Morecambe 3-1 Crawley Town
Morecambe put an end to their recent struggles at home with a solid performance and victory over Crawley Town at the Globe Arena.
Kevin Ellison capitalised on a goalkeeping error to nod home before Shaun Miller kept up his outstanding recent form with an exquisite goal.
Crawley pulled one back through Rhys Murphy before Paul Mullin secured the win from the penalty spot to spare the nerves of the home supporters and give The Shrimps’ their fourth straight win in all competitions.
After a cagey start, Morecambe had the first chance of the game after about quarter of an hour, Alex Kenyon forcing a save from Crawley keeper Darryl Flahavan after a low cross from Kevin Ellison and a great drive forward under pressure from Aaron McGowan.
Shaun Miller had an effort saved after a great bit of work down the right by Tom Barkhuizen 20 minutes later in a first half that was uneventful at times.
But the game burst into life minutes before half-time, Barkhuizen’s ball into the box wasn’t successfully cleared by Lewis Young whose header looped backwards towards goal. The ball was fumbled by Flahavan and nodded in by an advancing Kevin Ellison from a yard out to put The Shrimps’ one up going in at the break.
Crawley started the second half on the front foot, Matt Harrold narrowly failed to make any meaningful contact on a free kick from out wide before Deacon fired a shot wide.
As the game approached the hour mark Barry Roche made a sprawling save low to his right to deny Jimmy Smith from the edge of the box as the visitor’s pressed for an equaliser.
But it was The Shrimps’ who doubled their lead in the 65th minute when in-form Shaun Miller received the ball in the box with his back to goal, turned past two defenders and fired an unstoppable shot into the net. Crawley nearly pulled one back immediately when Rhys Murphy fired off a shot that went narrowly over the bar.
The visitors continued to press forward and were rewarded for their efforts in the 85th minute when a cross from Mitch Hancox was parried by Roche straight into the path of Rhys Murphy who stabbed the ball home.
The Shrimps’ were awarded a penalty as the game entered stoppage time when Aaron Wildig was brought down in the box and Paul Mullin stepped up to send the keeper the wrong way and put the game beyond all doubt.
Morecambe: Roche, Beeley, Edwards, Parrish, McGowan, Goodall, Kenyon (Fleming 86), Barkhuizen, Devitt (Wildig 60), Ellison, Miller (Mullin 76).
Subs not used: Thompson, Bailey, Molyneux, Ryan,
Crawley Town: Flahavan, Young, Bradley, Yorwerth, Hancox, Deacon (Fenelon 66), Smith, Walton, Edwards, Harrold (Rooney 71), Murphy.
Subs not used: Preston, Barnard, Ashton, Jenkins, Donnelly.
Attendance: 1098