Shrimps suffer rare home defeat
Morecambe’s ten-game unbeaten home run came to an abrupt end at the Globe Arena as they suffered a 3-0 defeat against Exeter.
A brace from top goal-scorer Jamie Cureton and a composed finish from Arron Davies earned a record tenth away win of the season for the Grecians.
in League Two, but remain nine points clear of the relegation zone.thThe Shrimps drop two places to 14
Morecambe manager Jim Bentley made just one enforced change from the 4-1 win at York last weekend, with Andy Wright returning in place of Chris McCready, who missed out through illness.
The Shrimps made a bright start to the game when Chris Holroyd latched onto a pass from Lewis Alessandra, but from a narrow angle his powerful shot hit the side netting.
Both teams then began to cancel each other out, with both defences standing firm and little creativity coming from midfield.
It took a clever piece of wing play from striker Holroyd to liven up the home crowd, in an otherwise dull first-half.
The new Morecambe signing beat his defender before delivering an inch perfect cross to the back post, but unfortunately for the Shrimps, Kevin Ellison could only direct his header wide of the post under pressure from Craig Woodman.
The defender then went up the other end to create Exeter’s first shot of note, but his long range drive went harmlessly wide of Barry Roche’s goal.
Exeter ended the half the stronger of the two sides, but Roche was out quickly off his line to deny Cureton when he was put in on goal.
The second-half began in total contrast to the first, with both sides showing attacking intent from the start.
It was the visitors who had the first chance, but captain Danny Coles curled wide when he found himself in a good position in the Morecambe penalty area.
The Shrimps fought back immediately with a chance of their own and after scoring against York last weekend, Alessandra really should have broken the deadlock.
The winger ran through on goal after Holroyd hooked the ball over the Grecians defence, but after rounding keeper Artur Krysiak he lost his balance and sliced wide from inside the six-yard box.
Bentley’s side gained momentum from that chance and Exeter had defender Kevin Amankwaah to thank, as his challenge nicked the ball off the toes of Holroyd after Nick Fenton had headed across goal.
Despite that pressure, the away side continued to look a threat and they should have taken the lead when Scott Bennett sent a free header over the Morecambe bar.
With the game becoming stretched both sides looked capable of breaking the deadlock, but it was the visitors who took the lead just after the hour mark.
Tommy Doherty showed composure in midfield and supplied a sublime through ball, which veteran striker Cureton took in his path before comfortably side-footing past Roche.
Despite that setback, the Shrimps continued to push forward and Exeter keeper Krysiak had to parry Ryan Williams’ goal bound free-kick wide of his post.
Substitute Jordan Burrow then header two yards over from an Andy Parrish cross, as the Shrimps went in search of an equaliser.
and after Cureton’s free-kick was deflected, Fenton had to be at his best to deny Jimmy Keohane from tapping in.Exeter continued to look a threat on the counter-attack, however,
The Grecians’ pressure finally told four minutes from time as Cureton and Keohane linked up well outside the Shrimps box, with the ball falling to Davies who crisply curled past Roche into the bottom corner.
With the Shrimps looking deflated, Exeter pushed forward again and Cureton completed the scoring as his ferocious strike arrowed into the top corner, as the Shrimps lost at home for just the first time since mid-September.
Morecambe:Roche; Parrish, Haining, Fenton, Wright; McDonald (Burrow 69), Drummond, Williams; Alessandra (Redshaw 61), Holroyd (Mwasile 81), Ellison.
Unused subs:Arestidou, Doyle, Parkinson.
Exeter:Krysiak; Amankwaah, Coles, Baldwin, Woodman; Molesley, Doherty, Bennett, Davies; Keohane, Cureton.
Unused subs:Evans, Tully, Bauza, Dawson, Gosling, Reid, Moore-Taylor.
Referee:S Bratt
Attendance:1,840