Morecambe Football Club Preview 2022-23.

The Manager.

Morecambe boss Derek Adams made it clear as long ago as 24^th May 2022 that he expects this season’s campaign for the Shrimps in League One to be extremely challenging. He told local paper the Lancaster Guardian:

“I don’t think it’s going to get any easier next season. You only have to look at Bristol Rovers coming up, Exeter City coming up and Forest Green: they are all clubs that have greater financial reserves than ourselves. Then you’ve got the likes of Derby County, Barnsley and Peterborough coming down, so I think it will be an even tougher division than it was this season. I’m looking to take a squad of roughly 23 players for the new season but the (transfer) market will be difficult.”

Later, he explained to the same source both why so many of the players bequeathed to him by Stephen Robinson had been put on the transfer list and why at least one other fringe player had been released. He said:

“The problem we have got is 75 per cent of the budget has been taken up because of players in contract or renegotiating with players out of contract. We are in a difficult position at this moment in time because 75 per cent is a huge amount gone on players who haven’t been playing. Ryan Cooney, who we have made available for transfer, was the only player out of the 10 in the starting 11 for the last game against Sunderland. The difficulty for Connor Pye is he’s not going to find himself in my first-team squad. He’s got two years to run on a contract but, budget-wise, the circumstances are difficult. Freddie Price was a budgetary decision as well. He had an option on his contract and the option was high value in terms of wages. I just couldn’t take that on. We have to free up some cash and I can’t do that unless I do what I do at this moment in time.”

In order to make the task of recruiting new players at least theoretically easier, the Club’s website announced in May:

“Morecambe Football Club is delighted to announce that Greg Strong has joined the Shrimps as the new Head of Recruitment. Strong links up with manager Derek Adams once again, having played together as teammates during their time in Scotland at Motherwell. The former defender was appointed as Chief Scout during Adams’ time at Plymouth Argyle, which saw them promoted to Sky Bet League One during Strong’s first season at the Pilgrims. The 46-year-old has recently spent three-and-a-half years at League Two side Salford City as their Head of Recruitment. He starts with the Shrimps on Wednesday 1 June 2022. Manager Derek Adams said: “Greg has agreed to join the football department here at Morecambe Football Club as Head of Recruitment. He has a strong track record of identifying players in the EFL and has terrific contacts within the game. I previously employed Greg as Chief Scout while I was the manager at Plymouth Argyle FC and I am delighted he has re-joined me at the Shrimps. We have important summer and winter transfers windows coming up.”“

So how has this worked in reality?

Signings and transfers:

Gone But Not Forgotten…

Kyle Letheren left the club last season under something of a cloud. This is a shame, given his key contribution to the Shrimps’ progression towards promotion to League One in the previous campaign. He has joined League Two Hartlepool United as player and goalkeeping coach under the new regime of a former playing colleague at Dundee, Pools’ recently-appointed manager Paul Hartley. Let’s hope the Welshman’s career picks-up in the north-east as spectacularly as it finally failed back in north Lancashire.

I’m sure that most Morecambe fans will also be delighted to hear that Toumani Diagouraga has also found himself a new club in the shape of the one that finished League Two last season one place lower (eighteenth) than Hartlepool: Rochdale FC. He was one of the key reasons that the Shrimps both stayed in League Two a couple of years ago and went on to gain promotion during Derek Adams’ first spell at the club. In my opinion, his was the most significant signature Derek persuaded anyone to add to a Morecambe FC contract. So the question must be asked: has the Manager outdone his previous efforts when the Shrimps were merely a League Two club?

The Old Breed.

The first player from the Stephen Robinson era to leave the club was Jonah Ayunga. He left almost as soon as the season ended to meet-up again with his former mentor Robbo at St Mirren. This was little surprise: Derek Adams didn’t seem to rate him and his form was poor once he picked-up a bad injury after exhibiting tremendous skill early in the season. He came across as a thoroughly decent lad though and I wish him well for what it’s worth.

Really bad news from Paisley, however, was the fact that Robbo has also persuaded fellow-Ulsterman and Northern Ireland international goalkeeper Trevor Carson to sign for St Mirren from Dundee United. Trevor was probably the main reason – on the field at least – that Morecambe actually managed to stay in League One last season. He lives in Barnard Castle and hopes were high that he might prefer the hour journey southwards to play for Derek Adams rather than take The High Road to Bonnie Scotland on a regular basis. But I suspect that St Mirren offered him better money than the Shrimps could – and like Jonah; Trev has signed a two-year deal. What a shame: with all due deference to Barry Roche, he’s the best goalkeeper I have ever seen play for the club. Furthermore, the save he pulled-off right at the death against Oxford on April 6^th last is the best I have ever seen in real life. His superhuman reaction then to what seemed to be a certain goal saved the Shrimps two very precious points into the bargain…

Good news for all who saw him play in the bad-tempered home game against serial cheats Bolton Wanderers last season is that Adam Smith has been offered a new twelve month contract to take over from Trevor Carson in goal.

Far worse news, however, is the fact that Aaron Wildig refused a new contract when it was offered to him. He explained:

“I am gutted to announce that I’ll be leaving the Club this summer. It has been a tough few weeks deciding if I can make it work but having lived in Lancaster for seven years, the time is right to put my girlfriend and little lad first and move closer to my family. I have loved every minute at the Club, from the Chairmen, football staff, academy staff and people working behind the scenes, you won’t meet a better bunch of people. I have loads of great memories: Wembley; Coventry; scoring the Play-Off goal with the fans back in for the first time. I am grateful for the Club and managers I’ve worked with, giving me the opportunity to do it. Thank you for the support over the years, through the good and the bad times. On the pitch you’ve always been so loyal, and that is what makes the Club so special. Having spent seven years at the Club and going through the highs and lows, you don’t just end up a player, you become a supporter and that will continue. I wish the Club every success in the future.”

The club’s website added:

“He made his final appearance for the Shrimps in the last fixture of the 21/22 League One campaign, at home to Sunderland AFC on 30 April. During his time with the Club, Wildig made 248 appearance in all competitions, scoring 25 goals. 

The midfield maestro made his debut for the Shrimps in a 1-1 draw with Carlisle United on 21 March 2015, and scored his first goal for the Club on the final day of that season, in a 3-1 win over Southend United. 

He scored the only goal as the Shrimps recorded their first-ever Football League win against Lancashire rivals Accrington Stanley, in the opening month of the 2015/16 League Two campaign. 

Wildig played a big part in helping the Club steer clear of relegation in that game, at the Ricoh Arena, on the final day of the 2017/18 season. He scored 10 goals in the Shrimps’ promotion winning season, which included the first goal back in front of fans at the Mazuma Stadium after the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Towards the end of the Club’s first-ever season in Sky Bet League One, Wildig captained the side and, under the stewardship of Derek Adams, played a huge part in keeping the Shrimps in League One for another season.”

Within a few days, Newport County had signed him up, I don’t know for how long. So the Welsh club’s gain is definitely Morecambe’s loss. For what it’s worth, I think he has been consistently the best player Morecambe have fielded season after season from the moment he signed for the club. Good luck to him though: this is a guy with a tremendous brain in his head as well as fantastic skill with his feet.

Social Media reports in late June told us all that Morecambe had also lost the services of Arthur Gnahoua. He had allegedly followed Aaron’s example and refused a new contract to stay with the Shrimps. He was reported to be another player to be heading North of the Border, in this case to join Motherwell. All this stuff thankfully turned out to be genuinely false news. Under Robbo’s tutelage, Arthur rarely had a good game in my opinion. But as soon as Derek Adams returned to the club, he looked like a different player altogether. For that fact alone it is really good news that he has decided to stay on a twelve month contract – let’s all hope his tremendous late season form continues next term.

The New Breed…

The first player to sign on the dotted line for Derek Adams’ inaugural full season at the helm of the League One version of the Shrimps was 27-year old Donald Alistair Love. The former Manchester United defender was signed on a two-year-deal once his contract with League Two Salford City ran out. Although he was born in Rochdale, Donald was a Scotland Under-17; 19 and 21 international earlier in his career. He spent a stint on-loan with Wigan Athletic before signing for Sunderland in 2016 after failing to establish a regular place in the Man U first team.  Following a serious ankle injury, he then signed for Shrewsbury Town in time for the start of the 2019-20 League One campaign. He was transferred permanently to Salford during 2021 and turned-down a new contract with City during the closed season to move back up a division to join the Shrimps. He says his own preferred position is Right Full-Back but has experience of playing in various defensive positions in the past.

The second player to be offered a two-year-deal by Morecambe was another defender; 23-year-old Left Back Max Melbourne. He started his career as a Junior at West Bromwich Albion. Then he spent time on-loan with Derek Adams’ old club Ross County. This was at a time when Derek was long gone but it is reasonable to assume that the feedback our Manager has received from his former club about this new signing has been extremely favourable. Max then played briefly (just five games in a deal which was ended early when WBA called him home) for Partick Thistle on-loan before signing for the Lincoln City in January 2020, having spent some time as a loan player there previously too. He was soon out on loan again, firstly at Walsall and later at Stevenage. So for a twenty-three year old, Max has already had a lot of experience. The fact that – unlike Don Love – Max was not offered a new contract by his previous employers – at a fellow League One club as well – must be a slight concern. But hopefully, Max will go on to show that any doubts anybody might have about him are totally unfounded. In contrast to predecessor Stephen Robinson, Derek Adams has yet to sign any sort of duffer to play for the Shrimps. Both his own and Greg Strong’s judgement in these matters leaves no reason other than to expect Max Melbourne to prove to be a tremendous signing for the Shrimps.

Let’s hope they have got it right as far as the Shrimps’ third signing of the Closed Season is concerned as well. Whereas Max Melbourne has joined us from a club in the same Division, 25-year-old Farrend Rawson was offered another two year contract at Morecambe having been released by a club a Division lower: Mansfield Town. Farrend started his career with Derby County, from where he was loaned to Rotherham United, Coventry City and then Accrington Stanley.  Perhaps his greatest claim to fame so far is that at Rotherham, he played in their first team against Brighton & Hove Albion in 2015 when he was no longer registered as one of their players. The Millers were subsequently fined three points and £30,000 for this considerable oversight. Farrend dropped right through the EFL pyramid three years after this incident and signed for then League Two Forest Green Rovers in 2018. Two years later, he moved to Mansfield Town only to be released by them this summer. The central defender is thus another player with quite a lot to prove. Let’s all hope that he is able to do so: 24 months is a very generous contract for a player who has just been judged not to be worthy of even a short one at League Two level.

The fourth signing for the new season is a loan deal. Twenty year-old Australian Caleb Watts – who has represented his country at U-17s and U-23s level – has been lent to the club for a full season by Premier League side Southampton. Despite his age, Caleb had been deemed good enough to play in midfield in the Premiership for his parent club against Arsenal. He also represented his country at the Tokyo Summer Olympics during 2020. Caleb was loaned-out to League Two side Crawley Town last season – an arrangement which lasted precisely 20 minutes when he broke-down with a hamstring injury. The step-up that the Shrimps have offered him brings with it the many challenges which a higher division will inevitably pose for the young man. All the signs so far, however, indicate that both he and the club should benefit considerably from his obvious tremendous talent.

The fifth signing of the summer meant that a twelve-month contract was taken-up by 29-year-old former PNE goalkeeper Connor Ripley. He only played in the first team at Deepdale ten times altogether and was released after being at the club for three years. He previously played for his home town team, Middlesbrough (for whom his father, Stuart Ripley, remains an icon. When Ripley Senior moved to Blackburn Rovers, Connor found himself growing-up in Clitheroe rather than the North East.) He was loaned-out to several other clubs including Motherwell north of the border and overseas at Östersund in Sweden. In England, Connor has featured briefly for both Bradford City (prior to the Adams Era); Burton Albion and Oxford United. Most recently, he was on emergency loan at Salford City last season and played nine games for them, keeping four clean sheets. He had longer spells with Accrington Stanley (21 appearances) and poor old Oldham Athletic (46 games) and their even sadder neighbours Bury, for whom he appeared fifteen times. He has also played for England at both Under-19 and Under-20 levels. If he’s even half as smart a cookie as his dad (First Class degree in Law and French which has earned him a place on the FA’s Judicial Panel), Connor should be a very effective addition to the squad – both on and off the field.

There had been persistent rumours for ages before 23 year old midfielder Jake Taylor finally signed on the dotted line for the Shrimps in July. Derek Adams has unsuccessfully tried to sign him previously but made it clear he was still in his sights some time ago. Unusually, Morecambe have paid a fee to acquire the Mancunian’s services – how big a fee has not been disclosed. Jake started his career at Manchester United but moved to Nottingham Forest’s Academy during 2015. Unable to break into the Forest First Team, he then moved on-loan and then permanently to Port Vale two years ago. His time there was interrupted by injury but he was part of the Vale squad who beat Mansfield at Wembley a couple of months ago to secure the Valiants’ promotion to League One. He had two years still to run on his contract with the Potteries’ club but – with the departure of Aaron Wildig and Toumani Diagouraga from last season’s squad – Jake could prove to be the key midfield signing of the closed season.

The next acquisition came completely out of the blue. Twenty-six year old former Fleetwood and Salford City striker Ashley Taylor has also joined the club. Ash said he was rung by Greg Strong on the Thursday of one week; came in for training immediately; continued on Friday and played on Saturday at Macclesfield. He said of his experience: “I really enjoyed myself, so I am buzzing to finally get the deal done.” He consequently signed on the dotted line the following Tuesday. Although he was released by League Two Salford at the end of last season, anybody who has seen this man play knows that here we have a potential gem who has proved himself at both League One and League Two level. If he plays even half as well for us as he has done against us in the past, Ash Taylor will prove to be a truly inspired signing.

False News, Folks:

On 11^th July 2022, Football League World told the world at large:

“Stockport County could be about to lose Scott Quigley this summer, with Morecambe set to seal a deal to bring him to the club… Scott Quigley getting a chance in League One is somewhat of a surprise considering his relative inexperience at that level and also his recent gametime for Stockport. Granted, Stockport have been able to throw money at other players and that has led to the player slipping down the pecking order, but he was barely used in the National League and when he was, he only produced six goals. Perhaps then, the Shrimps are hoping that more gametime could lead to more goals as it did with Barrow back when he played for the side. He might not be a regular first-team option for Morecambe but he could also be good in rotation if needed too and could prove to be a handy option considering his experience of EFL football.”

It didn’t happen. No smoke without fire? Time will tell if there was any genuine basis for this rumour – or whether some lazy journalist simply invented it.

Friendlies.

Friendly matches don’t really give any proper indication of what the real challenge once League One actually starts could mean. Players – for understandable reasons – are more mindful of avoiding injury than they are in putting in a full-blooded display. In reality, these matches are probably most helpful for the Manager, who can experiment with formations and check on the form of individual players without any jeopardy to either himself or the squad as a whole.

The first game Morecambe played was against Stalybridge Celtic away from home on Tuesday, July 5th. The Northern Premier League Premier Division club took the lead at Bower Fold and actually led by the only goal so far at half time. Dylan Connolly was fouled by one of the home team’s trialists and then scored from the penalty spot to equalise with only seven minutes left to play. Then Arthur Gnahoua walloped a fierce shot past another trialist – this time the goalkeeper for Celtic – four minutes later to both score against a former team and turn the match on its head by delivering a 1-2 victory to the Shrimps. This was the Morecambe line-up on the night:

Connor Ripley (Adam Smith, 57’), Donald Love (Liam Gibson, 57’), Max Melbourne (Ryan Cooney, 57’), Ousmane Fané, Farrend Rawson, Ryan Delaney, Wes McDonald (Cole Stockton, 46’), Shane McLoughlin (Ryan McLaughlin, 57’) Jon Obika (Arthur Gnahoua, 57’), Caleb Watts and Dylan Connolly. The only player in the named squad not to get a game was third choice goalkeeper André Da Silva Mendes.

The second friendly Morecambe played was in Cheshire at Macclesfield FC on Saturday, July 9^th.  Our old pals from Northern Premier League days are now starting life all over again following appalling ownership issues which saw what was then an EFL club go bust almost two years ago. They are currently plying their trade in the lowly North West Counties League – two steps down the football pyramid even from Stalybridge Celtic.

Former tormentor of the North Lancashire side – Ashley Hunter – was included in the away team today after his release from Salford City in May. He had been training with the Morecambe squad and had also been offered a contract by Derek Adams – who unsuccessfully tried to sign him both when he was the Plymouth Manager and again when he was at Bradford last season.

