MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB

The Shrimps saw off some early pressure from the visitors. First Dion Charles was dispossessed in a good position by Anthony O’Connor before the skipper did well to block Dapo Afolayan’s strike a minute later.

 

Just after the ten minute mark, Jonah Ayunga had a half-chance for the Shrimps when he flashed the ball wide of goal.

 

Ian Evatt’s men came close to taking the lead in the 18th minute. After some smart build-up play, Kieran Lee raced through towards goal and laid the ball off to Jordan Williams who blazed a powerful strike over the crossbar.

 

Morecambe created a great opportunity five minutes later when Ayunga played the perfect ball over the top to Stockton, however the Shrimps’ top scorer couldn’t find the target. 

 

Three minutes later, Shane McLaughlin’s teasing ball from the right found Stockton whose powerful shot from close-range was deflected wide by the Wanderers defence.

 

Debutant Adam Smith was forced into an excellent diving save on the half-hour mark. Aladapo Afolayan won the ball on the left and raced forward to find Declan John who saw his strike was palmed away to the left by the Shrimps’ ‘keeper. 

 

Before the break, the ball fell to Arthur Gnahoua on the edge of the area but the Morecambe man fired over the upward.

 

 

Chances at the start of the second-half were few and far between, but it was O’Connor who had the best of the bunch for the Shrimps. The defender couldn’t get enough power behind his close-range shot to trouble Trafford in the Bolton goal.

 

The Shrimps were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead from the penalty spot after Ricardo Santos handled the ball on the line to keep out Ayunga’s strike. The Bolton skipper saw red for the offence, but Stockton failed to capitalise on the opportunity when his penalty was saved by Trafford. 

 

Stockton made no mistake three minutes later when he put the Shrimps ahead. Ayunga sparked the move when he broke down the right, but it was Adam Phillips who was the provider when he layed off the ball to Stockton who struck past Trafford to send the Shrimps’ fans wild. 

 

Morecambe had the ball in the net again in the 77th minute when O’Connor’s header found the bottom corner, but the goal was ruled out for a foul on the goalkeeper.