Reserve Team Match Report: Morecambe 1-7 Wigan Athletic.
MORECAMBE reserves went down to a heavy defeat as they shipped in seven goals against Wigan Athletic’s Development Squad.
Connor Oliver scored Morecambe’s only goal with a 46th minute penalty but the Shrimps were second best for long periods with a hat-trick from Sam Cosgrove, a brace from Sanmi Odelusi and superb strikes from Andy Kellett and Alex Lingard ensuring a miserable afternoon for Stewart Drummond’s side.
Odelusi, Cosgrove and Kellett had Latics 3-0 up at half time and cruising, until Oliver won and scored from the penalty spot in the first minute of the second half. Not phased by the quick fire goal, two more from Cosgrove either side of another fine Odelusi finish helped to push the game well beyond Morecambe's reach, before Lingard smashed in a seventh with 20 minutes remaining.
Wigan’s first came on 22 minutes with Kellett teeing up Odelusi's on the right side of the penalty area, with the striker taking his finish expertly to find the bottom left corner across Morecambe keeper Niall Maher.
Four minutes later and it was 2-0 and the start of Cosgrove's hat-trick. James Barrigan battled away down the left before finding Cosgrove with his back to goal, but using his strength he turned and out-muscled his marker to drive a low right footed shot into the bottom left corner from over 20 yards out.
Morecambe hit back with Nathan Bondswell forcing Latics' keeper Owen Evans into a good save but Latics regained control within minutes with O'Brien’s pace causing the problems. Beating the left full back once more, O'Brien tried to pick out Cosgrove at the near post, only for Morecambe to half clear, a half clearance which fell to completely the wrong player, as Kellett took a touch out of his feet and whipped a shot from the right edge in off the left post for 3-0.
Morecambe hit back from the spot after Oliver went down under a challenge from Adam Anson to give his side a glimmer of hope.
It wasn't to be though for the hosts, and five minutes later Latics made it 4-1 through Cosgrove.
Moments before being replaced by Louis Robles, Odelusi added his second of the match to make it 5-1, racing onto the end of Cosgrove's pass down the middle, before lashing the ball across the keeper and into the bottom left corner.
Cosgrove's hat-trick was completed on 64 minutes after more good play from Kellett and the seventh came from Lingard with the full back making no mistake as he powered his left footed effort beyond Maher and into the top right corner.
Morecambe: Maher, Cowley (Tomlinson 57), Livingstone, Dugdale (Webb 46), Doyle, McKnight, Jordan, Bailey, Mullin, Oliver (Hedley 66), Bondswell (Townsend 71)
Unused Sub: Povey
Latics: Evans, O'Brien (Baxendale 72), Lingard, Burke, Stubbs, Anson, Barrigan (Donaghey 81), Hamilton (Lang 81), Odelusi (Robles 62), Cosgrove, Kellett (Burgess 77)