The Shrimps started badly against a team which included former favourite Mark Duffy in their line-up. The visitors conceded a goal after only four minutes. Just six minutes later, things got even worse as Morecambe shipped a second one. They could have gone even further behind but for an excellent one-on-one stop by Adam Smith with five minutes to the break. Derek Adams shook things up for the second half and Cole the Goal Stockton reduced the arrears with a header after just two minutes. Cole was instrumental in Morecambe’s equaliser in the seventieth minute as well. His powerful run into the penalty area on the Shrimps’ right ended with a pass to Ash Hunter, who tapped in at the far post. That was the end of the scoring but the visitors ended the game strongly. The line-up on the day was:

Adam Smith (C) (Connor Ripley 46’), Ryan McLaughlin (Donald Love 46’), Max Melbourne, Ryan Cooney (Caleb Watts 46’, Jon Obika 71’), Farrend Rawson (Anthony O’Connor 86’), Liam Gibson, Dylan Connolly (Ryan Delaney 36’), Shane McLoughlin (Jake Taylor 46’), Cole Stockton (Ousmane Fané 80’), Arthur Gnahoua, Wes McDonald (Ash Hunter 46’).

Sub not used: André De Silva Mendes.

Morecambe lost their next friendly, which was played behind closed doors at Huddersfield’s Canalside Academy ground on Tuesday afternoon July 12^th. Championship opposition Manager Danny Schofield chose two totally different line-ups for each half. The first incarnation led 2-0 at half time. The second one scored another goal eventually but only after Jon Obika had pulled one back for the Shrimps with a smart finish after he had dispossessed a Terriers’ defender. Derek Adams found the positives in his team’s 3-1 loss, commenting: “I was delighted with the performance; I thought the structure of the team was excellent and you can see that they have a good understanding of each other.” The players he chose on this occasion were:

Connor Ripley; Donald Love; Max Melbourne; Liam Gibson (Ryan Cooney 82’); Farrend Rawson (Anthony O’Connor 82’); Ryan Delaney; Arthur Gnahoua (Wes McDonald 70’) Ousmane Fané (Ryan McLaughlin 82’); Cole Stockton (Jon Obika 58’); Jake Taylor (Shane McLoughlin 58’); Dylan Connolly (Ash Hunter 58’)

Sub not used: Adam Smith.

Morecambe travelled to Chester FC on a swelteringly hot Saturday, 16^th July for their fourth friendly of pre-season. They faced a squad which included former favourite Alex Kenyon, who had signed for the National League North club earlier in the week. Ash Hunter scored his second goal in two games after 12 minutes, having hit the post with a free kick a couple of minutes earlier. Chester equalised in the fifty-sixth minute and the final score was 1-1.

Morecambe: Adam Smith (C); Ryan Cooney; Liam Gibson (Max Melbourne 45’); Ousmane Fané (Farrend Rawson 61’); Anthony O’Connor (Ryan Delaney  61’); Ryan McLoughlin (Arthur Gnahoua 61’); Dylan Connolly (Donald Love 61’); Jon Obika (Cole Stockton 61’); Ash Hunter (Caleb Watts 45’); Shane McLoughlin (Jake Taylor 45’); Wes McDonald..

Sub not used: Connor Ripley.

The Shrimps were well beaten in their next foray into pre-season match practice. Championship Middlesbrough visited the Maz on Tuesday 19^th July and departed with a three-nil win. It could have been more – the visitors stuck the woodwork twice before taking the lead after just fourteen minutes of a match which they led 0-3 by the end of the first half. Derek Adams conceded that Boro were the better team in the first half but added:

“In the second-half we were much better, we continued to show good shape at times and we threatened a number of times. I am really happy with the way some of our players have played. This team hasn’t played together many times We have a new squad. It is important that they understand each other. This is the first time we have played at home, so it has been a good work out for us. We are going to play another Championship side here in Stoke in the League Cup, so this has been a good test for that game.”

The team he had chosen to face Chris Wilder’s men was:

Connor Ripley; Donald Love (Ryan Cooney 86’); Max Melbourne; Liam Gibson (Shane McLoughlin 46’); Farrend Rawson; Ryan Delaney; Jake Taylor (Wes McDonald 86’); Ousmane Fané; Cole Stockton (Jon Obika 62’); Ash Hunter (Arthur Gnahoua 62’); Dylan Connolly (Caleb Watts 46’).

Subs not used: Adam Smith; Anthony O’Connor; Ryan McLaughlin.

The final warm-up match featured a visit to the Maz by northern neighbours, League Two Carlisle United, on Saturday, 23^rd July 2022. There was no score after 45 minutes but the Cumbrians probably shaded things with the home defence at sixes and sevens at times. Having said that, the hosts came nearest to taking the lead when Ash Taylor rounded visiting goalkeeper Tomas Holy but failed to find a man in a red shirt with his subsequent pass. With ex-Shrimp Jamie Devitt featuring for the visitors later on, the League Two side continued to dominate the play and forced a number of good saves from Connor Ripley.

Up front, Morecambe offered little today and the only obvious plus from this finally goal-less game was the obvious talent of Ashley Hunter, who was outstanding. For what it’s worth, however, Carlisle boss Paul Simpson will probably be more pleased with the performance of his side this afternoon than Derek Adams would be with his. The Morecambe team was:

Connor Ripley (C); Donald Love; Max Melbourne (Dylan Connolly 71’); Liam Gibson; Farrend Rawson; Ryan Delaney; Jake Taylor; Ousmane Fané; Ash Hunter; Arthur Gnahoua (Shane McLoughlin 66’); Caleb Watts (Cole Stockton 45’).

Subs not used: Adam Smith; Ryan McLaughlin; Ryan Cooney; Anthony O’Connor; Wes McDonald; Jon Obika.

The Fixtures

League One. This year, Morecambe will face a number of formerly famous clubs for the very first time. For example, Derby County – league champions under the iconic Brain Clough back in the day – have now slipped even further away from their glory years. So Wayne Rooney’s replacement as Manager, Liam Rosenior, will be facing Derek Adams on equal terms at the Maz and Pride Park for not only the first time as members of the same division but also for the first time ever. Barnsley is the other club relegated from the Championship which the Shrimps have never met before in a league fixture. The full list is (Saturday K.O. 1500hrs; Tuesdays 1945hrs):

July 2022

Sat 30 – Shrewsbury Town (H)

August 2022

Sat 6 – Peterborough United (A)

Tuesday 9^th August League Cup First Round. Stoke City (H).

Sat 13 – Fleetwood Town (H)

Tue 16 – Bolton Wanderers (A)

Sat 20 – Oxford United (A)

Sat 27 – Milton Keynes Dons’ Impersonators (H)

September 2022

Sat 3 – Bristol Rovers (A)

Sat 10 – Derby County (H)

Tue 13 – Sheffield Wednesday (H) 

Sat 17 – Forest Green Rovers (A) 

Sat 24 – Cambridge United (H)

October 2022

Sat 1 – Accrington Stanley (A)

Sat 8 – Ipswich Town (H)

Sat 15 – Burton Albion (A) 

Sat 22 – Barnsley (H)

Tue 25 – Cheltenham Town (A)

Sat 29 – Wycombe Wanderers (A)

November 2022

Sat 5 – Emirates FA Cup First Round Proper

Sat 12 – Portsmouth (H) 

Sat 19 – Lincoln City (A)

Sat 26 – Emirates FA Cup Second Round Proper

December 2022

Sat 3 – Exeter City (H) rearranged for Friday 2^nd December; 19.45 hrs to avoid a clash with a live England match. Zzzzzzzz…

Sat 10 – Charlton Athletic (H)

Sat 17 – Plymouth Argyle (A)

Mon 26 – Port Vale (A) 

Thurs 29 – Accrington Stanley (H)

January 2023

Sun 1 – Burton Albion (H)

Sat 7 – Ipswich Town (A) or Emirates FA Cup Third Round proper

Sat 14 – Cambridge United (A)

Sat 21 – Port Vale (H)

Sat 28 – Bristol Rovers (H)

February 2023

Sat 4 – Derby County (A)

Sat 11 – Forest Green Rovers (H)

Tue 14 – Sheffield Wednesday (A)

Sat 18 – Peterborough United (H)

Sat 25 – Fleetwood Town (A)

March 2023

Sat 4 – Bolton Wanderers (H) Rearranged to kick-off at 12.30pm. (Less drinking time for our delightful visitors’ `fans’ who might invade the pitch and get the game stopped otherwise. What am I saying? – no such thing could ever happen and the Trotters not be called to account for it, could it?…)

Sat 11 – Shrewsbury Town (A)

Sat 18 – Oxford United (H) 

Sat 25 – Milton Keynes Plastic Dons (A)

April 2023

Sat 1 – Barnsley (A)

Fri 7 – Plymouth Argyle (H)

Mon 10 – Portsmouth (A)

Sat 15 – Wycombe Wanderers (H)

Tue 18 – Cheltenham Town (H)

Sat 22 – Charlton Athletic (A)

Sat 29 – Lincoln City (H)

May 2023

Sat 6 – Exeter City (A)

Papa John’s. In the much-maligned Papa John’s Trophy, the Shrimps have been drawn against League Two Harrogate Town and Kyle Letheren’s Hartlepool United along with Everton’s Under 21 team in Northern Group A. On paper, Morecambe should win against clubs in a lower division. If they do, they could potentially win £100,000 by reaching the final: and presumably as many pizzas as they could possibly eat as well…

The Bookies.

I note that the club’s official preview of the season is subtitled “League One Low Down.” I hope that’s not a prediction. Morecambe have been the bookmakers’ favourites to be relegated ever since they were promoted to the Football League sixteen long years ago. This season is no different. In June 2022, Sky Bet made them 100/1 against being Champions of League One next year (which was equal with Cambridge. Cheltenham at 66/1 and then Fleetwood at 50/1 were next). You can get 28/1 with Cambridge (Cheltenham at 16/1 and Fleetwood at 14/1) on Morecambe to be promoted. What are the chances of a top six finish? They are: 10/1 with Cambridge followed by newly-promoted Port Vale at 6/1 and then Cheltenham at 11/2 and Fleetwood at 5/1.

The only Betting Table that Morecambe head is favourites for relegation: 17-20 followed by promoted Exeter and Forest Green Rovers (both Evens); Bristol Rovers and Port Vale both 5/4 followed by Cheltenham and Fleetwood at 2/1.

Morecambe have confounded the bookies’ predictions for the last sixteen years. Let’s all hope that they manage to do it for a seventeenth and end up not `low down’ but `high up’…

Travel.

One thing Morecambe already have in the bag before the season even starts is a place in the Play-Off positions in at least one element of the forthcoming trial of strength. This concerns how many miles fans will have to travel to support their team away from home next term. They will be fourth in the table behind Plymouth at the top; Exeter and then Ipswich. With Sunderland promoted to the Championship, Morecambe is now geographically the most northerly club in League One. Consequently, supporters who want to see them play all their away games will have to travel a total of 4077 miles next season. The longest journey is 331 miles (one way) to Plymouth; the shortest is Fleetwood at a tenth of this distance. Compare this to newly-promoted Port Vale. Placed handily in the English Midlands, their away travel will amount to a relatively trifling – in comparison to Shrimps’ supporters – 2657 miles. Burton Albion will travel the smallest distance (2512 miles) whereas Plymouth fans will face a total mileage of 5572 if they follow their team to every nook and cranny of the League One landscape.

Finally – Sponsorship.

Most of us know that local heavyweight boxing legend Tyson Fury owns part of the Mazuma Stadium: the block between the Berlin Wall and the away end is now his gym. (The logo on the door – “Gypsy King” – is a bit of a giveaway.) I personally think we should drag him out of there (any volunteers?) and shove him into our side as Centre Forward – and see what happens.

Whatever, the club’s website announced in late July:

“Tyson is a fantastic ambassador for the Morecambe area and it’s fantastic to have him onboard. Tyson is one of the most recognisable names in the world of sport, and will bring worldwide recognition (to the) Club. He will join a(n) ever-growing list of commercial partners, alongside both local and national brands as well as local businesses the Club have signed in recent seasons. We now have a huge reach across the globe, with further presence on a worldwide stage due to this partnership. Tyson Fury added: “I love the Morecambe area and it is a pleasure to be able to support my local club.”

Amen to that…

So that’s it. The warm-up and sparring matches have finally come to an end. Another season of potentially knock-out drama starts all over again next Saturday. Seconds (and Minutes) will truly be out at 1500 hours. The Referee will call time and the pugilism will well and truly start.  It will be tough. It will be frenetic. And – at the end of the day – there will really only be one winner.

Will we throw in the towel for the first time ever at the end of the struggle with relegation next May?  Or will we punch above our weight yet again and…

Sorry – I have almost run out of (albeit pretty naff) boxing analogies.

Apart from one: don’t forget to get your ring-side seat for the forthcoming heavyweight scraps. There are still some bargain price Season Tickets available at the time of writing.

See you all there.

Shrews – sorry – Snooze Fest – at Morecambe.

 First of all, since I wrote my Totally Unofficial Preview of the season,

https://shrimplythebestfootball.com/…/23/preview-2022-23/

the Shrimps have acquired the services of another player. Interceptor – sorry for such a crass remark but I just can’t help myself – Midfielder Jensen Weir has arrived on a season-long loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion. The 20 year old native of Warrington started life as a professional footballer at Wigan Athletic but moved to the south coast just twelve months later in 2020. Last season, Jason played at fellow League One club Cambridge United. There, he made 24 appearances altogether, including United’s 0-2 win over Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium last November.

Until I looked at the Seagulls’ website, I would have thought that a `Pathway Development Manager’ would be a Civil Engineer or Town Planner – or at least a very posh garden designer. My – I must be getting old because I learnt something altogether unexpected:

“Pathway development manager Gordon Greer said: “The aim of this opportunity with Morecambe will be for Jensen to play regularly and continue his development in a men’s team environment. We will be monitoring his progress throughout his loan and we wish him the best of luck for the season.””

Amen to that – and let’s hope Jensen proves to be yet another key piece in the jigsaw that Derek Adams has assembled to face the reality of Life in the Fast Lane which is League One.

Morecambe’s first game in their second ever season in the formerly exalted company of the likes of Derby County followed a pre-season campaign against one Championship and three non-league clubs away from home plus two EFL members at the Maz. They only won one of these games – the first one against Stalybridge Celtic. They drew the other games against Macclesfield and Chester away plus Carlisle at home but lost against both Huddersfield in Yorkshire and Middlesbrough at home. Friendlies pose as many questions as they provide answers and the only way to test the real value of what is effectively a brand new Shrimps squad is to see them in the competitive action which started again by the north Lancashire seaside at three o’clock this afternoon.

Visitors’ Shrewsbury Town’s own pre-season warm-ups ended as long ago as a week last Tuesday, with a nil-nil home draw against Championship Cardiff City. Previously, they lost at home 1-3 to relegated Premiership club Burnley and were unable to score against non-league local rivals (Jim Bentley’s old team) Telford United in a home match which also ended nil-nil. The Shrews finished last season just one place higher than Morecambe, albeit with a relatively massive eight extra points on the board. In previous meetings, Town have won eight of sixteen games and drawn three. In League One, they lost to Morecambe at the Maz last August 2-0 but fairly walloped the north Lancashire club in the return fixture by five far too easy goals to nil only four months ago.

Salop sold out their initial allocation of 600 tickets earlier in the week and were given another 200 for even more of their fans to see the curtain-raiser of the season. Manager Steve Cotterill said that he wanted

“To do better up there than we did last year: that would be my initial thought ahead of the fixture. It’s obviously away from home and we wanted to be away from home for the first game of the season so I’m pleased about that. I think that last season – when we went up there – we started very well for 20-25 minutes but Nathanael Ogbeta gave away a penalty and then we dipped. We didn’t play very well for the rest of the game but for 20-25 minutes, we were the better team. If we can go up there and start as well as we did last year, that’d be great. I prefer to be away from home for the season’s first game. I think there’s a lot of added pressure when you’re the team at home because there’s always more pressure on you to win home games than away games. I look forward to all of the games. I think the excitement and the build-up is all for the supporters really. They go into the season full of expectation and hope but I think the players look forward to it most and the manager will always say he needs two or three more players and two or three more weeks. You try and prepare and get yourself as ready as you can tactically and fitness-wise – which is always a balance in pre-season, especially when you have games – but we are where we’re at and I think we’re in a good place going into the game.”

