Good draw for Shrimps
MORECAMBE earned a well deserved point at the Proact Stadium this afternoon.
The injury hit Shrimps, who made four changes from the defeat against Fleetwood on Boxing Day, produced one of their best performances for some weeks but although the home side were reduced to 10 men just after the hour they could not find their way past the home side’s solid defence.
The game kicked off at a frantic pace with both sides creating chances.
In the third minute Richard Brodie headed a Kevin Ellison cross just wide of the left hand post and Andy Wright flashed a shot wide from 20 yards.
The home side hit back with Liam Cooper forcing Barry Roche into a superb save from a close range header and Drewe Talbot directing a header against the crossbar from a left wing corner.
The Shrimps continued to look bright going forward and took the lead on 27 minutes from a corner. Lewis Alessandra produced a fine delivery, Stewart Drummond headed goalwards and Chris McCready got the final touch from close range to force the ball over the line despite the best efforts of home keeper Tommy Lee.
Brodie had a golden chance to double Morecambe’s lead when put through by McCready but he shot weakly straight at Wright and he was made to pay as the home side hit back with a controversial equaliser on 39 minutes. Drummond was harshly pulled up for a foul on the edge of the area and Conor Townsend took full advantage with a perfectly flighted free kick to beat Roche.
The half ended with another moment of controversy when Brodie was denied what looked to be a clear penalty when hauled down in the box after a mazy run but once again the referee ruled against the Shrimps.
The referee was at the centre of a storm on 64 minutes when he sent off Townsend for a stray elbow on Morecambe defender Will Haining but the Shrimps could not take advantage of the extra man.
The closest they came was in the final minute when Lewis Alessandra sped through on goal but saw his curler superbly saved by Lee low to his left.
Chesterfield had a chance to take the points as well when Danny Whitaker was given a free run on goal after a Haining error but he missed the target with only Roche to beat.
CHESTERFIELD: Lee; Talbot (rep Boa Morte 81), Hird, Cooper, Smith; Togwell, Townsend; Darikwa, Whitaker, Dickinson (rep Boden 46); O’Shea (rep Clay 69). Subs not used: O’Donnell, Randall, Richards, Trotman.
MORECAMBE: McGee (rep Reid 73), Drummond, McDonald; Ellison (rep Burrow 79), Alessandra, Brodie (rep Parkinson 86). Subs not used: Arestidou, Threlfall, Fenton, Doyle. Roche, Parrish, McCready, Haining, Wright;
Ref: C Berry.
Att: 6,358.