went close with a blistering counter-attack. Rooney flicked the ball over an opposition’s head and advanced forward before playing in Jacob Davenport who fired straight at Lillis.

Half-time: Morecambe 1 Barrow AFC 0

The visitors had a big chance to level proceedings early in the second half after winning a free kick in a promising position, though Telford’s effort flew well over Adam Smith’s bar.

Just before the hour mark, our lead was doubled through Rooney. A ball was whipped into a dangerous area, and after a brief moment of carnage, the youngster reacted quickest to poke the ball home.

The visitors pulled one back with just over 20 minutes of normal time to play after Whitfield’s corner looked to curl straight in.

Within a flash, the Bluebirds came close to levelling proceedings through David Worrall’s back post header, though he could only find the side netting.

Barrow’s crucial miss was punished seconds later at the other end by Cammy Smith. The ball came in couresty of Walker and a scrambling defender tried to clear it, but he could only put it on a plate for Smith who rifled the ball home.

Smith came close to his second of the night and Morecambe’s fourth in the final minute of normal time. Substitute Jordan Slew did excellently to keep the ball amongst opposition pressure, he teed up Smith whose resulting effort was straight at Lillis.

Full-time: Morecambe 3 Barrow AFC 1

Morecambe: A Smith, Rawson ©, Songo’o (Love, 70’), Stokes, Davenport, C Smith, Walker (Bloxham, 79’), Brown (Mayor, 79’), Connolly (Senior, 70’), Melbourne, Rooney (Slew, 79’).

Subs not used: Moore, Tutonda.

Goals: Brown (38’), Rooney (58’), Smith (73’).

Bookings: Brown, Rawson.

Red cards: None.

Barrow AFC: Lillis, Ogungbo, Worrall © (Bray, 82’), Spence (Stephenson, 61’), White, Telford, Feely, Tiensia, Whitfield, Reeve (Canavan, 62’), Bellis (Duffus, 61’).

Subs not used: Farman, Etaluku.

Goals: Whitfield (68’).

Bookings: Spence, Duffus.

Red cards: None.

Attendance: 1,203 (335).