Shrimps' unbeaten run ends
CHELTENHAM 3
MORECAMBE 0
MORECAMBE suffered their first defeat in 10 games at Cheltenham tonight.
On an evening that saw very little go Morecambe's way they were hit by three goals and a sending off for skipper Mark Hughes who received two yellow cards in quick succession either side of the half time break.
The Shrimps started the game well and could have taken the lead in only the second minute of the game. Andy Fleming played in Padraig Amond but he failed to beat home keeper Scott Brown who saved well low to his left.
Brown was again the hero for the home side on nine minutes with another excellent save from a dripping Ryan Williams free kick as Morecambe took the game to the Robins.
After a slow start Cheltenham came into the game with Troy Brown heading a corner wide from close range when he should have done better and Terry Gornell firing wide after a great bit of skill on the edge of the Morecambe box.
Matt Richards gave Cheltenham the lead in first half injury time. Richards swung in a free kick from the right hand touchline that managed to evade everyone and end up in the Morecambe net with goalkeeper Barry Roche left flat footed.
Almost straight from the restart the Shrimps were reduced to 10 men when Hughes was penalised for bringing down Sam Deering and from that moment it was a case of damage limitation for Jim Bentley’s side.
They could have gone two goals down on 53 minutes when the home side were awarded a penalty but Roche saved Richard’s spot kick low to his left.
The second goal did come just after the hour when Roche was left stranded again when Terry Gornell’s shot took a deflection off Robbie Threlfall.
The home side added a third on 81 minutes when Byron Harrison flashed on the loose ball from an Andy Parrish mistake.
CHELTENHAM: Brown; Jombati, Lowe, Brown, Richards; Deering, Noble, Taylor (rep Williams 85), McGlashan; Gornell, Cureton (rep Harrison 69). Subs not used: Roberts, Hanks, Kotwica, Elliott, Penn.
MORECAMBE: Roche; Wright, Parrish, Hughes, Threlfall; Drummond (rep Diagne 64), Williams (rep McGee 79), Kenyon, Fleming, Amond, Ellison (rep Mwasile 71). Subs not used: Arestidou, Bell.
Ref: A Davies.
Att: 2,050