Reminded of the five-nil thrashing his team handed out to Morecambe last March, he added:

“There won’t be too many players who played for Morecambe in that game who will start on Saturday in my opinion.”

Mr Cotterill was absolutely right. Only three players – Cole Stockton; Dylan Connolly and Liam Gibson (who was injured and had to retire hurt early on both then and now) were involved in this hammering but survived to feature in the Shrimps’ starting line-up today. King Derek had this to say about his hopes for his new-look squad prior to the match:

“We’d all love to get off to a good start. It’s forty-six games and you play everyone twice. How you finish the season; how you start the season and what you do in the middle are all very important, (but) it’s throughout the season that points are accumulated. We’ve got Shrewsbury at home, we know that they can be tough opposition and we’ll go into it looking to have a capacity crowd and a very good atmosphere.”

In the middle, Marc Edwards was in charge of proceedings today. This was not a good omen – this man sent off Shane McLoughlin for the only time in his career last September when the Shrimps faced old foes Accrington Stanley. It shouldn’t have happened even according to Stanley’s boss, John Coleman. Mr Edwards then lost control of the game on that occasion and showed himself to be weak in the face of intimidating behaviour by Accrington’s big lads. Later, he also put in another appalling display when Morecambe hosted Plymouth Argyle and almost spoiled a match which was otherwise played in a good spirit from both sides by a succession of wrong decisions – for both teams. I just hoped before the game today that the referee would put in a performance such as the one he did when Morecambe won at Charlton Athletic last April. In probably the key game of their desperate campaign to avoid relegation, he was anonymous throughout the game. Ideally, that’s how Referees always should be: the game is not about them after all.

It had been wet in north Lancashire all day before kick-off and the weather continued to be unsettled throughout the game. Thin, drizzly rain relentlessly sheeted across the players borne on winds from the Irish Sea less than a mile away from the moment they kicked-off until the second the match ended.

The visitors all Took the Knee – to applause from every corner of the ground – but Morecambe didn’t for whatever reason before the game started. What followed was a poor contest between two teams who played as if they had never met their team-mates before. In charge of proceedings was a Referee who both sets of players made plain early on that none of them had any respect for.  As always, he made a succession of appalling mistakes.

In the first half alone, the ball clearly went dead at least four times; once when it was played back from beyond the goal-line into the centre for the best chance the visitors created in that period of the game. Neither the man with the whistle nor his two incompetent assistants flagged for the offences except once – when the Referee ignored him.

Mr Edwards sprayed shaving foam on the pitch at one juncture in the first half and then was distracted by something going on in the middle of the field and went to wag his ineffectual finger in someone’s face – cue the two-man Shrews’ wall to wriggle slightly closer to the kick. And so it went on.

When George Nurse brought Dylan Connolly to earth with a crude agricultural challenge near the end of the first half, he should have been booked for it. Then he should have received another yellow card for the dissent he clearly was responsible for right in the Custodian of Law And Order’s face. But the Referee kept his cards in his pocket.

It was pathetic to witness. This man is clearly scared of some of the men he is supposed to regulate – and it shows. Once again, his was a performance not worthy of non-league or even park football and he should not be officiating at EFL level at all.

It would be wrong, though, to blame Marc Edwards entirely for what was a truly dreary spectacle for the entire ninety minutes. Morecambe were guilty of constantly giving the ball away during the first half and were too eager right throughout the game to just lump it down the field instead of playing the ball forward constructively out of defence – particularly when they were under pressure. During the first half, Ash Hunter and Ousmane Fané were totally anonymous in the midfield and although Hunter improved in the second half, too many of his team-mates looked off-colour and off-form. Cole the Goal had little impact up front. Arthur Gnahoua continually ran down blind alleys and gave the ball away more often than not. Connolly had a good first half but contributed virtually nothing to the second. However, he contrived the best chance Morecambe created all afternoon. After 26 minutes, he ran onto a clever pass from Cole into the Shrewsbury half at lightning speed following an away attack and drew a superlative save from visiting custodian Marco Marosi in front of the massed ranks of his own supporters.

In the second half, Town created the best chance after 66 minutes when Nurse hit the bar with a superb volley which was deflected by a despairing touch from Stockton but nevertheless beat Connor Ripley only to cannon back off the woodwork. Shortly after this, Ryan Delaney did well to block a Ryan Bowman tap-in. At the other end, Matthew Pennington did equally well during injury time to deny Connolly a goal; deflecting the ball for a corner which Referee Edwards didn’t allow the home team any time to actually take.

Other than that, there was little to report. Dead ball routines from both sides were badly executed; the ball was booted right out of the ground at least four times and neither team ever got to grip properly either with the conditions or the match itself. This was a truly weak advert for League One football – both teams played poorly and a point each after this bore draw was probably a fair result.

Derek Adams put a more positive spin on matters at the end of the game:

“I thought we played really well (and) to shape. Our discipline was good because Shrewsbury are a very good side. I thought today when our new recruits came in, they stuck to the task and put on a really good home performance.”

At the end of it, Morecambe were sixteenth in the new table; Shrewsbury one place lower in alphabetical order alone.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love(C)(Y); 3 Max Melbourne; 4 Liam Gibson (7 Jake Taylor 66’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (Y); 8 Ousmane Fané; 9 Cole Stockton; 10 Ash Hunter; 11 Dylan Connolly; 14 Arthur Gnahoua.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 15 Jensen Weir; 17 Caleb Watts; 18 Shane McLoughlin; 19 Jon Obika; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Shrewsbury Town: 1 Marco Marosi; 3 Luke Leahy (C); 5 Matthew Pennington; 6 Taylor Moore; 9 Ryan Bowman (Y); 20 Tom Bayliss (15 Rekeil Pyke 66’); 22 Cheyenne Dunkley; 23 George Nurse; 26 Jordan Shipley (10 Aiden O’Brien 84’); 29 Julien Dacosta; 33 Tom Flanaghan (Y).

 Subs not used: 13 Harry Burgoyne; 18 Tom Bloxham; 19 Charlie Caton; 30 Josh Barlow.

Ref: Marc Edwards.

Att: 4,725 (780 from Shrewsbury).

Reality Check at Peterborough for Morecambe.

We start today’s match report with some good news for our star striker, Cole Stockton. The cover picture shows Cole posing with the PFA Team of the Season award he received from the Professional Footballers’ Association earlier this week. He was named as the best Centre Forward – in the opinion of all of his professional colleagues – who wore the Number Nine shirt in League One last term. We all know that either one of the wonder strikes he netted against AFC Wimbledon at home and Fleetwood away should have won the EFL League Two Goal of the Season award. Even today’s opposition concurred with this view:

“The 28-year-old netted 26 goals in 50 appearances in all competitions last term, including some unbelievable goals with one in particular from the half-way line that should have yielded Goal of the Season awards aplenty.”

But we also know the nature of the EFL itself so it’s no surprise that his efforts were not even considered. However, to be recognised by your fellow players as the star you actually are must be more gratifying for Cole than any hollow trophy awarded by the Men in Suits at Football League HQ. He said:

“I’m delighted to win it and be recognised for what I did last season and to be recognised by the PFA. It’s always nice to win awards, so I’m grateful. You’ve always got to keep hungry, it gives you that little more bite to go and do it again.”

His next opportunity to `do it again’ arrived at London Road in Cambridgeshire this afternoon. Hosts Peterborough United ended-up twenty-second in the Championship last season; four points and a single place adrift of Reading and safety. But Posh are no strangers to promotion and relegation.

We like to boast, as Shrimps’ supporters, that our club has never been relegated. We proudly sing about this unique fact (in comparison all fellow EFL and most non-league clubs) from the terraces.

In contrast, Peterborough fans could equally well loudly blast forth the following ditty: “We get relegated every two seasons or so!”

Not quite so catchy, admittedly – but true nevertheless. The Yo-Yo nature of United in recent times is reflected by the fact that the only time they have met Morecambe before in any competition was fifteen years ago. At Christie Park, the Shrimps came from two goals down to beat them 3-2 in a League Two fixture. Morecambe’s Norwich loanee goalkeeper Joe Lewis so impressed then Posh Manager Duncan Ferguson that he signed him on the strength of this one performance alone. In an earlier game in Cambridgeshire, the match at London Road had already resulted in a scoreless draw.

So whilst we loyal Shrimps fans wonder if we can sustain a century-old tradition of never having gone down, Posh supporters face a totally different dilemma season after apparently endless season. For over the last decade and a half, the poor devils must wonder at the beginning of every campaign: “What Division are we in this time?” followed by “Is Darren Ferguson still our Manager?”

He isn’t. He has been for a whole three stints as Posh have bounced between League Two and the Championship but he’s not in charge any more. That berth has been filled by another previous boss – and in this case a former team Captain – Ulsterman Grant McCann. He has returned for a second go at it having had more (and sometimes less) successful spells in charge of Carlisle United and Hull City in the meantime.

He said about today’s clash:

“Morecambe will be a tough game, every game in this division is. They have a successful manager in Derek Adams and they got a good point on opening day. We will select a side and a formation that we believe can cause them problems. We want to be successful this season and a good home record will be important.”

As Mr McCann mentioned, the Shrimps started their League One campaign at home with a goal-less draw against Shrewsbury last Saturday. They thus arrived at London Road in sixteenth position in League One – two points but a whole fourteen places behind Posh.

Many pundits (and Bookies) make Peterborough favourites for automatic promotion back to the Championship. At half-time last Saturday, this didn’t look likely. United had allowed home side Cheltenham to take a two goal lead. But by the end, Grant McCann’s men managed to turn the game on its head and also delight the Bookmakers by winning by the odd goal in five. Since then, though, star midfielder Sammie Szmodics has signed for Blackburn Rovers which has certainly weakened the United line-up. Hector Kyprianou took his place in the team today. I was also hoping that Ricky-Jade Jones would be in their side because I adore “Chuck E’s in Love”…

(Sorry, what was that? Oh – Rickie Lee Jones – are you sure?...)

Anyway, Derek Adams said this about Posh prior to the game:

“They’re a football club that have shown over the years (that) their transfer business is excellent. They take in players, they pay money in transfer fees but what they do is they then sell them on at a higher premium than they bought them for. That’s the model that the owner has put in place, and it’s a terrific model for them. They’re one of the clubs in this league if you’re an up-and-coming team, you have to look to. They’ve got some talented players in their side. They were two-nil down last week; they came back and won three-two. So we understand the problems they can cause us. We understand that there are possible problems we can cause them – because Cheltenham did it to them in the first half.”

As far as what many of us thought was a pretty ropey display last week against the Shrews, King Derek added:

“We had five new players starting. When that is the case, you’re playing at home in front of your home fans, there is that expectation and I thought they held themselves, they looked after themselves. They’ve got their parents at the game, they’ve got family and I think, over the afternoon, I was really happy with the outcome. I thought they were very good. Everyone that played on the day played their part. They had to play tactically a different way at times and I thought they handled that situation well.”

The Boss shuffled his pack from the players which started last Saturday. They all featured again in the squad but Dylan Connolly and Arthur Gnahoua were dropped to the bench and Jake Taylor and Jensen Weir took their places in the starting eleven. For Brighton loanee Jensen, this was his debut for the club.

`The Posh’ – Peterborough’s official club website – started their analysis of the forthcoming game with this interesting remark:

“Cole Stockton is expected to lead the line despite interest from a host of other clubs.”

An unofficial history of the visitors was also provided on the Posh Twitter feed for fans unfamiliar with today’s opponents by Sir Gareth T Wildebeest III:

“Morecambe, named after Eric Morecambe from comedy duo Little and Large, are managed by Derek Adams, brother of mafia boss Terry.”

(For those of us – like me – who have never heard of Terry Adams, he was boss of something called The Clerkenwell Crime Syndicate. This was a new incarnation of the Kray twins’ scary hoodlums – but `sarf’  of the river Thames instead of in the East End. This equivalent of the London Mafia were also known as `The A-Team’ and `The Adams Family’. So now you know. And with that snippet of totally useless information, it’s back to the football…)

In charge at the London Stadium today was Dean Whitestone. This is a new name on me and I’m pretty sure the Northampton-based Referee hasn’t officiated in any games involving Morecambe in the past. Given what was about to happen, he is welcome back any time…

In the dustbowl which is apparently all that remains of the south of England at the moment, it was hot (23˚C) and sunny most of the time this afternoon.  The game soon settled into a pattern which was familiar to Shrimps fans from Derek Adams’ League Two campaign. They were set-up to absorb the home pressure and play on the break. Cole Stockton and Ash Hunter were playing effectively as twin strikers and combined quite well in the opening phase of the match but the first good chance of the game fell to the home side after seven minutes. Josh Knight took the ball forward from the back and found Danger Man Jack Marriot whose low cross into the area aimed at Skipper Jonson Clarke-Harris was missed by him and then dealt with by a combination of sterling work by Connor Ripley and his defence.

If this was a warning, Morecambe didn’t heed it. Just two minutes later, Joe Ward chanced his arm from twenty-five yards out and saw his shot effectively go through Ripley’s gloves into the bottom corner of the net to the goalkeeper’s left. It was a very poor goal to concede at a time when the visitors seemed to be weathering the home storm quite effectively and actually forcing Posh onto the back foot at times.

Ward tried his luck with another long-range shot after a quarter of an hour but this time his attempt was off-target. After a couple of attempts to play in Stockton and Hunter were overhit by Jake Taylor, Cole the Goal had a golden opportunity to equalise after seventeen minutes. He was played-in to be one-on-one with United goalie Lucas Bergström. The young Chelsea loanee, however, did really well to stand his ground and then save Cole’s shot with his feet. Having said that though, our talismanic striker shot straight at him when he would normally be expected to bury the ball.

Jake Taylor then missed with a shot from distance after twenty minutes before Jensen Weir was found on the edge of the penalty area with a smart pass a couple of minutes later. He seemed to be caught in two minds, though – and the chance came to nothing. Then Hunter found Donald Love after about 25 minutes only to see the Morecambe Captain’s shot deflected for a corner.

With almost half an hour played, Ben Thompson drew a good save from Ripley with a shot from a long way out which Farrend Rawson then booted away from the danger area. The visiting custodian had a bit of a scare next after 37 minutes when a defensive header by Ryan Delaney went far too close to the Morecambe goal for his liking. For the hosts, Danger Man Jack Marriot missed with a long-range shot with forty minutes on the clock. As the first half seemed to be drifting towards a narrow lead for United, the story so far seemed to be a tale of two goalkeepers. At one end, Connor Ripley should have done better as Posh took the lead. At the other, Bergström did brilliantly to keep Stockton out. But with only a couple of minutes left of the half left to play, Morecambe went further behind. Thompson opened his account for his new club when, following a scramble in the away defence following a free-kick, he took a shot which – once again – Ripley might have done better with. Worse still, the goalkeeper had set-up the chance himself by failing to hold onto a shot by Clarke-Harris direct from a free-kick.

So the visitors trailed back to the Dressing Room with what suddenly looked like a mountain instead of a molehill to climb in the second half.

Things soon went from bad to worse for the visitors. Following a misunderstanding between Liam Gibson and Rawson, Ripley brought Clarke-Harris down in the home penalty area with ten minutes of the second period gone. Referee Dean Whitestone pointed immediately to the penalty spot and we feared being reduced to ten men but the Shrimps’ collective bacon was saved by an upraised flag by a linesman. Off-Side was given but it seemed certain that the ball which caused the foul by Morecambe’s goalkeeper was played towards him by one of his own defenders.

Ripley was soon busy again and made a really good save from Marriot after 53 minutes and then an even better point-blank one from Clarke-Harris barely a minute later as Peterborough forced a succession of corners.

At the other end though, Morecambe had another chance to reduce the arrears with sixty-nine minutes played. Bergström once again used his feet to brilliantly block Hunter’s effort from about two yards out. Morecambe then fell even further behind after losing possession on the half way line after 73 minutes. Hector Kyprianou celebrated his inclusion in the first team with a cool first finish for the club after being played-in by Marriott. With the match effectively already won, Grant McCann soon replaced almost half of his team with five substitutes. Derek Adams also changed things but United continued to dominate the game. Substitute Jon Obika ballooned a shot high and wide towards the end of proceedings but that was one of very few efforts the visitors were able to contrive in the dying embers of the contest. Connor Ripley pulled-off a good save from sub David Ajiboye during injury time but Posh seemed to be content with what they already had for the last quarter or so of the match.

