First half nightmare proves costly
MORECAMBE’S poor run of form continued after a nightmare first half helped Oxford claim the three points.
The Shrimps suffered a nightmare opening half and were three goals down at the break.
The warnings signs were there when James Constable missed a golden chance on three minutes when he failed to find the target from six yards out after a mistake y Stewart Drummond.
But he was on target on 15 minutes from close range when he bundled home the loose ball after Barry Roche had saved well from Dave Kitson’s close range header.
Nine minutes later the home side doubled their advantage when the Shrimps were caught out at the back after Tont Diagne’s wayward pass on the halfway line. Oxford broke quickly through Ryan Williams and his low cross was bundled home at the back post by the onrushing Sean Rigg.
There was worse to follow for Morecambe when the offside looking Williams broke free again down the right after Morecambe gave the ball away and he kept his cool to lob the ball over Roche and over the line despite the best efforts of Andy Parrish.
Morecambe’s only threat of note came in the early stages of the game when Kevin Ellison saw a shot deflected over the bar after being played behind the home defence.
The Shrimps were much brighter in the second half and created several chances.
Ryan Williams and Andy Fleming both tested home keeper Clarke from distance before Jack Sampson hit the post with a sweetly struck low shot from just inside the box.
The pressure continued with Diagne seeing a shot beaten down as the Shrimps restricted Oxford to just one clear chance when Rigg was played in on goal but denied by a fine save from Roche.
OXFORD: Clarke, Hunt, Raynes, Mullins, Newey; Williams (rep Davies 86), Rose, Hall, Rigg (rep O'Dowda 66); Constable, Kitson (rep Marsh 88). Subs not used: Crocombe, Long, Bevans, Ruffels.
MORECAMBE: Roche, Wright, Parrish (rep McCready 85), Hughes, Diagne, Drummond. Fleming, Williams, Amond, Sampson (rep Marshall 62), Ellison (rep Redshaw 77). Subs not used: Arestidou, Threlfall, Kenyon, Mwasile.