Morecambe 3-3 Accrington Stanley
Sky Bet League One
The Mazuma Stadium
Saturday 25 September 2021
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Attendance: 4,142 (573 away)
A blockbuster Lancashire derby ends all square as the Shrimps and Accrington Stanley draw 3-3 at the Mazuma Stadium.
Two goals from Cole Stockton and one from Adam Phillips helped the home side to a point after a Colby Bishop double and a strike from Mathew Butcher helped John Coleman’s side to three goals on the afternoon.
The Shrimps had to endure majority of the second half after referee Neil Hair decided that Shane McLoughlin robust challenge was worthy of a red card.
The first half took off on the 15th minute as a delightful through ball from Phillips found Stockton on the run, who did the business and slotted it into the bottom right corner of James Trafford’s goal.
Things turned quickly in the visitor's favour as they were awarded a penalty moments later, a foul by Liam Gibson on Lewis Mansell saw the latter go down, up stepped Bishop to bring the game level.
In the space of three minutes, John Coleman’s side took the lead, a mix up in the Shrimps defence saw the ball end up at the feet of Butcher, who took aim from outside the box and in-turn curled a lovely effort into the back of Kyle Letheren’s goal.
That would not dampen Stephen Robinson’s side however, and they hit back two minutes shy of the half-hour mark.
A cross from the left by Arthur Gnahoua found the advancing Phillips who, like at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday, was in the right place at the right time to apply the finish.
The frantic first period saw Shane McLoughlin receive his marching orders, five minutes short of half time, for an apparent late tackle on Ethan Hamilton.
Half-Time: Morecambe 2-2 Accrington Stanley
With a man less in the second period, the Shrimps has to endure a barrage of pressure from the travelling Accrington men.
Letheren produced a smart save from a Butcher effort, denying the man who had already beaten him in this game.
But Letheren would be beaten on the 68th minute, after some good work from Lewis Mansell down the right, his effort deflected perfectly into the path of Bishop who had the easy job of prodding the ball home in-front of the celebrating Stanley supporters behind that goal.
With the game seemly slipping away from the hosts, that man Stockton was there once again to save the Shrimps’ bacon.
A wild clearance from the visitors popped into the path of Stockton and the big man lashed home to help Robinson’s men secure a point on home soil.
The results could have easily seen Morecambe come away with all three points with two minutes of the game remaining.
A knockdown header from Stockton found substitute Josh McPake, and the on-loan Rangers man could not keep his shot down from 18-yards out.
Full-Time: Morecambe 3-3 Accrington Stanley
We are back at the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday night as we face last seasons’ Play-Off Finalists Lincoln City.
Morecambe: Letheren, Gibson, O’Connor (C), McDonald (McCalmont 40’), Diagouraga, Stockton, Phillips (McPake 78’), McLoughlin, McLaughlin, Gnahoua (Ayunga 59’), Wootton.
Subs not used: Andresson, Jones, Delaney Mensah.
Goals: Stockton 15’ 81’ , Phillips 28’
Bookings: Gibson 19’
Red cards: McLoughlin 38’
Accrington Stanley: Trafford, Sherring, Hamilton (Pell 63’), Sykes, Butcher, O’Sullivan, Bishop, McConville, Nottingham, Mansell (Nolan 63’), Conneelly (C) (Leigh 78’).
Subs not used: Savin, Clark, Amankwah, Malcolm.
Goals: Bishop 19’, Butcher 22’
Bookings: Hamilton 39’
Red cards: None