The gulf in class – and depth of resources – between a club which was plying its trade in the Championship last season and one that only escaped relegation back to League Two by the skin of its teeth was there for all to see today. Having said that, the visitors occasionally threatened and with a bit more luck might have netted a couple of times. That being said, with a bit less luck, they could have lost by an even greater margin but for what was probably a mistake by one of the linesmen in the second half.

Derek Adams made a typically honest assessment of the game this evening when he said:

“I thought it was a good performance from us this afternoon. We caused Peterborough trouble at times and (created) a good number of opportunities. We didn’t take them. Unfortunately for us, they score a goal, probably against the run of play at that moment in time in the game. That was unexpected. We all know how good a side that Peterborough are. Cole Stockton should score:  he is one-on-one with the goalkeeper at one-nil. That – we should have done better at. Connor (Ripley) should save it (their first goal.) We’re coming up against a team that has come down from the Championship – a very good side. I thought that at times we kept the ball; we passed it sometimes– (and) sometimes we didn’t. There’s a lot to build on.”

The loss sees the Shrimps slip into the relegation zone in League One tonight. They are twenty-first in the Division above point-less Cheltenham; the Plastic People and Burton Albion. Posh, meanwhile, find themselves right at the pinnacle of League One. On today’s performances, these are positions that probably both teams merit. This afternoon’s match  was a bit of a reality check for the Shrimps – or some of their supporters at least. However, I thought the point Dean Ashton made last week on the much-improved ITV4 coverage of the EFL said it all. He reminded us that Derek Adams is back in charge and that he must never be underestimated.

Like Dean, Credo in unum Derek.

And just to remind anyone who doubts this, things could indisputably be much worse. We only have to look at the magic our last Manager has brought to St Mirren in the Scottish Premiership. He took this club from near the top of the table to perilous depths last season when he abandoned Morecambe to the fate he had engineered for it with just one win and no draws in eleven games for the team from Paisley. This time out – with two games played – they are rock bottom of the pile with no points at all. He memorably stated last season that he regarded six points out of every five games to be sufficient to keep Morecambe in League One – and then failed to deliver even this very modest target. Faced with the same calculation recently, our current Manager expressed his own expectation from any five games played in any league:

Fifteen points.

Stephen Robinson anyone?

Peterborough United: 1 Lucas Bergström; 4 Ronnie Edwards; 5 Josh Knight (19 David Ajiboye 76’); 6 Frankie Kent; 8 Jack Taylor; 9 Jonson Clarke-Harris (C); 14 Jack Marriott (Y) (26 Joel Randall 76’); 16 Harrison Burrows (12 Nathan Thompson 80’); 22 Hector Kyprianou; 23 Joe Ward (21 Joseph Tomlinson 80’); 24 Ben Thompson (27 Joe Taylor 76’).

Subs not used: 40 Will Lakin; 7 Jeando Fuchs.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne (17 Caleb Watts 69’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (18 Shane McLoughlin 76’); 8 Ousmane Fané (Y); 9 Cole Stockton (19 Jon Obika 76’); 10 Ash Hunter (11 Dylan Connolly 76’); 15 Jensen Weir.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Ref: Dean Whitestone.

Att: 7,691 (I can’t find any figures for how many of these were Morecambe fans).

Stoke City lose to Battling Ten-Man Morecambe.

Stoke City arrived at what their club website still describes as the Globe Arena tonight to take-on Morecambe in the First Round of the League Cup. Michael O’Neill’s team beat Blackpool 2-0 at home last Saturday to register their first win – and first points – of the new season. The victory propelled them up the Championship table from almost bottom to twelfth. At the same time, Morecambe were losing 3-0 at Peterborough and dropped into the League One relegation zone (21^st position) as a result.

League form could be forgotten, however, tonight. This evening’s match marked a historic occasion for both clubs. Stoke (which wasn’t a city at the time) were founder-members of the Football League in 1888.  Morecambe, as we all know, were founded in 1921. But in over 230 years of existence between them, the two clubs had never previously been drawn against each other in any senior competition.  Morecambe Manager Derek Adams had this to say about both the League Cup and the opposition prior to the game:

“I want to respect the competition, we won’t make many changes for the game on Tuesday night because it is a competition that everyone wants to do well in. You want to play your best team, that is what you want to do on a week-by-week basis and this competition is no different. We are looking forward to being back at home, Stoke is a game where they are favourites, it is great for us. (But) it is the Carabao Cup and we want to progress to the next round.”

“We obviously think they’ll change their squad about a bit from Saturday. They haven’t got as big a squad as some Championship teams so they might not make as many changes as people expect. They’ve got a strong bench (and) I would expect some of them to play. We see from Saturday the patterns of play, the formation they’ve played in the first two games of the season. They’ve switched it about from the Millwall game to the Blackpool game to good effect. They’ve got an extremely strong outfit, a team that is obviously looking to get from the Championship back up to the Premier League and we understand that.”

For the visitors, Assistant Manager Dean Holden had these thoughts before the match started:

“We’ve watched a lot of them in the last couple of days. They changed from a back four in the first game at Shrewsbury to go with a back three against Peterborough, when they changed to a back four in the second half. I think when you look at a team like this, there are always players in there who have played at a higher level and for whatever reason have ended up in League One at the moment. They’ve got some strengths in there. They’ve got a big striker in Cole Stockton who can be effective on the day. We know they’ve got some players who are good footballers. It’s early in the season and you’re not quite sure what you’re going to get but they do try to play the right way. They want to play from the back and make the pitch expansive when they’re in possession. There will be threats and challenges for us to overcome and we’ve got to make sure when we get the ball that we hurt them.”

For the visitors, Josh Tymon and Ben Wilmot were both carrying injuries prior to the game.

Left wing-back Tymon set-up both of Stoke’s goals against Blackpool last Saturday but limped off in the closing stages with an ankle problem. Centre-half Wilmot had a heel problem before the game and neither was considered fit enough to be risked tonight.

For Morecambe, King Derek chose to start with the same eleven who lost at Peterborough last Saturday.

Tonight’s Referee was Andy Haines from Tyne & Wear. He is one of the EFL’s weaker performers. He had a shocker when in charge of the Bradford game on New Year’s Day a few seasons ago, where he lost control of what turned out to be a very feisty match. He then infamously sent off Skipper Sam Lavelle against Newport County – a decision which Derek Adams was still angry about even after his team had just dumped the Welsh club out of the Play Off League Two final just over a year ago. Last season, he officiated in the 2-2 home draw against Charlton Athletic in a fussy display in which he made a lot of poor decisions. Last Saturday, he sent-off Shrewsbury’s Tom Flanagan against Accrington Stanley. Hopefully, his influence on the game tonight would prove to be both minimal and non-controversial.

It had been positively hot in North Lancashire all day before the match. For whatever reason, there were disappointingly lots of empty spaces in the home crowd tonight, though:

But the visitors filled-up the away end with a travelling contingent of over 800 fans:

The match started on the best possible note, however, for Morecambe supporters. Jacob Bedeau was introduced to the crowd as Derek Adams’ latest signing. He played on-loan with some distinction last season as a Burnley player but he has signed on the dotted line with the Shrimps for the next two years. I have it on good authority that he is actually delighted with the new deal. I’m sure all Shrimps’ supporters are too: this young man simply exudes class.

Apart from that, there wasn’t a lot to report in the first half. I thought that Morecambe shaded the opening stages and then Stoke dominated the game for a while before the hosts got on top again towards the end of the period. Chances were few and far between. Connor Ripley looked a bit shaky when he weakly punched a Jordan Thompson cross from the Stoke left away after fourteen minutes. The hosts won a number of corners earlier in the half only for City to force a few later on – but none of them came to anything and neither goalkeeper was seriously tested at any time.

The visitors stepped-up the pace at the beginning of the second half and pinged the ball around accurately without actually causing any problems for the home defence. After about ten minutes of playing in their own half, though, the Shrimps started to get their own act together and I personally thought the contest was evenly poised coming up to the hour mark.

And then everything changed.

I expressed the hope earlier that the Referee wouldn’t spoil proceedings tonight. But just one look at the physical specimen that is Andy Haines, though, told you that this man was literally not fit enough to officiate at League One level. His beer gut is bigger than mine. But I’m 68 and I don’t pretend to be competent to referee football matches. He could not keep up with the pace of the match and the result was that his decisions were often based on guesswork because he was nearly always miles away from where the action was actually taking place. As a consequence, he got a lot of decisions wrong – for both sides. But when he decided to book Jensen Weir in the sixty-first minute, it was a ridiculous decision: he didn’t even touch an opponent who clearly slipped as they came alongside each other. Even the Stoke players seemed amazed by the decision. Just sixty seconds later, though, Jensen was off. He did commit a foul on Jason Brown on this occasion but whether it was bad enough to merit a yellow card is another matter.

The whole atmosphere of the game changed after this. There was a point – perhaps for the next ten minutes or so – when the Referee totally lost control of the game and what had previously been a contest played in an excellent spirit threatened to boil-over into something quite nasty. Shortly after Weir had been dismissed, Ash Hunter became involved in some sort of argy-bargy with two Stoke players. This was right alongside Mr Haines. He should have stopped the game there and then and sorted things out. Instead, he waved play-on and floundered in the wake of an away attack which came to nothing – and then did nothing retrospectively to calm things down.

His was an appalling performance tonight which could – and almost did – spoil the game.  The crowd was right – he didn’t know what he was doing and people as weak and clueless as he is actually bring the whole profession of full-time Referees into disrepute.

I thought the very long moment when this man stopped play to take a slow – and probably very dramatic walk from his point of view – to issue a yellow card to Morecambe Manager Derek Adams shortly after the sending off said it all. It was all about him; not the game and certainly not the players. In the immortal words of Liz Truss – this was a disgrace…

For the hosts, impressive substitute Caleb Watts fairly hammered a shot just over the bar from quite a way out in injury time. There was a shout for a penalty as well in the dying embers of the game but the man with the whistle was yet again too far away to see what had actually happened. The one decision the officiating team did get right tonight was to rule-out Stoke substitute Dwight Gayle’s apparent `goal’ after 77 minutes for Off Side. Credit for this, though, must not go to the leader of the Comedy Quartet at the Maz tonight but to Helen Edwards, the woman with the flag on the main stand side of the pitch.

After that, Keeper Ripley did well to keep out substitute Harry Clarkes’s effort with his foot after 84 minutes. Four minutes later, a low shot from Thompson cannoned off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post with Connor beaten and it was probably at this time that the visitors thought that their luck was simply not in tonight, despite having played for 38 minutes against ten men. (Once again – where did eight minutes’ extra time come from in a game where there were few injuries and thus hardly any stoppages?)  

But Lady Luck seemed to smile anew on the visitors when they won the toss and were able to face their own supporters in the penalty shoot-out which ensued.

Morecambe – in the shape of substitute Dylan Connolly – scored emphatically from the spot first time of asking. Then Jon Obika; Caleb Watts; Donald Love and – finally – Shane McLoughlin did the same. For Stoke; William Smallbone; Sam Clukas and Jordan Thompson also scored. Crucially, though, Morgan Fox’s first effort for the visitors almost cleared the stand roof, not just the crossbar – and Championship Stoke were duly humbled.

A clearly very stressed Stoke Manager Michael O’Neill was far from magnanimous in defeat. He said that Morecambe were a dirty side and added:

“Some of the tackling was disgraceful. We’re disappointed to go out of the competition but we’re pleased to get out without a player being seriously injured.”

His job – even so early in the season – is clearly already on the line after not exactly setting the world on fire in the Potteries after quitting his role as Northern Ireland international boss quite some time ago now. Losing to a team a division below won’t help the situation he finds himself in and this probably explains his quite extraordinary reaction to tonight’s defeat. In truth, his team were beaten fair and square by ten men.

Derek Adams was rightly pleased with the result of his players’ endeavours tonight. Given that he had already received a yellow card from the Man in the Middle, his criticism of this person was probably very sensibly muted rather than overt:

“It was a really great night. We handled Stoke really well and caused them trouble. Over the night I didn’t think Stoke threatened us much apart from a little when we were down to 10. Stoke didn’t have a player booked in a game where there were a lot of fouls and I find that hard to believe.”

Amen to that. But Morecambe go marching on to Round Two.

 Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne; 4 Liam Gibson (Y) (18 Shane McLoughlin 78’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor(11 Dylan Connolly 85’); 8 Ousmane Fané (Y); 9 Cole Stockton (19 Jon Obika 85’); 10 Ash Hunter (17 Caleb Watts 78’); 15 Jensen Weir (R).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Wes McDonald.

Stoke City: 13 Jack Bonham; 3 Morgan Fox; 6 Phil Jagielka; 32 Connor Taylor; 7 Sam Clukas; 8 Lewis Baker (18 William Smallbone 66’); 9 Jacob Brown (11 Dwight Gayle 65’); 10 Tyrese Campbell (29 D’Margio Wright-Phillips 65’); 15 Jordan Thompson; 22 Gavin Kilkenny (28 Josh Laurent 76’); 39 Tom Sparrow (2 Harry Clarke 76’);

Subs not used: 34 Frank Fielding; 4 Aden Flint; 35 Edward Jones; 41 David Okagbue.

Ref: Andy `Hopeless’ Haines.

Att: 2,806.

Were Fleetwood Fishing at Morecambe?

Morecambe’s geographically closest rival visited the Mazuma Stadium today for a League One fixture. Fleetwood were tenth in the table following a 2-1 win over Plymouth Argyle at Highbury last Saturday; a game that they came from behind to eventually win. Last Tuesday, Town also pulled off one of the shocks of the League Cup’s Round One when they beat Championship Wigan by the only goal of the game in another home match. In the past, The Cod Army – in various incarnations – have met Morecambe countless times in leagues as disparate as the Lancashire Combination and the EFL. As League clubs, though, the visitors had won four of nine EFL games and lost three. Last season, in their only previous League One meetings, Fleetwood drew at the Maz in a goal-less bore played in dense fog but then memorably lost 1-2 at home to perhaps the most amazing goal I for one has ever seen in real life. Cole Stockton’s powerful turn in his own half when under pressure followed by a perfect lob over half the length of the pitch during injury time will live forever in the memory.  

Morecambe’s progress in the league so far has been faltering. In the opening match of the season, they drew 0-0 against Shrewsbury with a pretty disjointed display. Then they were well beaten at Peterborough last Saturday, going down 3-0. Whist Fleetwood were beating Wigan last Tuesday, though, the Shrimps did brilliantly to account for another Championship team in the shape of Stoke City. They won on penalties having played the final third of the game with only ten men. On the night, Referee Andy “Hopeless” Haines controversially sent-off Jensen Weir as a result of which the Brighton loanee was unavailable for selection this afternoon.

Today’s Referee was Sebastian Stockbridge. We’ve come across this man quite a number of times before. He could hardly fail to have a better game today than his useless colleague from the North East did on Tuesday night. Two years ago, he handed out no less than eight yellow cards (four each) in the home game between the Shrimps and Leyton Orient. Last season, he was in charge as Morecambe lost to AFC Wimbledon by the odd goal in seven. He made a lot of errors in this particular game. He took the reins of power as Stephen Robinson’s team were beaten at home by bottom of the table Crewe too – perhaps the Shrimps’ most feeble display of last term. On this occasion, the Referee was noticeable by his anonymity during the game – which is always a good thing as far as officials are concerned. To be fair to him, though, Mr Stockbridge is one of the better Referees to be seen on League One pitches. For a start, at least he is able to keep up with the play and rarely makes himself the centre of attention as so many of his egotistically-charged colleagues clearly love to do.

Derek Adams summed-up his expectations with these words earlier in the week:

“They’re all tough tasks in this division and I think that Fleetwood is no different on Saturday. We’re looking forward to the game because it’s a local derby and Fleetwood have come off a win against Wigan and that’s a great victory for them. They obviously beat Argyle last week so we know how difficult a task it is. They’ve got some really good players; they’ve strengthened their team in the summer. They’ve got a new manager. They play in a way which can be expansive at times. They push the full-backs forward so we understand that and we have to deal with that threat, but in that we always know from our players that we’ve got a threat going forward as well and can punish teams. I’m sure there will be a bumper crowd on Saturday. I think the weather is supposed to be very hot again and the players are really looking forward to it.”

