MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

THE Shrimps produced a stunning performance to win a nine goal thriller at the New York Stadium.

Boss Jim Bentley made five changes to the side that lost at Grimsby on Saturday with Luke Conlan, Alex Kenyon, Paul Mullin, Lee Molyneux and Cole Stockton all coming into the side.

With Aaron Wildig ruled out through injury the Shrimps were only able to field five subs.

It proved to be a good decision by the Shrimps as Stockton gave the Shrimps the lead after just six minutes with a superb goal. The on loan Tranmere man took the ball on the edge of the area and let fly with a stunning shot that beat Lewis Price in the home goal.

After the early shock the Millers began to forge their way into the game with Jon Taylor looking particularly dangerous down the right hand side. The wide man saw an early shot deflected for a corner before hitting the post on 14 minutes with a sweetly struck shot from just inside the area.

The Shrimps hit back moments later with Paul Mullin driving at the home defence but with Tom Barkhuizen in space to his right he failed to provide the pass and the chance went begging.

Rotherham then took control of possession again and forced a number of half chances.

Young striker Jerry Yates forced an opening on 32 minutes when he got goal side of Alex Whitmore but dragged his shot wide when he should have done better.

Millers' midfielder Richie Smallwood followed suit when he failed to find the target from a good opening.

The half ended with the Shrimps on top and Barkhuizen had two golden chances to extend Morecambe's lead but saw two efforts well saved by Price.

The Shrimps started the second half sharply with Mullin shooting wide and Stockton missing a golden opportunity to double Morecambe's lead when he missed an open goal from eight yards out after Price had parried Barkhuizen's shot.

He was made to pay for his miss a few moments later as Rotherham levelled from a soft penalty. Ryan Edwards was harshly adjudged to have pulled down Greg Halford in the box and the Millers' midfielder stepped up to beat Barry Roche from the spot.

The goal gave the home fans a lift but they were silenced again on 68 minutes when substitute Jack Dunn put the Shrimps ahead for the second time. A cross from the left came into the area and Dunn produced a superb first time effort to beat Price from eight yards out.

The Shrimps looked good value for the lead but were undone by two goals in two minutes.

Rotherham levelled on 82 minutes when Tom Thorpe got in behind Conlan on the right and pulled the ball back for Jerry Yates to beat Roche with a low shot from the edge of the area.

The Shrimp' defence then crumbled again seconds later with Thorpe again the provider with too much space down the right and he teed up substitute Anthony Forde who beat Roche from the angle.

The Shrimps, to their credit came back superbly and equalised with a 91st minute penalty. Dunn was bundled over in the box and like Halford before him stepped up to slot the ball home and force extra time.

After a goal less first period thre Shrimps then took the lead again when Kevin Ellison scored from close range after Dunn's close range shot was blocked on the line and Dunn himself secured his hat trick with a top quality finish with one minute to go after being found by Ellison to make it 5-3.

Yates pulled another one back for the home side with a close range finish but the Shrimps held on to win a nine goal thriller.

Rotherham: Price, Thorpe, Halford, Wilson (rep Wood 46), Warren, Taylor, Smallwood, Vaulks, Allan (rep Forde 76), Yates, Forster-Caskey. (rep Ward 63) Subs not used: Camp, Kelly, Bailey-King, Muskwe.

Booked: Wood.

Morecambe: Roche, Wakefied,, Edwards, Whitmore, Conlan; Kenyon (rep Fleming 87), Rose, Barkhuizen, Mullin (rep Dunn 63), Molyneux, Stockton (rep Ellison 87) Subs not used: Nizic, McGowan.

Booked: Wakefield.

Ref: S Stockbridge.

Att: 3,793 (118 away fans)