Last gasp Mansfield goal denies Morecambe a share of the spoils
A LAST GASP goal from Mansfield substitute Alex Fisher denied Morecambe a share of the spoils at the One Call Stadium.
Fisher popped up in the box in the 90th minute to head home a near post flick on from Liam Marsden's long throw to earn the home side the three points.
Boss Jim Bentley made a host of changes to his starting line up bringing in Aaron McGowan for his full first team debut and the Shrimps should have gone behind in the 10th minute but Raki Bingham blazed over the bar from close range after Barry Roche had reacted sharply to get down low to his right to save a sweetly struck volley from Matt Rhead.
Seven minutes later the home side threatened again when Roche’s weak clearance found Lee Beevers 25 yards from goal and his audacious lob sailed inches over the Morecambe bar.
The Shrimps created their first chance on 27 minutes when debutant Aaron McGowan volleyed smartly towards goal forcing Stags’ stopper Dimitar Evtimov into a smart flying save.
From the resulting corner Padraig Amond looped a header against the cross bar, Mark Hughes bundled the loose ball home but was adjudged offside.
The second half followed a similar pattern with the Shrimps on the back foot for long periods. Roche had to be at his best to save from another excellent Rhead shot from distance and Bingham forced the Shrimps’ keeper into a decent save with his feet on 77 minutes.
The Shrimps looked to step up the pace in the final stages of the game, winning several corners but were undone in the last minute when they failed to deal with the ball into the box and Fisher earned the home side the three points.
Mansfield: Evtimov, Sutton, Riley, Tafazolli; Marsden, Murray, Clements, Beavers; Bell (rep Fisher 74); Rhead (rep Palmer 81), Bingham. Subs not used: Studer, McGuire, Thomas, Taylor.
Booked: Fisher.
Morecambe: Roche: Parrish, Hughes, Edwards; McGowan, Kenyon, Drummond, Fleming, Widdowson; Amond (rep Mullin 55), Sampson (rep Ellison 55). Subs not used: Arestidou, Williams, Goodall, Wright.
Booked: Hughes, Mullin.
Att: 2,185.
Ref: S Martin.