For the opposition, team Boss and ex-Celtic legend Scott Brown first had to deal with speculation suggesting that Fleetwood are currently angling for a deal with Cole Stockton. He said:

“I think it wouldn’t be great if I started talking about somebody else’s player, especially when we’re playing them on Saturday. Cole is a great player and it’s going to be hard for us to play against him on Saturday. He scored almost half of their goals last season so, as I say, he’s a fantastic player, but we’ve got a great team here.”

The Cod Army’s need for a new striker has been exacerbated because of Ellis Harrison’s move to League One rivals Port Vale just two days ago.  Replacement front-man Promise Omochere was available for selection today despite suffering from  a fractured eye socket.

As far as the game itself was concerned, Mr Brown added:

“It’s going to be a tough match; they got a great result in midweek against Stoke but we’ve played against Stoke so we know what a quality side they are – we are looking forward to the occasion. Morecambe are a side who have swapped and changed formations, but for me, it’s all about us and how we prepare, how we turn up on the day, and how we prepare ahead of the game. It’s a given that you work as hard as you can, especially in a derby match for 90 minutes. If we do that, hopefully, it all pays off with what we’ve done in training and how the lads have worked. I know Derek Adams. He had a wonderful career and is doing a great job at Morecambe but for me, it’s all about us and how we prepare. We’ve got a great team and a brilliant bunch of lads who want to continue this winning form. That winning mentality is huge at this club and the lads have bought into how we want to play and how we want to turn up to games and make sure we’re ready to operate. We need to worry about ourselves and not everyone else around us, it’s about how we are going to get ready for the game and sticking to the style we want to play in.”

Rumours abounded before and during the game that Cole the Goal would be returning to Highbury Stadium on the Fleetwood Town bus tonight and the contingent of away fans who filled two-thirds of the end allocated to them had a home made banner.

I was such a long way from it that I’m not entirely sure what it said. If it really was `Stockton is a Cod”, that would be a shame and we will all miss him – both on and off the pitch. If, however, it actually read “Stockton is a God”, I think few Shrimps fans would disagree.

Whatever, it was hot in north Lancashire and sweltering as the match kicked-off. Consequently, there were two drinks breaks during each half for players and officials alike to attempt to re-hydrate themselves.

Morecambe started the stronger and looked the most likely to win the game throughout the first forty-five minutes. Official Man of the Match Ash Hunter – playing against former employers – curled a shot just wide of the angle of Jay Lynch’s left hand post and bar after just two minutes. Jake Taylor then fired over the goal just a couple of minutes later. The outstanding Liam Gibson then played a killer ball to Arthur Gnahoua with thirteen minutes played but Arthur put his effort over the crossbar when he might have done better. He was in the right place at the right time six minutes later, though. Then, he cleared a header from Toto Nsiala as the Cod forward got on the end of Andrew’s cross from the Fleetwood right.

Town monopolised possession of the ball throughout the fixture. Ged Garner tried his luck from 20-yards out after ten minutes – and missed. Then Dan Batty had an effort blocked inside the box. The first moment of controversy arrived after 21 minutes when a low cross from the Morecambe right into the Town box was clearly stopped by a blue-clad arm: Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu’s. But Referee Seb Stockbridge was unmoved. He remained unmoved as the away fans clamoured for a spot-kick after 29 minutes as well when Gibbo may or may not have been guilty of another handling offence; possibly blocking the ball with his outstretched arm as Harrison Holgate tried to head it.

Just a minute later, however, the hosts went ahead in spectacular fashion. Arthur was found on the Morecambe left, turned on the after-burners and – at a point when I think we all expected him to cross it – fairly hammered home a vicious strike which beat Lynch all ends up high to his left. It was a goal good enough to win any contest – but it didn’t.

The play was fairly even after that, with half-chances for Josh Earl and Cian Lane being  blocked for the visitors. But Morecambe should have doubled their lead when a panic-stricken piece of defending presented Hunter with a golden chance on the left of the Town penalty area from his point of view. He should have buried the ball but his shot beat Lynch and bounced back into play low off the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

The hosts then forced a series of corners right at the death of the first half which Fleetwood repeatedly failed to deal with properly. But they rode their luck – and Lynch pulled-off a miraculous double save. He somehow managed to knock another pile-driver of a strike from Gnahoua up into the air and then he managed to block a diving header from a couple of yards out from Taylor, who was following-up.

So that was it at half time. Fleetwood had a lot of the ball but didn’t do a lot with it. Morecambe, on the other hand, could have been three-nil up with a bit more luck and a less inspired performance from the visiting goalkeeper.

So what went wrong in the second half?  Did King Derek tell his charges to try and hang on to what they already had? Or did whatever opposition Manager Scott Brown said to his men in the Dressing Room finally start to pay off?

Right from the off, the game was played almost exclusively in the Morecambe half. Even though they still had a lot of the ball, the visitors still had problems actually testing home custodian Connor Ripley. Shaun Rooney missed the target after about fifty minutes and then Hayes fluffed his lines with fifty-two minutes on the clock. He had a clear run on goal but walloped the ball over the bar when he really should have done better. Ripley then saved a free-kick from Andrew which was fired straight at him.

As Morecambe continued to back-pedal, the Cods almost came undone on the break. Skipper Donald Love cleverly played substitute Dylan Connolly into the acres of space of the opposition half in the seventy-eighth minutes. Dylan fairly galloped onto the ball, drew the goalkeeper and tried a deft clip over him at the last moment. Sadly for him, Jay Lynch again kept his side in it with a simply phenomenal reaction save which had just enough on it to divert the ball away from the goal. But still, Fleetwood pushed for an equaliser – and the Shrimps continued to retreat. The seemingly inevitable away goal duly arrived after 83 minutes. Andrew almost replicated Gnahoua’s opening strike with another rocket of a shot which gave Ripley in the home net little chance.

After this, there was only one team that was going to win the game – and it wasn’t the one playing in red. But Fleetwood finally ran out of time and the match ended all-square.

In injury time, previously impressive visitor Paddy Lane was shown a straight red card for a really bad challenge on substitute Shane McLoughlin. Silly boy – very silly boy: this will mean an automatic three-match suspension…

The draw sees Morecambe in the relegation positions in twenty-first place in League One. Fleetwood remained lucky thirteenth.

Derek Adams pronounced himself a little disappointed with today’s result after the game:

“I thought it was a really good game. It started end-to-end. We probably should have been three, four – maybe even five-nil up at half time with the chances we had. Their goalkeeper’s made some great saves; I don’t know how he’s made some of them. We hit the post as well. We were quite dominant especially later on.  Arthur scored a fantastic goal: he came off that left-hand side as he does. I said to him before the game: “Just do what you did against Charlton” and he did that really well. I thought in the first half we looked dangerous. We dealt well with the rotation in midfield. We stopped them playing. It gave us that impetus in the game. I thought they had the better of the second half. In the end, they’ve come away with a draw. But we had the biggest of the chances in the game.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 3 Max Melbourne; 4 Liam Gibson (18 Shane McLoughlin 85’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (Jacob Bedeau 87’); 7 Jake Taylor; 8 Ousmane Fané; 9 Cole Stockton; 10 Ash Hunter (Y) (17 Caleb Watts 85’); 19 Jon Obika.

Subs not used:  12 Adam Smith; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Fleetwood Town: 13 Jay Lynch; 3 Danny Andrew (Y); 4 Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu (20 Promise Omochere 60’); 8 Josh Vela; 10 Callum Morton (21 Cian Hayes 46’); 11 Paddy Lane (R); 14 Joe Garner(19 Gerard Garner 60’); 22 Aristote Nsiala; 24 Daniel Batty (27 Harvey Macadam 72’); 26 Shaun Rooney; 32 Joshua Earl.

Subs not used:  25 Alex Cairns; 18 Harrison Holgate.

Ref: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Att: 4288 (Only 645 from Fleetwood – there were many more than this from Stoke in mid-week.)

Routine victory for Bolton.

It’s not all that long ago – March 8^th – since Derek Adams brought his predecessor Stephen Robinson’s team to Horwich on a Tuesday night seeking to remedy a parlous position in League One. Morecambe were stuck in twenty-first position in the league – as they were again this evening. On the night, the Shrimps led by a Cole Stockton goal until almost the end of the game. In the meantime, huge Bolton centre-half and Captain Ricardo Almeida Santos wiped-out Dylan Connolly in the home penalty area and should have conceded a spot-kick and be sent off into the bargain. But weak Referee Christopher Sarginson kept his cards in his pocket. In doing so, he showed himself to be far too easily intimidated by the large, threatening lump of a man otherwise known as Bolton Boss Ian Evatt. Evatt is a bully who is prepared to stoop to any level – however despicable – to gain an advantage for his team. Last season at Morecambe, the Bolton Manager was responsible for two innocent members of the home crowd being thrown out of the ground on totally baseless allegations made against them by himself. He then went on to complain of a `barrage’ of racist abuse being directed at his players by other Morecambe supporters. Curiously, though, a police investigation of the claims Evatt made at the time has produced no evidence of any such behaviour. Last March, the Bolton Boss claimed that Derek Adams had entered the field of play to push one of his own players. As a result, Referee Sarginson booked our Manager. But video footage proved not only that Derek was actually innocent but clearly showed him being manhandled by his much larger Opposite Number. So what Ian Evatt had suggested had happened wasn’t true. But that’s what this man does. And he gets away with it – nearly always. Last Saturday at Vale Park, though, he came across a referee in the shape of Ross Joyce who was not going to put up with the blatant gamesmanship and constant cheating that the Bolton Manager wears as badges of pride – and sent him off at the end of the first half. Bolton Captain Almeida Santos was also sent off and as a result could not feature for the Trotters tonight.

Bolton Wanderers started the game in eight position in League One. They are unbeaten after four games so far, of which they have won one league game (3-0 against highly fancied Wycombe) and drawn two. In the League Cup, they walloped League Two Salford City 5-1 at this venue a week ago. In their four previous meetings with the Shrimps, Wanderers have won one game and drawn three. Last season, the League One game at the Maz was disrupted by crowd trouble by a minority of away fans after which Morecambe lost their momentum from a winning position and conceded an equaliser. All this was sparked by the allegations of racism which Ian Evatt made at the time but no action has been taken against either the Manager nor the club for the disorder which ensued. As already mentioned, if the Referee had been stronger in the return fixture, Morecambe could – and should – have departed from Horwich with a win. But it wasn’t to be. Tonight, though, provided an opportunity for a new start. I take on board the criticism I have received recently for portraying Referees as the Pantomime Villains in Morecambe’s games from time to time and I’ve decided to tone this down – except when it is justified. But the man charged with regulating tonight’s match and standing up to Bolton’s ingrained whingeing and potentially intimidating behaviour could be a key to the final result. So a heavy burden of responsibility fell onto Anthony Backhouse’s shoulders this evening.

Prior to the game, King Derek’s thoughts were these:

“Anybody who can beat Wycombe three-nil has to be doing something right. We looked at that game; we’ve looked at the game from Saturday; we’ve looked at previous games. We understand their philosophy (and) we understand what we’ve got to do to get the better of them.”

Opposite Number Ian Evatt predictably played the role of martyr prior to the game and claimed he had been harshly dealt with by the officials at Vale Park last Saturday. Anticipating a ban from the touchline for tonight’s game, he said on Monday:

“It’s not ideal that I might not be in the technical area but I trust my staff 100 per cent and they know exactly what’s required – as do the players. We will do our work before the game and then hopefully the players can go out there and execute the game plan. We’re feeling good, feeling positive and still carrying momentum from Saturday. Even though we faced a lot of adversity, we still came out with a positive feeling and hopefully we can continue that tomorrow night.”

Black clouds glowered over the University of Bolton Stadium before and during the match but the weather stayed dry and it remained quite warm, despite a keen breeze blowing across Horwich from the south west.

Rumours that former favourite Carlos Mendes-Gomes  was about to re-sign from Luton Town on-loan were dashed before the game with news that he has signed for Fleetwood instead. There was also no place in the squad tonight for Cole Stockton for whatever reason so Derek chose virtually the same starting line-up as he did last Saturday. The only change was Jensen Weir, who replaced Ousmane Fané in the starting eleven.

Morecambe’s tactics tonight soon became apparent. Initially, they pushed the hosts back into their own half and dominated the play with some excellent passing moves of their own. Sadly, though, a football match lasts for ninety, not just twenty minutes and as the half wore on, the Trotters got an increasing foothold in it. They had a chance after ten minutes when Jón Bödvarsson headed a corner just wide of the target. But, Bolton being Bolton, there was a lot of histrionics and crowding around the Referee every time one of their number fell over. When Max Melbourne was booked after twenty- three minutes, I genuinely don’t think he even connected with Keiran Lee but the spirit of Ian Evatt lived on as his players crowded Mr Backhouse – and the Referee duly provided them with the Yellow Card they wanted. I think the fairest thing I could say about this man’s performance tonight was that he gave the home team an awful lot of leeway. Every time one of them fell over, he was quick to award a free kick. But when Max Melbourne was genuinely hurt after almost an hour and had to be stretchered off with what looked like a serious facial injury, he didn’t award so much as a free kick, let alone a Yellow or a Red card to whoever caused this damage to our full-back. Yes, I know I said I wouldn’t go on about the Refereeing tonight but Anthony Backhouse was far too easily influenced by the men in white and the baying home crowd than any fair-minded official should have been.  

As Morecambe were pushed further and further down the pitch, two things started to concern me about our performance tonight. Ash Hunter has a lot of talent – that’s obvious. But he also makes a lot of mistakes and gives the ball away far too often. It was him who – in a promising break-away for the Shrimps after thirty-nine minutes – passed the ball to a Bolton player defending his own penalty area instead of finding a team-mate. The Trotters wasted no time pinging the ball forward and Liverpool loanee Conor Bradley opened his account for Wanderers with a decent finish. In one moment, the play had switched from one end of the pitch to the other and the hosts took full advantage of it.

The other thing that bothered me was the performance of our goalkeeper. Connor Ripley can kick a football a hell of a long way – there’s no doubting that. But his distribution tonight was appalling with aimless kick after aimless kick which continually handed the possession back to Bolton. His mastery of his area was again weak as well and he failed to hold onto the ball on a couple of occasions when he really should have done better.

Opposite Number Manchester City loanee goalkeeper James Trafford, on the other hand, had very little to do tonight. Near the end, he had an easy save from a Farrend Rawson header following a corner but in a match of few chances, he was never really seriously tested. In truth, Bolton created more openings during the first half than the Shrimps did and probably dominated the play in the second half as well. The nearest the visitors came to equalising tonight was in the fifty-fourth minute, when Ryan Delaney headed Hunter’s excellent free-kick narrowly wide of the target.

At the other end, Bolton could and probably should have increased their lead in the eighty-second minute, when Kyle Dempsey’s perfect cross into the Morecambe box was headed horribly wide by substitute Amadou Bakayoko. Other than that, there’s not a lot to say. Morecambe played well at times and looked tight in defence. Their good play tended to come apart in midfield though and they offered very little going forward all night, which is obviously a worry.

I don’t know what Ian Evatt’s thoughts were after tonight’s game; nor do I personally care. His team went up to fourth in the League One standings as a result of their victory; Morecambe fell to twenty-second. As always, though, Derek Adams found the positives – and there were many – in tonight’s performance:

“I think we looked very organised. Tactically we were very good because Bolton have beaten Wycombe Wanderers here 3-0 in the past and they didn’t have too many opportunities in the game. We were unlucky with Ryan Delaney’s header in the second-half which went past the upright. Rawson had a header on goal as well. This is a difficult league for us in this moment in time; in that forward area we are not getting that right pass at the right time. You have to remember we are a new team and we are four games into the season.”

Bolton Wanderers: 19 James Trafford; 2 Gethin Jones (C); 3 Declan John; 6 George Johnston; 9 Jón Bödvarsson (11 Amadou Bakayoko 72’); 15 Will Aimson; 16 Aaron Morley; 20 Keiran Lee; 21 Conor Bradley (Y) (4 MJ Williams 81’); 22 Kyle Dempsey (7 Keiran Sadlier 91’); 24 Elias Kachunga (7 Oladapo Afolayan 72’).

Subs not used:  12 Joel Dixon; 14 Jack Iredale. 

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne (Y) (7 Jake Taylor 58’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 10 Ash Hunter; 14 Arthur Gnahoua (8 Ousmane Fané 82’); 15 Jensen Weir; 14 Arthur Gnouah 16 Jacob Bedeau; 19 Jon Obika (11 Dylan Connolly 73’).

