Match Report: Morecambe 2-4 Cambridge United
MORECAMBE'S home woes continued with a heavy defeat against Cambridge at the Globe Arena.
The Shrimps suffered their sixth defeats in seven home games after another poor defensive display.
Cambridge took the lead after just 11 minutes. The Morecambe defence failed to clear a left wing corner and the ball was played back into the six yard box for unmarked central defender Leon Legge to head past Barry Roche.
A minute later it was almost 2-0 for the visitors when Luke Berry tried his luck from the edge of the box with a sweetly struck curler that beat Roche but hit the underside of the crossbar and bounced to safety.
The Shrimps reshuffled and hit back with a well worked goal on 21 minutes. A long ball down the left looked to be going for a goal kick but Tom Barkhuizen used his pace to keep it in play and crossed superbly for Lee Molyneux to volley home from eight yards out.
The visitors were not down for long however as they regained the lead on 34 minutes. Harrison Dunk's cross from the left was ,et by Ben Williamson and although his effort was superbly saved by Roche the ball fell perfectly for Ryan Donaldson who lashed home the loose ball from the edge of the area.
The U's extended their lead further with their next attack. Cameron Gayle found himself in space down the right hand side and produced a low shot that should have been easy for Roche but the ball squirmed under his body and crept over the line.
Morecambe's hopes of a second half comeback were soon dashed when Cambridge scored a fourth on 47 minutes. Ben Williamson collected the ball on the edge of the Morecambe box and breezed past two weak challenges before clipping the coolest of finishes past Roche from 12 yards out.
Morecambe hit back with their best spell of the game. Shaun Miller was played in on goal but a poor first touch allowed Sam Beasant the chance to save at his feet.
Miller then made amends by setting up Morecambe's second with a fine cross for Peter Murphy to volley past the Cambridge keeper from 12 yards out.
From there the Shrimps ended the game on the front foot but failed to test Beasant and suffered another miserable night on home soil.
MORECAMBE: Roche, Beeley, Parrish, Edwards, Wilson, Goodall (rep Wildig 73), Kenyon (rep Murphy 46), Barkhuizen, Molyneux, Ellison, Miller (rep Mullin 67). Subs not used: Thompson, Doyle, Dugdale, Bondswell.
Booked: Wilson, Murphy, Barkhuizen, Miller, Edwards
CAMBRIDGE: Beasant, Gayle, Roberts, Legge, Demetriou, Newton, Berry, Ledson, Dunk (rep Simpson 73), Donaldson, Williamson (rep Corr 83). Subs not used: Slew, Coulson, Hughes, Gaffney.
Booked: Berry, Ledson.
Ref: B Toner
Att: 1,689