The young Shrimps bowed out of the Lancashire FA Professional Youth Cup at the semi-final stage following a 3-0 defeat to Bolton Wanderers at Lancaster and Morecambe College.
Adam Fairclough returned to the starting line-up after serving his suspension alongside Matthew Williams who made his first start after recovering from injury.
Both teams started the contest playing on the side of caution as neither wanted to take an early blow.
Shrimps’ forward Saul Fox-Akande came close to opening the scoring in the game’s first big opportunity. The striker latched onto the end of a cross but ultimately nodded straight at Bolton’s ‘keeper Jack Dallimore from inside the box.
Ollie Ras’ side applied constant pressure which forced Dallimore to turn behind for a Morecambe corner as we went in search of the opener.
Bolton took the lead on 24 minutes as attacker David Ambimbola rolled home into the bottom corner.
Morecambe came close to making an immediate response as midfielder Nathan Mercer’s corner found the head of centre-back Andy Evans, but our skipper nodded wide.
The visitors looked to extend their lead on 40 minutes which forced goalkeeper Alfie Scales into a smart stop.
Half-time: Morecambe 0-1 Bolton Wanderers
Ollie Ras’ young guns started the second-half the strongest as they hunted for the leveller.
Morecambe right-back Joe Lynchey provided a lofted through ball over to Fox-Akande on 48 minutes but the forward’s effort flew wide.
Bolton had a number of chances soon after and one of their best chances fell to left-back Emile Oliver, who lashed over the bar.
Morecambe made a double change on 61 minutes as Leyton Holden and Matthew Williams were withdrawn with Max Holden and Nathan Snowball entering the action.
The visitors had a golden opportunity to double their advantage on 68 minutes as Conor Lewis received the ball inside the Shrimps’ area, but he hammered his effort over the bar.
Lewis Ballantyne entered the fray on 77 minutes as Jack McKean made way in Morecambe’s third alteration of the game.
Despite creating a plethora of chances as they looked to claw their way back level, it was Bolton who got the next goal on 87 minutes, as Lewis found the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Bolton would add a third in stoppage time as Lewis grabbed his second goal of the game and put the encounter out of sight for the Shrimps as we exited the competition.
Full-time: Morecambe 0-3 Bolton Wanderers
Morecambe: Scales, Lynchey, L. Holden (61’ Snowball), Evans (C), Wright, Dobson, Mercer, McKean (77’ Ballantyne), Fairclough, Williams (61’ M. Holden), Fox-Akande
Subs not used: Sowerby, Crane
Bolton Wanderers: Dallimore, Westwood, Oliver, Irwin, Smith (73’ O’ Neill), Grayson (59’ Pinto), Leich, Fleury, Abimbola, Lewis, Lawrence (84’ Nuttall)
Subs not used: Lomax