Subs not used:  12 Adam Smith; 17 Caleb Watts; 18 Shane McLoughlin; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Ref: Anthony Backhouse.

Att: 17,165 (764 from Morecambe).

A Point at Oxford

I said in my last report that I’m not personally interested in anything the Manager of our previous opponents – Ian Evatt – has to say about anything. But I’m sure – thanks to social media – that few of us have missed his statement about Morecambe’s support after the game at the University of Bolton Stadium last Tuesday. He said:

“They don’t bring many fans.”

Really? I was there and there seemed to be quite a lot of us to me.

This made me wonder how many supporters previous visitors had brought to the venue so far this season.

The Trotters’ first home game against Wycombe saw 416 fans in the away end. The second – near neighbours Salford City – brought 781. The third club to visit Horwich were ourselves.

How many did we bring?

120? 230? 300? Any other offers?

Oh – it was 764; just seventeen fewer than a club which is only seventeen miles away brought the previous week.

So I’d just like to clarify Mr Evatt’s reasoning for anyone else who was initially confused by this comment and mistook it – as I did – as a spiteful and rather childish remark made by a very dislikeable  individual with an extremely low IQ.

I now realise the error of this view and I would like to put on record my own personal thanks to Big Ian for making this brilliant observation and thus challenging at least my own prejudices about him.

What I failed to understand is that if you subtract the number of racists Mr Evatt has identified among the travelling Shrimps’ support from the total and then discount them altogether, he’s almost right. As always. Because that means that we didn’t take `many’ – as he so generously suggested – we didn’t take any at all, did we?

Thanks for that, Ian: you truly are a very fair-minded gentleman who is simply widely misunderstood by people with a far lower intellect.

Anyway, moving on…

Morecambe travelled to Oxford today to face a team which, like themselves, has experienced a stuttering start to their League One campaign. United won their first game of the season but have lost their last two, most recently at home to Lincoln City last Tuesday night by the odd goal in three. They were in nineteenth position in the table as a result.

Manager Karl Robinson reflected on the result – and what could be a serious injury to star player Marcus Browne – when he told local Oxford Media earlier this week:

“When you have people around you who you believe in and want to work with then you just stay positive and keep believing in what you are doing. I have had some lovely messages from fans since Tuesday, and I have had some terrible ones too! I respect all those views; I one hundred percent respect everyone’s view. The table doesn’t look how we want it to and I had two hours sleep on Tuesday. The result and then Marcus’s injury made me very upset and I struggled with that. But then we came in on Wednesday and talked as a group about what we need to do to put it right. Then today and Friday we will put that into action and then on Saturday we will go out there and try to get the win for ourselves and for the fans. We have a very good squad and because we have lost a little bit of that group we just have to find a different way. That’s an exciting challenge. Morecambe will come and work their socks off and we will respect them as we do every team. They are a good club, well managed and they will make it hard for us. But we accept that challenge and we will rise to it and do all we can to get the win this weekend.”

Morecambe, meanwhile, were in an even more parlous position than the ‘U’s’ prior to kick-off: twenty-second and thus in the relegation places.

I mistakenly suggested that Max Melbourne was injured by a Bolton player last Tuesday in Horwich. I must withdraw this slur: it turns out that Max’s hamstring had gone. So good luck to him in his recovery:  he clearly wasn’t available for selection today.  Meanwhile, Cole Stockton – who hasn’t featured in the Shrimps’ squad recently – has handed in a transfer request. Today, he was named on the bench as Jake Taylor took the place of our injured full-back.

In previous encounters, United have had the better of the Shrimps with six wins out of fifteen and only three losses. Last season, Oxford beat Morecambe 3-1 at this venue but lost 2-1 in the reverse fixture.

On Wednesday, King Derek told Morecambe media guru Matt Smith the following:

“I think we’ve acquitted ourselves well. We are also a new team. New faces have come in. That final pass at this moment in time is letting us down. I think you’ve always got to base yourself on having a good defensive unit. That allows you the platform to move forward. Finding that right pass has been a little bit of an issue. But that will come with the understanding (between) the new players coming in and the ones already here. I think that we are moving ahead as a team. We’ve got a small squad – everyone understands that. We’ve been able to take in players who are good on the ball and good defensively as well. I can think they will progress over the season. It’s our job again this year to have League One football the season after.”

As far as Oxford are concerned, he said:

“They are good on the ball; they are good defensively. Oxford are a very good side.  They’ve got a lot of quality players. They do well with loans in that London area because of their proximity to it. They have a vast array of quality players that they can take from. We’ve been the underdogs for so many years. That’s not going to change in the short term but over the long term, that will hopefully be ever-changing. They will be looking to get a positive result. We are exactly the same. We’ll go there and try and get the better of them. We did it here at the end of last season. It was a fantastic game and it was a much-needed three points at the time. We’ve got a tight-knit squad. They’ve got a good bond. They react well to each other. They look after each other. That is very important. Having that team spirit takes you far.”

The weather was dry, sunny and warm – as opposed to hot – as the game kicked-off.

Oxford asked all the early questions, winning a free-kick and then a corner in the first couple of minutes. James Henry took a shot from distance which only just missed the target with just two minutes on the clock. In United’s strangely-designed stadium, the ball was last seen heading towards the car part exit on the open side of the ground. Then Jacob Bedeau made an important block as Oxford danger man Billy Bodin took aim after three minutes. There was a blow for the visitors when Ash Hunter limped off with only six minutes played. The `U’s’ then passed the ball around accurately enough for a while but they didn’t make much progress as far as breaching the visiting defence was concerned. Liam Gibson took advantage of a slip and played-in Jensen Weir with a quarter of an hour played but the chance came to nothing. Then Gibson fluffed his lines after 17 minutes as an under-pressure Jake Taylor played a superb cross into the home team’s danger area which the defender poked over the crossbar with his left foot. As the other end, Connor Ripley did well to save a shot from Cameron Brannagan with his legs after twenty-five minutes as the U’s Skipper bore down on him unchallenged. There were half-hearted shouts for a penalty from the home crowd as the ball bounced back to him and Bedeau made a tackle but Referee Ben Speedie was not interested. After this, Oxford forced a number of corners before the half-hour mark but the Shrimps’ defence was never seriously tested. Morecambe had more possession as the half progressed but didn’t seriously test home goalkeeper Simon Eastwood at any time. Up front, Jon Obika got very little change out of his former employers and Arthur Gnahoua was largely ineffective as well. At the back, though, Ryan Delaney was again immense and he was ably assisted by his fellow defenders throughout the half. So the half ended goal-less with not a great deal of excitement and few chances for either side.

The home crowd had been restless during the first half and some of them booed their team off the field at the end of proceedings. Karl Robinson went with the same eleven who had contested the opening phase of the match but Derek Adams made two changes. In an attempt to inject some punch into his forward line, Cole the Goal replaced Obika and Dylan Connolly took the place of Gnahoua. It paid dividends almost immediately. Ousmane Fané carried the ball forward and then set-up Donald Love to  play a sumptuous ball forward to Weir, who opened his account for the Shrimps with an assured finish with just two minutes of the half played. A couple of minutes later, Connolly sped down the Morecambe right flank and picked-out Weir again with a good pass which the Brighton loanee could not convert this time. In the meantime, as the home crowd grew ever more restive, Oxford were limited to long-range efforts which never tested the visiting goalkeeper. Henry had a better chance after 54 minutes which went for a corner. From it, Kyle Joseph took advantage of confusion in the home defence and scored his first ever goal for the U’s by hooking the ball into the top corner of the net. Urged on by their suddenly noisy support, the home team started to put some pressure on the visitors for a while after they had equalised. Again, though, United were limited to long-range shots which all missed the target. It took until the sixty-seventh minute for the hosts to test Ripley again. Steve Seddon’s long cross was played to Henry by Bodin who crossed it to Joseph but the visiting goalkeeper was barely troubled by the resulting header. Brannagan came closer with 72 minutes on the clock but Ripley again did well to keep out his low shot. There was more bad news for the visitors as the always steady Liam Gibson was hurt following a challenge and had to go off to be replaced by Shane McLoughlin with less than twenty minutes left. United, meanwhile, increased the pressure on the Shrimps and forced a few more corners and long throws. Ripley was forced into action again after 76 minutes when he managed to push away another fierce strike from Brannagan. There were few further chances for either side but substitute Anthony O’Connor saved a certain goal for the U’s with a tremendous block in injury time from fellow-sub Slavi Spasov.

It was disappointing that, having taken the lead, Morecambe were not capable of holding on to all three points this afternoon. But a point on the road against a decent team isn’t a bad result for the Shrimps. Today’s was a battling defensive display by Derek Adams’ troops. The point wasn’t enough to stop the club falling to twenty-third in the Division, though and only Burton Albion lie between Morecambe and the bottom of the table. Having said that, however, the Shrimps are only one point behind Oxford, who remain in nineteenth place tonight.  These were the Manager’s thoughts after the match:

“It was a very good game, Oxford are struggling at home to get wins and have lost their last two games. We went ahead with a well-worked goal and a great finish from Jensen Weir. It was a great, slip pass across and he finished it into the bottom corner. He took it really well, we broke down Oxford’s right; the opportunity came about because we pressed them high. It was great to go ahead in the game and we felt that we could probably hold on and take all three points. We dealt with the shape that Oxford tried; we limited them to very few opportunities on target and we were unfortunate not to take all three points. August has been a difficult month from a managerial point of view, playing Tuesday and Saturday but the players put in a really good shift after a run of hard away games.” 

Oxford United: 13 Simon Eastwood; 3 Sam Long; 4 Stuart Findlay; 7 Billy Bodin (39 Slavi Spasov 67’); 8 Cameron Brannagan (C); 9 Matty Taylor; 16 Ciaron Brown (Y); 17 James Henry (27 Tyler Goodrham 85’); 18 Marcus McGuane (6 Gorrin Rodriguez (Y) 85’); 22 Kyle Joseph; 42 Steve Seddon.

Subs not used:  12 Jodi Jones; 21 Edward McGinty; 14 Lewis Bate; 15 John Mousinho.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson (18 Shane McLoughlin 74’); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor; 10 Ash Hunter (8 Ousmane Fané (Y) 6’); 14 Arthur Gnahoua (11 Dylan Connolly (Y) 45’); 15 Jensen Weir (22 Anthony O’Connor 79’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 19 Jon Obika (9 Cole Stockton (Y) 45’).

Subs not used:  12 Adam Smith; 17 Caleb Watts.

Ref: Ben Speedie.

Att: 6,813 (130 from Morecambe).

Millers Ground-Down by King Arthur.

Morecambe travelled over the Pennines today to visit the New York stadium in the post-industrial town of old Rotherham. United have started their Championship campaign brightly, having been promoted just a few short months ago. They are unbeaten in all competitions so far and were comfortably twelfth in the Division prior to kick-off tonight. As far as their visitors are concerned, United have played Morecambe no less then seventeen times in the past. They have won eight of these and lost five. Last season, Rotherham enjoyed a double over the Shrimps in League One. In the return fixture, Goalkeeping Coach and club legend Barry Roche took temporary charge of the team following Stephen Robinson’s abrupt departure to Pastures New at St Mirren the previous day. Perhaps of greatest relevance to tonight’s match, though, was the final score in the only time the clubs have faced each other before in a League Cup match. In an extraordinary game at Millmoor just over six years ago, Morecambe emerged victorious after having scored the vital fifth goal out of nine on the night.

Charismatic Millers’ Manager Paul Warne had this to say before the game:

“We will make changes, but we are still going to pick a team that gives us the best chance of winning. We want to get through and continue our good start, but we are aware we have a game at the weekend, but we will give everything to get into the next round.”

This week, Mr Warne has persuaded Arsenal to loan him exciting young prospect Brooke Norton-Cuffy for the rest of the season. The eighteen-year-old went straight into the first team tonight for a baptism of fire as a Miller. Alongside him was Tom Eaves, who was also making his  debut after signing from Hull earlier in the week. Many of the players normally sitting on the bench for Rotherham were given a starting place in tonight’s squad as well. In all, there were nine changes from the starting eleven which drew at Queens Park Rangers three days ago.

For the Shrimps, Derek Adams also changed things around quite a bit. His first eleven was also markedly different from last Saturday with no room anywhere in the squad for Cole Stockton, whose status at the club continues to be a matter of intense speculation. Derek told us that Cole wasn’t playing because of a groin injury but the Goal Machine has made it clear that he is currently seeking Pastures New in which to plough his own furrow up front. There were places for several Academy players as well on the visitors’ bench tonight.

The Boss expressed his hopes that these players would be able to push the club over the line tonight and into the third round of this competition:

“Morecambe is a Club that is evolving (by) going through the leagues like we have done; the fixtures that we have played in this competition and in the FA Cup. It is about getting through to the next round and creating a bit of history. If we can do that, it gives us a chance to play against some of the top sides in England. That is what we want to do. The next round is in November, so we have a bit of time to wait until then.”

As far as tonight’s opponents specifically are concerned, he added:

“We will go there, get on the front-foot and defend as well as we have done. They are a very good side, they are in the Championship and they are on a good unbeaten run.  They will change a good number of their squad to give others game time, like they did against Port Vale in the round before. We will assess them. We will go there with the team spirit and the attitude that we had on Saturday. That will give us the opportunity to progress to the next round.”

It was cloudy but dry before and during the game tonight. Morecambe kicked-off and started quite well, taking the game to the hosts during the opening five minutes or so and pressing high up the pitch as they did so. United created the first good chance of the game after eight minutes, though. Scott High fed Cohen Bramall to gallop up the Millers’ left and play a dangerous ball into the Shrimps’ penalty area. Georgie Kelly, however, was just unable to make contact with it. A minute later, United’s Jamie McCart booted Brooke Norton-Cuffy’s cushioned header way over the away goal with a wild shot. At the other end, Liam Gibson and Dylan Connolly combined well to set-up a half-chance for the visitors after thirteen minutes. But the cross towards the far post was just too high for an onrushing Donald Love to connect with. Jensen Weir then lost possession in the middle of the field with 22 minutes on the clock, which allowed the Millers to pour forward only for Jamie Lindsay to smash the ball past Connor Ripley into the side netting.  But the impressive Gibson came even closer three minutes later after controlling the ball well just outside the area and sending a powerful strike just over the bar. After a nice spell of controlled possession by the Shrimps, Jake Taylor tried a very optimistic shot from all of 30 yards out which also sailed over the bar with almost half an hour played. There were a lot of mistakes and some scrappy play for a while after this and neither goalkeeper was seriously tested by the time the break arrived.

There were many positives from King Derek’s men though: at the back, they looked solid and well-organised. Gibbo played a blinder throughout the half with both Ryan Delaney and Jacob Bedeau looking rock solid at the back. The only concern – yet again – was going forward where there was little penetration and very few actual chances so far.

Rotherham forced a couple of corners which came to nothing early doors in the second period. As the home team continued to ask most of the questions, Ollie Rathbone smashed a powerful shot over the bar after 55 minutes. Then Arthur Gnahoua combined well with Weir three minutes later to force a corner which eventually fell to Bedeau, who couldn’t quite get his shot on target. Both Managers shook things up after just over an hour, with multiple substitutions for both sides. One of these replacements – Caleb Watts – showed his pace in the sixty-seventh minute but his eventual cross into the danger area was easily cleared by the home defence. When he pinched the ball from Lindsey in the seventy-second minute, however, he was instrumental in setting-up King Arthur to double his return for the campaign  with another wonder strike. Gnahoua’s finish was almost as good as the fantastic volley he scored in a League One game against Fleetwood at the Maz ten days ago. He rode a challenge in the away penalty area before smashing the ball through the arms of Josh Vickers from an acute angle with a howitzer of a strike.

With many of their regular first-teamers on the pitch now, United started to look for a response. But a couple of wayward headers, shots from distance and the occasional corner kick was all they had to show for it by the end of the game. They had a half-hearted shout for a penalty right at the death but Referee Peter Wright was not impressed. In truth, during the entire ninety minutes, Connor Ripley didn’t have a serious save to make. So Morecambe ended the game with a second Championship scalp in a row after what had been a classic Derek Adams performance tonight: tight and well-organised at the back but eventually lethal up-front.

