Friendly defeat for Shrimps
MORECAMBE tasted defeat for the first time this pre-season following an entertaining clash with Dundee at the Globe Arena.
Padraig Amond put the Shrimps ahead early on but strikes from Kieron Cadogan and Gary Harkins put the newly promoted Scottish Premier League side ahead at the break.
Summer recruit Ryan Edwards headed home an equaliser for Jim Bentley’s side as the game reached its final quarter but a composed finish from Martin Boyle and a late Gary MacDonald effort sent the Scottish side home victorious.
With the Globe Arena hosting its first game in over two months the Shrimps made a flying start to proceedings and opened the scoring with just three minutes on the clock.
Shaun Beeley’s delivery down the right-hand side was missed by the entire Dundee defence and after latching onto the loose ball Amond collected and slotted confidently past Dees’ ‘keeper Kyle Letheren to put Bentley’s side ahead.
Andy Fleming volleyed narrowly over as the home side continued to enjoy the better of the opening stages, but as the visitors began to grow into the game Philip Roberts dragged a shot just wide after running at the Morecambe defence.
In a half lacking in an abundance of goalmouth action full-back Gary Irvine headed harmlessly over from a Harkins’ corner, before Paul Hartley’s side struck an equaliser and in some style.
Trialist Cadogan superbly collected a cross-field pass and after driving at the Morecambe back line the former Crystal Palace man hit a low shot which flew past Andreas Arestidou into the bottom left corner.
Both Irvine and Harkins went close as the away side sensed the lead and seven minutes before half-time they were ahead.
A flicked pass into the penalty area fell at the feet of summer signing Harkins and after steadying himself the ex-Blackpool midfielder slotted calmly into the back of the Morecambe net to put the Scottish side in front at the break.
With the Dees making a number of substitutions at the interval it was a slow start to the second half with both sides struggling to create in the final third.
A long range effort from Laurence Wilson was the best the Shrimps could muster but following a flurry of substitutions Bentley’s men began to dominate the contest.
New arrival Chris Doyle failed to make enough contact with a free header, before fellow substitute Jack Sampson saw his thunderous header palmed over the crossbar by Letheren.
That pressure was soon rewarded though, as summer signing Edwards rose highest to flick Wilson’s curling free-kick into the top corner of Letheren’s net.
Minutes later and the Shrimps could have been ahead but the Dundee stopper was down quickly to deny Jack Redshaw with his legs after good approach play by Sampson.
In a brief moment of respite for the visitors Greg Stewart hit a swerving shot inches wide of the right post, but it wasn’t long before the travelling supporters were on their feet again as the Dees’ sneaked ahead for a second time.
Half-time substitute Simon Ferry was the instigator, with the former Portsmouth man sending Boyle through on goal and with defenders quickly approaching, the ex-Scottish youth international shot low through the legs of Arestidou.
Kevin Ellison nodded tamely at Letheren as the game reached its final stages, before Redshaw saw his well-struck effort superbly blocked in front of goal.
As the Shrimps pushed forward, the Scottish outfit countered in numbers and with just seconds left to play MacDonald side footed into the bottom corner to add gloss to the scoreline.
Morecambe: Arestidou; Beeley [McGowan 63], Parrish [Edwards 63], Hughes [Doyle 63], Wilson; Fleming [Kenyon 63], Williams [Wright 63], Goodall [Ellison 63]; Devitt [Marshall 63], Mullin [Redshaw 45], Amond [Sampson 63].
Unused subs: Stewart
Dundee: Letheren; Irvine [Stewart 45], McPake, Davidson [Benedictus 45], Dyer; Cadogan [McGinn 45], McBride [Ferry 45], Thomson [Riley 60], McGowan [Boyle 60]; Harkins [McAlister 45]; Roberts [MacDonald 45].
Unused subs: Grant, Kerr, Wighton.
Referee: S Duncan