THE Shrimps recorded their first home win since December with a fine performance against play off chasing Forest Green.
Goals from Rhys Oates, Aaron Collins and Alex Kenyon gave Morecambe victory as they produced a solid performance to make it three wins from five games.
The Shrimps got off to the perfect start when Aaron Collins got behind the visitors’ defence and the ball made its way across goal for Rhys Oates to find the net.
Despite a strong wind, it was an end-to-end start with Ritchie Sutton clearing off the line to deny Shawn McCoulsky and Mark Halstead keeping out Christian Doidge’s close-range effort inside the opening quarter-hour.
Halstead also got the better of Udoka Godwin-Malife as the visitors looked to capitalise on having the breeze at their backs in the first half. At the other end, Rovers keeper Lewis Ward kept out shots from Collins and Oates but could not prevent Morecambe from making it 2-0 on 35 minutes.
Piero Mingoia’s corner and follow-up cross were only half-cleared with the ball eventually falling to Collins, who took a couple of touches before firing clinically past Ward.
There was still time for Halstead to collect a Doidge header before half-time, after which the Shrimps sat in well and frustrated their opponents. Forest Green had much of the possession but Morecambe defended well as a unit and restricted them to little in the way of genuine chances. Halstead made a fine low save to deny Carl Winchester before Morecambe’s third arrived on 71 minutes.
Oates did brilliantly to outmuscle Paul Digby before rolling the ball across for Kenyon to sweep home his first of the season.
His second almost came four minutes later but, this time, Ward acrobatically turned behind the skipper’s long-range effort. Steve Old ensured another clean sheet for the Shrimps when clearing George Williams’ late effort off the line as Morecambe moved up to 20th in the table with 10 games remaining.
Morecambe: Halstead, Mills, Sutton, Old, Conlan, Mingoia, Kenyon, Wildig (McKay 75), Oates (Mandeville 88), Collins, Bennett (Ellison 69). Subs not used: Roche, Dalby, Mendes Gomes, Hedley.
Forest Green Rovers: Ward, Godwin-Malife, Digby, Gunning, Mills, Williams, James (Brown 57), Winchester, Grubb (Mondal 57), Doidge, McCoulsky (Shephard 69). Subs not used: Thomas, Collins, Rawson, McGinlay.
Ref: C Boyseon.
Att: 1,528.