The great man himself had this to say after the match:

“To come away to a Championship team and win; to have limited them to very few opportunities on target with the strike force they had; with the team they had playing; was very pleasing. I thought the whole group we had here tonight – we had fourteen players here tonight that worked extremely hard. We’re delighted for them. The team spirit is excellent.  We’ve got a bit of illness in the squad and injuries – that’s the reason for all the other ones that weren’t here tonight. The way the players have taken to changes in systems as well has been important. I think their togetherness; their understanding of the game has been very good in and out of possession. The work-rate throughout the team had to be perfect tonight because we were playing against a very good side. What we’ve got is we’ve taken-in a group of players which understand each other; understand systems of play but have got a willingness to win football matches or defend their area.”

Asked if he was hoping for a Big Fish in the upcoming Third Round, he replied:

“If we can land a big team, then that would be advantageous for me going into the last week of the transfer window. We will certainly be able to strengthen the squad if we do get a big team.”

Rotherham United: 31 Josh Vickers; 2 Wes Harding; 3 Cohen Bramall (17 Shane  Ferguson 62’); 5 Jamie McCart; 7 Scott High; 9 Tom Eaves (19 Joshua Kayode 62’); 10 Brooke Norton-Cuff (11 Chiedozie Ogbene 62’); 12 Georgie Kelly; 16 Jamie Lindsay (22 Hakeem Odoffin 79’); 18 Oliver Rathbone (4 Daniel Barlaser 62’); 21 Lee Peltier (C).

Subs not used: 1 Viktor Johansson; 8 Ben Wiles; 15 Tolaji Bola; 24 Cameron Humphreys.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson (18 Shane McLoughlin 80’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (22 Anthony O’Connor 65’); 8 Ousmane Fané; 11 Dylan Connolly; 15 Jensen Weir (17 Caleb Watts 65’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 14 Arthur Gnahoua.

Subs not used:  12 Adam Smith; 13 André da Silva Mendes; 25 Adam Major; 26 Cameron Rooney; 27 Mani Davidson; 28 Daniel Foden

Ref: Peter Wright.

Att: 3,808 (172 from Morecambe)

MK PLASTICISE MORECAMBE

I’m delighted – and very flattered – to acknowledge that I have quite a large and dedicated personal fanbase on the MK Plastic Dons’ fans’ forum. The wit and bonhomie with which they have met all my previous reports about their lovely club is both touching and heart-warming in equal measure. Thankyou one and all – you truly say more in all the multiple tributes which have been paid to me (and even my parents, who I didn’t realise previously weren’t actually married) all that needs to be said about the club and the sort of people it attracts than I ever could on these pages. So let’s continue in the same spirit of mutual respect and admiration:

Milton Keynes have done reasonably well this season for a new club. (It would have choked me to even acknowledge such a thing in previous accounts of the New Town’s ill-gotten football notoriety.) But it’s also true – it would be churlish to say otherwise. So far, they have won two games and lost two in the league. Although they were put out of the Cup at home by Tilbury, they found themselves eighth in the table before today’s game against Arlesey Town. That’s right – at Manor Fields in the United Counties’ Premier Division South, Milton Keynes Irish are doing things the right way. They came about as a result of the amalgamation of three genuine MK teams – Milton Keynes Robins (formerly Buckingham Town), Unite MK and Milton Keynes Irish Veterans – just two short years ago. Good luck to them – at least they are trying to progress through the English football pyramid like every other team except one that I can think of has had to do. Can anyone possibly guess who I might mean?

The club which blatantly stole the original Wimbledon’s identity (but – crucially – never its indomitable soul) visited north Lancashire today having fallen at the penultimate hurdle last season against Wycombe Wanderers in their attempt to blag their way into the Championship. Well done the Chairboys.

As usual, I’d don’t intend to give any history of previous meetings between our club and these shameless interlopers. I’d like to totally ignore them altogether as ever.  But the reality of two league meetings and at least a League Cup game at their place this season makes this simply untenable any more. The fact that the reality of the fraud which the EFL sanctioned almost twenty years ago means  that they have been drawn out of the hat to be Morecambe’s hosts in the next round of the League Cup is a travesty in itself: they shouldn’t be in the EFL in the first place. But there we go.

Anyway… There was good news yesterday as Morecambe announced the signing of 22-year-old striker Kieran Phillips on a season-long loan from Championship side Huddersfield. He was loaned to Exeter City and Exeter for periods last season and the hope is that the challenge of playing a Division higher this term will be good for everyone concerned. Kieran went straight into the squad today, in which there was still no place for the apparently injured Cole Stockton.

The weather Gods had clearly been listening to Eric and Ernie’s most famous song today. They brought us sunshine most of the time right across north Lancashire – and in the skies at least it was a lovely summer afternoon by the seaside. Sadly, on the field it was a very different story.

Right from the off, the visitors showed that they meant business. They went straight on to the front foot, pinged the ball around quickly between themselves; controlled possession; made intelligent runs and made passes into space behind the home defence which Derek Adams’ men struggled to cope with all afternoon. They looked sharper, quicker and fitter than the men in the red shirts and they had clearly arrived with a plan: to win.

Within two minutes, Bradley Johnson forced Connor Ripley in the home goal into a save. With Captain Dean Lewington pulling the strings on the MK left flank (how old is this man? – I saw him plying his trade for this lot at Christie Park what feels like a lifetime ago), the visitors continued to ask all the questions. Home hearts were in mouths as the old fellow found Darragh Burns running clear of the Shrimps’ defence after eleven minutes but Burns fluffed his lines with a shot well off target. A goal was coming as the opposition moved through the Morecambe lines at will and – very appropriately, it was a will who scored it: Will Griggs. Lewington played the ball to Johnson who pinged it to Conor Grant on the wing and he fed it to the big striker for a finish which was all too easy for the visitors.

It remained virtually one-way traffic with a header from the Plastics’ Full Back Daniel Harvie coming very close after 27 minutes. But Morecambe had a tremendous opportunity to equalise with just over half an hour played. A lovely cross from the right by Jake Taylor was headed powerfully goal-wards by Ryan Delaney but somehow or other, Jamie Cumming in the away goal managed to paw it away. It was an absolutely phenomenal save. And six minutes later, the visitors were even further ahead.

Will Grigg again. Hopeless defending again as the Shrimps made this far too easy for the opposition. They were fortunate to retreat to the Dressing Rooms at half time only two goals down – right at the death, luck had far more to do with skill as Ripley fumbled a Burns’ strike but was allowed the time and space to redeem his own mistake.

In truth, it had been men against boys throughout the first half. Morecambe were shapeless; offered nothing in attack and were constantly being over-run by a team which looked as if they might score virtually every time they had the ball.

King Derek threw on new boy Kieran Phillips at the start of the second half. At last – with a focal point at the top of the pitch – Morecambe were able to apply some concerted pressure to the visiting defence. Kieran looked sharp and quick – and with just a little bit of luck, he could have scored on his debut after fifty minutes. His control as the ball landed at his feet in the middle of the penalty area was just not quite right but the speed with which he covered the ground to attempt to redeem this and force another fantastic save from the away custodian almost made up for it. As things turned-out, this was the second nearest the hosts came to scoring throughout the second half. Arthur Gnahoua tested Cumming again a minute after Phillips was denied but the nearest the hosts came to ruining his clean sheet was with just about an hour played. Jensen Weir’s point-blank header from Donald Love’s cross from the Morecambe right seemed destined to lodge in the back of the net. But Cumming’s left-hand post got in the way.  

Crucially, there had been a change in the Centre Forward position at the other end of the pitch at half time as well, though. Griggs – possibly with Job Already Done – was taken off. In his place was Matthew Dennis; a star of the future. He’s strong; he’s quick; he reads the play well – and he is blessed with truly exceptional skill. The only way the Shrimps’ defence could cope with this lad – in all truth – was to foul him. But they had to catch him first in order to do so – and, more often than not, they couldn’t.

He played his part as MK hit Morecambe quickly on the break after 61 minutes and scored once more. Again, it was really poor defending. The ball was worked up the visitors’ left and played into the centre, where Grant found it far too easy to bury it. Finally, Dennis got his name on the score sheet with 67 minutes on the clock. It was a great counter-attacking goal – and another far too easy one for the men in the white strip.

So the game ended four-nil to the visitors. It could have been more – a lot more. The gulf between these two sides today was like the Atlantic – massive. But the gulf in resources – we must remind ourselves – is bigger still.

Despite the performance and the score, I personally retain total faith in our Manager. The Shrimps found themselves even deeper in the mire at the bottom of League One after the game:  still next to bottom. But it’s very tight down there and not many teams will play as well as Milton Keynes did today. These were the Manager’s typically concise thoughts after the defeat:

“Over the afternoon, I thought they were very clinical when they had their opportunities. And we weren’t so good in front of goal.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love(C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (21 Ryan Cooney 77’); 7 Jake Taylor; 8 Ousmane Fané (18 Shane McLoughlin 70’); 11 Dylan Connolly (17 Caleb Watts 70’); 14 Arthur Gnahoua (25 Adam Major 88’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (23 Kieran Phillips 45’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 26 Cameron Rooney.

Plastic Milton Keynes: 1 Jamie Cumming; 4 Jack Tucker; 3 Dean Lewington (C); 5 Warren O’Hora; 9 Will Grigg (30 Matthew Dennis 45’); 14 Bradley Johnson; 16 Conor Grant (19 Barry 77’); 20 Darragh Burns (7 Matthew Smith 60’); 21 Daniel Harvie (33 Zak Jules 86’); 22 Henry Lawrence; 28 Dawson Devoy (8 Ethan Robson 60’).

Subs not used: 12 Daniel Oyegoke; 23 Franco Ravizzoli.

 Ref: Leigh Doughty.

Att: 3,995 (279 Plastic People)

Morecambe 2-2 Everton Under 21’s. (Morecambe win 7-6 after penalties)

In what many people would unkindly call the Tin Pot Trophy, Morecambe played host to Everton Under 21’s in a competition – if I understand it properly – will result in the winners having lots of pizza to eat.

If this Trophy has any actual worth at all, it is surely for Shrimps’ Manager Derek Adams to again experiment with the players he has got to see which of them could merit a spot in the first team where the serious business of League One survival means an awful lot more.

Liam Gibson was Captain tonight. No offence to Donald Love – but I am sure I am not alone In thinking this could be an upgrade which the team in general would greatly benefit from. Adam Smith in goal also played well. Regular Club Captain Ripley is routinely mocked by away supporters for eating too many pies. This may or not be unfair. Personally, I wasn’t impressed by the way he clearly swore at his team-mates whilst the Plastic People from Milton Keynes took our team apart at the Max last Saturday. In truth, he was in no position to criticise anybody and was lucky not to concede more goals with some poor shot-stopping and an inability to dominate his own penalty area which has characterised all his appearances so far in my opinion. Official Man of the Match Caleb Watts looked throughout tonight’s match as if he would also be an improvement to the starting eleven King Derek has been choosing in recent times. A Mention in Dispatches is also due to Kieran Phillips, who again acquitted himself really well throughout what was only his second game in Morecambe red tonight.

The Shrimps went ahead after seventeen minutes when Jensen Weir picked–up on a mistake by the visitors’ defence and walloped the ball home past Billy Crellin in the away goal. Four minutes later, new boy Phillips played well to turn and shoot but the visiting goalkeeper was equal to it on this occasion. Sean McAllister equalised for the Toffees after 32 minutes but just two minutes later, Watts restored the home lead as he headed home a corner taken by Jake Taylor. It was 2-1 to Morecambe at half time but Isaac Price made it all-square on the night after just three minutes of the re-start. Tom Cannon then scored a further goal for the visitors after Farrend Rawson had made a crucial mistake in defence with almost an hour played. The central defender made amends for this mistake, however, with a towering header from a corner to equalise with just over five minutes left to play.

In a game excellently refereed by Rebecca Wells, the match went to penalties.

Caleb Watts scored with Morecambe’s first attempt. Kieran Phillips then netted for the first time for his new club with a tremendous shot low into the corner of Crellin’s net. Ryan Cooney also scored next. Donald Love then also hit the back of the net. Dylan Connolly thus found himself with the game to win – and walloped the ball over the bar.

In the meantime, Adam Smith had made a tremendous save with his fingertips from Mackenzie Hunt’s fourth attempt for Everton.

Adam Mayor scored emphatically for Morecambe next. Shane McLoughlin then scored again for the Shrimps only for Everton’s Elijah Campbell to blast the ball over the bar. Anthony O’Connor then won the game on the night with a really composed shot when the pressure was well and truly on. Well done, sir.

The Morecambe players who contested tonight’s game were:

12 Adam Smith; 4 Liam Gibson (C) (5 Farrend Rawson45’); 7 Jake Taylor (25 Adam Major 63’); 11 Dylan Connolly; 15 Jensen Weir (8 Ousmane Fané 69’); 16 Jacob Bedeau (2 Donald Love; 45’); 17 Caleb Watts (Y); 18 Shane McLoughlin; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor (Y); 23 Kieran Phillips.

These players remained on the bench:

1 Connor Ripley; 26 Cameron Rooney; 28 Daniel Foden.

Morecambe thus found themselves in an unfamiliar position in the latest incarnation of this competition: not bottom for once. They were second on goal difference behind Hartlepool United with three points each: Everton youngsters and Harrogate Town with no points at all lay below them both.

Derek Adams said that his two substitutions at half time – Farrend Rawson and Donald Love – changed the game for the worse. “They weren’t up to speed and then got caught out.” He also bemoaned his players’ seeking to play the ball back to the goalkeeper (`it annoys me a lot’) when he wanted them to try more positive options going forward. Overall, though, he was clearly pleased with his team’s performance this evening:

“It was obviously a good game. There were plenty of goals. We had six players making their first start of the season. I thought that they did really well from that point of view because it’s not easy being out for so long. That was really good for them tonight. It was great for Kieran Phillips to get his first start but not only him; the other ones as well. (For) Adam Meir to get on again today – he showed really good glimpses of why we have him in the first team squad just now. Kieran Phillips led the line very well tonight. Watts became stronger as the game went on. It’s finding a place for him in the team at this moment in time. He’s still trying to find that out – and we are as well. We’ve got a lot of players that are learning. When you come into men’s football, it’s all about learning.”

857 of our number attended this fixture; 55 more came from Liverpool.

Morecambe Almost Run Out Of Gas

Morecambe travelled West today to face a team they have not met competitively for eight and a half years: Bristol Rovers. They have a poor record against The Gas: only two wins in eight previous meetings but five defeats. Joey Barton’s team started today’s match on the back of two wins and three losses in their League One campaign until today. This record has put them into fifteenth place in the table. The only draw – one goal each – they have experienced so far occurred at home against Shrewsbury last Saturday. Since then, central defender James Connolly has been ruled out of action for several months due to a stress fracture in his back. Jordan Rossiter has also been sanctioned by an FA disciplinary panel for an incident unseen by the Referee during the game against the Shrews and handed a three-match ban.

Morecambe arrived in Avon (or is it north Somerset – or Gloucestershire?; some Bristolians get very hot under the collar about this apparently…) Morecambe arrived in whatever county The Memorial Ground is situated in staring enviously upwards at The Pirates from twenty-third position in League One. They have yet to win in the league this term but were still only four points behind Bristol at the start of play.

With Cole Stockton still on the books but not in the squad, the Shrimps clearly still have a problem in the striking department. Facing them today was a player in the shape of Aaron Collins whose fortunes were completely changed when Jim Bentley gave him a Second Chance at Morecambe to resume a stalled career as a marksman a few seasons ago. Collins repaid this favour by immediately departing for Pastures New (or, in this case, a New Lawn to be strictly accurate) as soon as the opportunity arose. So no Brownie Points for that to the Welshman.

On Thursday last, the news that 21-year-old Yorkshireman Liam Shaw has been signed on a season-long loan from Celtic was announced by the club.  Liam has also played for Motherwell recently and before that, he played a whole 21 times in the Championship for Sheffield Wednesday. This must be good. But his disciplinary record is a bit suspect given that he has apparently been sent off on average once in every sixteen games he plays.  That isn’t so good but he was thrust straight into the first team today by Derek Adams. Ryan McLaughlin has also left the club `by mutual consent’. I am personally saddened to learn that: I actually think he was underrated as exactly the sort of `defensive midfielder’ that Shaw has been signed to play that role. But what do I know?

The Gas have also made a few loan signings of their own this week before the transfer window shut. Josh Coburn has arrived from Middlesbrough; Sylvester Jasper from Fulham and Bobby Thomas from Burnley. The latter was also given a place in the starting line-up today.

