Young side goes down fightin
THE Shrimps' Reserves went down to a narrow defeat at Port Vale this afternoon.
Stewart Drummond's youngsters went down to the only goal of the game scored just before the hour mark by Ryan Lloyd who converted an excellent Ollie Morland cross from close range.
Marland was one of the busier players in the first half and shot over in Vale’s first attack in the early stages before Morecambe replied when the Joe Mwasile fired wide of the far post. A free kick midway in the Morecambe half saw trialist Jordan Hugill knock the ball down for Marland but his effort drifted wide.
Vale keeper Sam Johnson saved well from Keiran Sloan in his first game back since suffering an injured hand at Hednesford in February before Vale had the best chance of the first half a minute before the interval. Sam Morsy intercepted a loose ball in the visitor’s defence to set up Marland but from 12 yards he hit his shot straight at Jack Cookson.
Early in the second half Ryan Lloyd burst clear down the left only for his cross shot to be smothered by Cookson. Josh Croft then skipped past a defender on the right and his cross into the box saw Hugill attempt a scissor kick that floated wide of the mark.
At the other end a long ball out of defence saw Dan Parkinson race clear despite looking offside and his subsequent pull back to Sloan resulted in a shot that Joe Davis blocked for a corner.
minute and two minutes later they almost doubled their lead when Will Whieldon hit a 25-yard shot against the bar but Hugill could only knock the rebound wide.thVale went in front in the 58
Tom Morris played a ball through to Marland that he turned and hit into the side netting. With just four minutes remaining Lloyd sent substitute Macauley Davies racing clear but he dragged his shot wide as the game ended with just one goal separating the sides.
PORT VALE: Johnson, Duffy, Morris, Whieldon (Pryor 72), J.Davis, Price, Croft, Morsy, Hugill, Marland (M.Davies 72), Lloyd.
Subs not used – Boot, Evans.
MORECAMBE: Cookson, Selby (Walker 80), Short, Parrish (Bell 46), Doyle, McGee, Mwasile (Gate 58), Sloan, Wearing, Houghton, Parkinson.
Subs not used – Johnstone, Knipe.