THE Shrimps ended their pre season campaign with defeat to League 1 rivals Fleetwood Town.
Morecambe played some neat football throughout but were undone by some clinical Fleetwood finishing with goals from Conor McAleny, Wes Burns and Bobby Grant giving Joey Barton’s side victory.
Morecambe started the brighter and Andy Fleming poked an effort just wide after only four minutes before the visitors hit back with McAleny failing to find the target from 10 yards out after creating space for himself in the box.
Jack Sowerby then forced Barry Roche into an excellent save before Morecambe went close themselves with Aaron Wildig denied by a fine stop from Alex Cairns.
After an even opening the deadlock was broken on 22 minutes when McAleny took advantage of a mix-up between Roche and Alex Kenyon to drill the loose ball into the empty net from 12 yards.
Morecambe looked to hit back with Kevin Ellison firing straight at Cairns before Fleetwood added a second three minutes from the break when Bobby Grant’s corner was headed home by Burns.
The Shrimps hit back early in the second half with a fine goal from Andy Fleming. The ball fell to the midfielder 20 yards out and he produced a perfectly placed half volley to beat Cairns to his left hand side.
Fleetwood stepped up a gear after the goal with Ched Evans seeing a close range header superbly saved by Roche.
Evans then fired into the side netting before the visitors added a third on 66 minutes when Grant ran into the box and fired past Roche with a sweet left foot strike.
Both teams made a raft of changes at the death and young Morecambe substitute Lamine Jagne was denied a second Morecambe goal by a fine save from Matt Irwin from a long range shot that was heading for the top left hand corner.