Match Report: Scunthorpe United 1-1 Morecambe (Scunthorpe win 5-3 on Pens)
MORECAMBE'S hopes of making progress in the EFL Trophy were dashed as they suffered a penalty shoot out defeat at Glanford Park.
Jim Bentley's produced an excellent performance to hold the League 1 leaders in normal time but a Peter Murphy penalty miss proved pivotal in the shoot out.
The Shrimps suffered the worst possible start when they found themselves a goal down after just three minutes.
Striker Paddy Madden found himself in space down the right and crossed to the far post, the ball was cleared to the edge of the area and Sam Mantom met the loose ball perfectly with a left foot volley flying into the roof of the Morecambe net.
The home side e joyed the better of the early stages with Duane Holmes forcing a save from Dan Nizic before the Shrimps began to threaten with Aaron Wildig furious not to get a penalty after he looked to be bundled over in the area after some neat play.
Jim Bentley’s side continued to press and home keeper Joe Anyon almost gifted them a leveller just before the break when he raced from his goal and slipped but managed to recover to deny Cole Stockton a free run on the open goal.
The Shrimps started the second half superbly and Kevin Ellison wasted a glorious chance just seconds after the restart when he was played in on goal by Aaron Wildig but dragged his shot wide of the left hand post.
Seconds later Wildig forced Anyon into a superb flying save to his left hand side before the Shrimps levelled on 53 minutes when Ryan Edwards rose above his marker to head home Michael Rose’s left wing corner.
The game then swung from end with Nizic producing an excellent save to tip away a long range Luke Williams effort before the Shrimps had a chance in the final few minutes when substitute Lee Molyneux was played in on goal but saw his low shot well saved by Anyon’s legs.
The draw meant the game went to penalties with Scunthorpe scoring all theirs but Murphy missing the Shrimps’ first meaning successful strikes by Lee Molybneux, Paul Mullin and Michael Rose went unrewarded as Williams calmly sent Nizic the wrong way from the spot.
Scunthorpe: Anyon, Clarke, Wallace, Goode, Townsend (Morris 90), Holmes (Bishop 82), Mantom, Smallwood (Van Veen 82), Williams, Madden, Adelakun. Subs not used: Daniels, Wiseman, Hopper, Butroid.
Morecambe: Nizic, Whitmore, Edwards, Winnard, McGowan, Murphy, Rose, Conlan (rep Molyneux 84), Wildig (rep Mullin 78), Stockton, Ellison (rep Turner 71). Subs not used: Roche, Wakefield, Kenyon, Massanka.
Ref: D Drysdale
Att: 987.