Accrington Stanley 3-1 Morecambe
Sky Bet League One
The Wham Stadium
Saturday 1 October 2022
Kick-Off: 3:00pm
Attendance: 2,916 (727 away)
The 10 men of Morecambe leave the Wham Stadium empty handed after the hosts netted three times in the second-half, despite Morecambe's 77th minute equaliser.
It was Derek Adams’ men who started the brighter, with a flurry of corners either side of a Kieran Phillips chance on seven minutes, before Stanley themselves won a couple of corner kicks in quick succession but were unable to capitalise.
The hosts first big chance of the game came on 18 minutes when Sean McConville found himself in space at the back post, but his glanced header rolled wide.
Harvey Rodgers came close to breaking the deadlock midway through the first half, but his headed effort from the corner was cleared on the line by former Stanley man Farrend Rawson.
It was then Morecambe’s turn to threaten, as Jake Taylor dribbled past a couple of Stanley defenders on 34 minutes, but his fierce strike from the edge of the box sailed narrowly wide.
Just before half-time, and the Shrimps received a suckerpunch after Arthur Gnahoua was red carded following an aerial challenge.
Half-time: Accrington Stanley 0-0 Morecambe.
John Coleman’s side started the better in the second-half with Mitch Clark firing an effort narrowly beyond Ripley’s right-hand post on 53 minutes.
Five minutes later and the hosts were able to break the deadlock; Moments after hitting the post, the ball fell to Liam Coyle who found the bottom-left corner.
Morecambe looked to respond midway through the second 45 as a looping Ryan Delaney header was caught high by goalkeeper Lukas Jensen to deny the Shrimps defender.
With 77 minutes on the clock, the Shrimps found an equaliser; A breakdown of communication saw Ryan Astley lob his goalkeeper from distance, much to the delight of the travelling Morecambe supporters behind the goal.
No sooner were Morecambe back in the game, Ethan Hamilton reinstated Accrington’s lead with a low-driven free-kick.
Four minutes later and Coleman’s men wrapped up the points, Nolan dispossessed Dylan Connolly, stormed into the box and squared it for Tommy Leigh who made no mistake from close range.
Full-time: Accrington Stanley 3-1 Morecambe.
Accrington Stanley: Jensen, Clark, Hamilton, Astley, Coyle, Whalley, Leigh, McConville, Rodgers, Conneely ©, Tharme (Nolan, 74’).
Subs not used: Savin, Sangare, Delfouneso, Martin, Sloane, Fernandes.
Goals: Coyle 58’, Hamilton 81’, Leigh 85’.
Bookings: Conneely 29’, Tharme 52’.
Red cards: None.
Morecambe: Ripley, Love ©, Gibson, Rawson, Delaney, Taylor (Cooney, 60’), Fane, Gnahoua, Weir, Bedeau (Stockton, 74’), Phillips (Connolly, 82’).
Subs not used: Smith, McLoughlin, Obika, O’Connor.
Goals: Astley OG 77’.
Bookings: Gibson 28’, Fane 61’, Love 88’.
Red cards: Gnahoua 45’.