Peterborough United 3-0 Morecambe
Sky Bet League One
The Weston Homes Stadium
Saturday 6 August 2022
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Attendance: 7,691 (279 Shrimps)
The Shrimps suffered their first defeat of the 2022/23 season after losing 3-0 to promotion favourites Peterborough United at the Weston Homes Stadium.
Goals from Joe Ward, Ben Thompson and Hector Kyprianou sank the Shrimps in an afternoon to forget for Derek Adams’ side.
Both sides started lively, but it was the away side who had the first sight of an opening. A delicious through ball from Cole Stockton tried to find Jensen Weir on the run but Posh goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom was there to mop up the danger.
The home side turned on the style from there. Jack Marriott was set away down the Shrimps’ left-hand side, the forward managed to squeeze a cross which evaded everyone bar Ben Thompson at the far-post, who forced Connor Ripley into a big one-on-one save.
Peterborough took the lead on the ninth minute through Ward, he picked the ball up 25-yards out and unleashed a right-footed effort found the bottom-right corner of the goal.
It was Stockton again who had a great opportunity to alter the scoreline, he was played through by Ash Hunter but the Shrimps number nine could only find the body of Bergstrom who was there to make an excellent one-on-one save.
Grant McCann’s side had a flurry of chances just shy of the half-an-hour mark. The first one from Thompson, who tried his luck from outside the box forcing Ripley into a save down to his right.
Before Marriott broke free in the box, again, forcing Ripley into a smart save from close range.
Two minutes before half-time, the hosts doubled their lead.
A free-kick on the edge of the box by Jonson Clarke-Harris was too hot to handle for Ripley, the ball fell to B Thompson who managed to squeeze his effort into the bottom-right corner via a deflection off of Ryan Delaney.
Half-time: Peterborough United 2-0 Morecambe
Ten minutes after the restart Posh were awarded a penalty after Ripley brought down Clarke-Harris, however the linesman on the near side cut their elation short, as he flagged for an offside in the build-up.
On the 64th minute, Ripley was there again to make a fantastic point-blank save, a cross from the left by J Taylor was met on the head by Clarke-Harris, who was denied by by the Shrimps goalkeeper.
Moments later Hunter came close again. The ball dropped to the number 10 inside the six-yard box but Bergstrom again made himself big and managed smuggle the ball away from danger.
McCann’s side added their third on the 72nd minute, as a through ball from Marriott found Kyprianou on the run, despite slipping in the box, he managed to guide his effort into the bottom-left corner of the Shrimps goal.
It was the two players from the bench who created the next opportunity for Adams’ men, a clipped ball into the middle by Shane McLoughlin found Jon Obika in the area, but the forward man got his volleyed effort all wrong.
Full-time: Peterborough United 3-0 Shrimps
Peterborough United: Bergstrom, Edwards, Knight (J Taylor 76’), Kent, Taylor, Clarke-Harris (C), Marriott (Ajiboye 76’), Burrows (Tomlinson 80’), Kyprianou, Ward (N Thompson 80’), B Thompson (Randall 76’).
Subs not used: Lakin, Fuchs.
Goals: Ward 9’, B Thompson 43’, Kyprianou 69’.
Bookings: Marriott 64’.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Ripley, Love (C), Melbourne (Watts 69’), Gibson, Rawson, Delaney, Taylor (McLoughlin 76’), Fane, Stockton (Obika 76’), Hunter (Connolly 76’), Weir.
Subs not used: Smith, Gnahoua, O’Connor.
Goals: None.
Bookings: Melbourne 43’.
Red cards: None.