Predicting Morecambe’s formation at the weekend, opposition Manager Joey Barton accused his Opposite Number of playing boring, negative football in these words:

“Hopefully, we don’t get another 5-4-1 but it looks that way based on I’ve been watching them play a bit earlier this week. We can’t be watching that – it’s going to kill for me (the) crowds. We’ve got to remember we’re in the entertainment business.”

Morecambe Supremo Derek Adams, as ever, was far more circumspect in his assessment of reality when speaking about today’s opposition prior to the match:

“They have got a squad that they have built from last season into this season and it is very strong. They are one of the bigger clubs, fan base wise it is excellent, and they always create a good atmosphere when you go there. We are not one of the big boys, we have a good group of players that want to do well and stay in the league for another season.” 

It was overcast but quite warm in Bristol as the game kicked off. Morecambe were on the attack immediately but Jake Taylor’s forward pass to Kieran Phillips caught the Huddersfield loanee just off-side. Old Boy Aaron Collins then immediately caused the first real scare of the afternoon for the visiting defence with barely a minute on the clock. He walloped the ball from all of twenty-five yards out, beat Connor Ripley in the away goal but saw his strike hit the Morecambe post and bounce away to safety. Seven minutes later, his attempt on goal was well blocked by the Shrimps’ defence. With almost ten minutes played, though, Ousmane Fané played a lovely cross into Caleb Watts, whose header was only just wide of the target. With twelve minutes played, the visitors took the lead. Taylor seemed to be about to take a corner kick long but instead passed short to Skipper Donald Love who in turn found Jansen Weir who curled a sumptuous strike around a stranded James Belshaw into the home net. Ripley dropped a scissors kick by John Marquis with about a quarter of an hour played but Farrend Rawson was on hand to clear the ball for a corner which was totally wasted by the hosts. The Pirates’ Sam Finley then fed Danger Man Collins after nineteen minutes and his effort on goal came close again as he only just missed Ripley’s left-hand post by the narrowest of margins. The always threatening ex-Shrimp became provider as the Gas were able to equalise after 29 minutes: fed by former Everton loanee to Morecambe Antony Evans, he sent a long cross over for Ryan Loft to register his third goal in three games by bundling the ball home from very close in. At the other end, Gas new boy Bobby Thomas did well to foil an away attack after about half an hour with an excellent block. On 33 minutes, Phillips again came close with a shot from an acute angle on the Morecambe left which went wide of the far post from his point of view. The irrepressible Collins then drew a tremendous save from Ripley after 41 minutes – Rawson again came to the rescue to block the ex-Shrimps’ striker’s second effort from the rebound with another tremendous block which went for a corner. The visiting custodian then did well to hold a header which came in as a result of the corner kick. Then Aaron Collins finished the half the way he started it by hitting the post again during injury time when he might have done better. So the first period ended all-square with Morecambe playing commendably positively but also riding their luck as the woodwork came to their rescue on a couple of occasions as well.

Rovers won a free-kick almost as soon as the game restarted and Rawson looked for a moment to have put it into his own net but the ball went over the crossbar instead for a corner. Watts did brilliantly to break after 54 minutes and play a killer pass to Phillips, who opened his League One account for the Shrimps with an assured finish. At the other end, Marquis and Loft got in each other’s way after an hour or so but just after this, Jacob Bedeau was forced to head the ball clear. His clearance went towards his own goal instead but Ripley again came to the rescue with a fantastic reaction save to keep it out. The ball went straight up to the other end of the field where Phillips took it with his back to goal and then turned and fired in one movement to produce another excellent save in the match – this time from James Belshaw in the home goal. The game ebbed and flowed for a while after this. Joey Barton sent on a couple of substitutions after just over an hour but when this had no discernible effect, he sent on three more replacements after 71 minutes. Ripley was immediately forced into action after these changes, doing well again to save an effort from Loft after 72 minutes with his legs. Watts was penalised for a foul on Harvey Saunders on the edge of the Morecambe box after 78 minutes. But the visitors’ wall stood firm and the ball was deflected for a corner. From it, debutant Bobby Thomas smashed the ball home at the far post to equalise for the second time on the day for the Pirates. The hosts could have scored anew almost straight from kick-off as Loft tried to find substitute Saunders but Ripley again did well to dive bravely at his feet and smother the chance. He was hurt doing this and had to come off to be replaced by Adam Smith, who faced one of his previous employers for the last eight minutes or so. Weir hit a free-kick straight into the arms of Belshaw in injury time. Then Smith did well to clutch a long-range Luke McCormick effort but there were no clear-cut chances for either side in the dying embers of the game.

It‘s always disappointing to be pegged-back in any game only to settle for a draw at the end of proceedings. But a point on the road was enough to push Morecambe up one place into twenty-third position in League One tonight. The Gas fell to sixteenth. Derek Adams’ thoughts after the match were these:

“I thought that was our best performance of the season. I thought that we played really well. I thought the players who came into the side; the shape of the side; the way we caused Bristol Rovers problems all over the pitch today (was excellent). We were in the ascendency a lot of the time today. I’m delighted with the players: I thought it looked like a really good team performance. The players we took into the side: Liam Shaw was absolutely fantastic today; Caleb Watts came into the game and did really well – and I’m delighted with Kieran getting a goal. The midfield looked strong – Fané and Weir. I thought the back four did really well as well.”  

If you have missed any of the action from Morecambe’s season so far (including the Papa John’s Trophy game against Everton last Tuesday), you can catch up at:

MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB. SECOND SEASON IN LEAGUE ONE: 2022-23.

Bristol Rovers: 1 James Belshaw; 3 Lewis Gordon; 5 Alfie Kilgour (11 Sylvester Jasper 71’); 6 Sam Finley (23 Luke McCormick (Y) 61’); 9 John Marquis (22 Harvey Saunders 61’); 10 Aaron Collins; 15 Paul Coutts (C) (20 Trevor Clarke 71’); 18 Ryan Loft; 21 Antony Evans (19 Harry Anderson 71’); 30 Luca Hoole; 37 Bobby Thomas (Y).

Subs not used:  32 Anssi Jaakkola; 25 Glenn Whelan.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (12 Adam Smith 87’); 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson (Y) (21 Ryan Cooney 80’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 7 Jake Taylor (11 Dylan Connolly 75’); 8 Ousmane Fané; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (25 Adam Major 80’); 20 Liam Shaw; 23 Kieran Phillips.

Subs not used:  18 Shane McLoughlin 26 Cameron Rooney.

Ref: Dean Whitestone.

Att: 8,821.

Owls Far Too Smart For Woeful Shrimps

Last season, Morecambe beat Sheffield Wednesday at the Maz early doors to inflict the Yorkshire team’s first defeat of the season on Darren Clarke’s men in any competition. In the reverse fixture in Sheffield, The Owls came out on top last February by two goals to nil. Prior to that, the two clubs had only met once before, in the FA Cup eleven years ago when Morecambe finally lost 1-2 at home. Tonight, Wednesday arrived in fourth place in League Two, having lost their last game at Hillsborough 0-2 to recently-relegated Barnsley in a local derby. In their last five league games, they have won three and lost two matches. Morecambe, by contrast, started tonight’s game at the other end of the League One table to their visitors: in twenty-second place having failed to win yet in the league at all this season and having lost three of their previous five fixtures.

Derek Adams had this to say about this evening’s opponents prior to kick-off:

“They’ve got quality throughout the team. They’ve got some real quality players; Barry Bannan is a prime example of that, to have the likes of Gregory, Windass as well in that area, they’ve got a very, very good squad. We all know them very well because they’ve played in the Championship, some of them have played in the Premier League as well. They’ve got international players in their squad and that’s why they’re favourites for promotion. They come here, which is always a difficult venue for any team to come to, and as a Club, as a team, we’re looking forward to it. It’s (about) what we do on the day, we’ve got to get at them and cause them problems, which we will do.”

He chose Liam Shaw to face the club he played his entire career for until June of last year. Cole Stockton was also selected to play up-front with Kieran Phillips as twin strikers. For the visitors, Welsh international Will Vaulks – playing on his birthday – was named on the bench. League One’s August Player of the Month – Liam Palmer – started as usual and had a very effective game tonight; defending well but attacking when the chance came his way both skilfully and quickly.

It was a bit chilly today after some hot episodes recently and as the skies darkened and an initially orange moon shrouded in mist gradually came up over the horizon behind the visitors’ stand, it got distinctly nippy.

There was a minute’s (almost) perfect silence before kick-off to commemorate the life of Queen Elizabeth II followed by a pretty weedy rendition of “God Save The King” by the crowd.

The game started at a fair pace and looked fairly evenly balanced most of the time during the first half. Having said that, the Owls indisputably had the lion’s share of the ball and the attacking. In the home goal, Connor Ripley was by far the busier of the two goalkeepers. Although he looked vulnerable as he punched crosses he could have caught and failed to come for balls he should have dealt with particularly from corners, his shot-stopping was exceptional tonight. It needed to be. After twenty minutes, he was at full stretch to his left to push away a neat effort from Josh Windass. Eleven minutes later, he was severely tested again and reacted brilliantly to keep out Reece James’s fierce strike from the edge of the box.

But it wasn’t all Wednesday. Cole Stockton and Kieran Phillips combined well for the only time in the game after twelve minutes and the latter forced a fine save from visiting custodian David Stockdale. Then Ryan Delaney came up from the back and headed narrowly wide from Jake Taylor’s corner with 37 minutes on the clock.

So the first half ended goal-less but with little to choose between the two sides.

That was not the case in the second period, very sadly for Morecambe fans. Sheffield upped the pace and compressed the play and for the entire forty-five minutes simply dominated the match. Morecambe offered little going forward; found it almost impossible to get out of their own half and were constantly pressurised into giving the ball away. Cole Stockton offered virtually nothing all night; failing to hold the ball up; compete effectively in the air or cause any real danger to the visiting defence. His replacement, Arthur Gnahoua, contributed even less. Morecambe looked and played like a team which didn’t understand either the formation they were supposed to be playing nor what their individual roles within the team were. But Wednesday – with diminutive Skipper Barry Bannan here, there and everywhere as he pulled all the strings in midfield – clearly knew what they were about tonight. It took them until the seventieth minute to take the lead despite a multitude of chances and further excellent saves from Ripley. Then, Bannan slung over a corner from their right and there was Windass to head home far too easily at the near post. Eight minutes later, the visitors followed exactly the same routine with exactly the same result – George Byers heading home this time. To rub it in, Windass then turned provider with a perfect ball into Michael Smith’s path which the central striker finished with aplomb with about six minutes left to play.

So that was it – another disjointed and weak display by the Shrimps against another of League One’s Big Boys. This latest defeat saw Morecambe slip one place nearer to relegation to twenty-third position with only four points on the board after eight league games. They are already four points adrift of Forest Green Rovers, who are in twentieth place – and safe. And Nailsworth is the Shrimps’ next port of call on Saturday…

After the game, Derek Adams had this to say about his team’s latest display:

“We had two big chances in the game. Kieran Phillips was through and Delaney had a header as well. We could have scored a couple of goals from that and that would have given us confidence. There were a few times when we got ourselves into good positions (and) we gave the ball away. At this level, you can’t do (that). You saw when Sheffield Wednesday had the ball and they broke and they were able to find a man and their quality shone through.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (8 Ousmane Fané 79’); 9 Cole Stockton (13 Arthur Gnahoua (63’); 15 Jensen Weir (18 Shane McLoughlin 78’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw; 23 Kieran Phillips (19 Jon Obika 87’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 11 Dylan Connolly; 21 Ryan Cooney; 25 Adam Major; 26 Cameron Rooney.

Sheffield Wednesday: 31 David Stockdale; 2 Liam Palmer; 9 Lee Gregory (13 Callum Paterson 83’); 10 Barry Bannan (C) (4 Will Vaulks 83’); 11 Josh Windass (6 Dominic Iorfa 83’); 14 George Byers; 24 Michael Smith; 33 Reece James; 34Mark McGuinness (Y); 45 Alex Mighten (18 Marvin Johnson 63’).

Subs not used:   25 Cameron Dawson; 7 Mallik Wilks; 17 Fisayo Dele-Bashiru.

Ref: Andrew Kitchen.

Att: 5,148 (1,779 from Sheffield).

When I first started supplying the match reports I was already writing for Vital football to new internet site D3D4 in 2017, it took no time at all for its editor to encourage me to write football-related articles to go with these things. So I did so. What follows is the first one I produced. Editor James rang me almost as soon as he posted this on-line and told me it had received a record number of hits (2,500+ in no time at all) for his site. Subsequently, he told me that this article remained Top of the D3/D4 Pops because clubs which had never previously encountered Forest Green Rovers read it in their droves even years after it first appeared. So, with Morecambe due to visit The New Lawn again tomorrow,  I think it’s worth reprinting here…

The Forest Green Rovers Experience by Roger Fitton

D3D4 Morecambe Correspondent documents his recent trip to Nailsworth to see how things at Forest Green Rovers are done differently…

Experiencing Another Way.

I’ve been personally looking forward to this day ever since Forest Green spoilt the Rovers Return by overcoming Tranmere at Wembley in the National League Play-Off Final earlier this year to win a place in the Football League for the first time in their history.

Forest Green Rovers initially came to my attention when the man who rebuilt Morecambe Football Club to be in a fit shape to enter the Football League – Jim Harvey – went there as Manager after the Morecambe Board treated him disgracefully after he had a heart attack in the changing rooms at Christie Park before a game against Cambridge United during 2005: the longest-serving manager in the Football Conference at the time was sacked by them as soon as he recovered – to their eternal shame.

Since Jim took charge at the New Lawn – which had just been built a short distance from their previous ground – there have been many changes at the Gloucestershire club. Belying the reality that Nailsworth – where the club is based – is a tiny place, Forest Green defied predictions of their demise even as a Conference club year after year before current Chairman Dale Vince took-over in 2010. He oversaw a revolution at the club both on and off the field. The owner of an `environmentally friendly’ power company and described as `Britain’s Richest Hippy’ by some business websites, Chairman Vince implemented new policies at the club including the gradual withdrawal of all meat-based and then dairy-derived products not only from his players’ diets but also from the catering throughout the ground.

 “It’s fairly widely known that red meat is bad for performance and it isn’t uncommon for top athletes to avoid it, but it’s less common in football” he explains, adding: “Typically football food is hideous. Burgers are the most awful parts of an animal and are really unappealing products that are cheap as dirt. We’ve replaced them with really high quality plant-based food.”

 It seems self-evident to me that if vegetarianism is good enough for Sergio Aguero, it’s surely good enough for most professional footballers, isn’t it?

Having said that, there is a vast difference between veggies and Vegans. I have a vague notion that it is understandable that many people might have the same attitude towards Veganism as George Bernard Shaw had to another movement in vogue in his era: `the only thing wrong with Socialism is Socialists’ he said – or words to that effect.

Vegans have a reputation, sadly, for being earnest and self-righteous individuals with a virtually fascist attitude to what they do: not attributes which are generally admirable and precisely the sort of attitude which causes non-Vegans to see them as cranky in more than one sense of the term. However, if you have any doubt that a Vegan diet means that you might as well wear a Hair Shirt as well, you clearly haven’t been to the Whale Tail cafe in Lancaster: I heartily recommend their menu and if you don’t like the look of the main courses, remember Marie Antionette and just eat the Vegan cakes instead – you won’t be disappointed…

As someone who has not knowingly eaten meat (murder) or fish (justifiable homicide as they say) for almost forty years, I personally couldn’t wait to get my hands on some of the nosh for sale at The New Lawn. Thinking “Hippies; Buddhist beliefs; Tibet; Yaks”, it occurred to me that there might be Yakamole for instance. (But then it occurred to me that, as a Yak is an animal, this wouldn’t happen. I’m a bit slow sometimes and it then occurred to me that Guacamole is vegan anyway – except if you make it with real Moles, of course…) But whatever was actually on the menu, if I could wash it down with a pint of organic beer from the nearby Stroud Brewery in the Green Man pub which is part of the ground, all the better…

But back to Forest Green Rovers and their own philosophy. All their players are required to eat a meat-free diet, even manager Mark Cooper. (I must admit I find it difficult to imagine Mark’s dad – Terry Cooper, who was part of Don Revie’s Leeds United team which included such bruisers as Norman `Bite Yer Legs’ Hunter, Johnny Giles and Billy Bremner – ever accepting a diet which didn’t include meat – unless cannibalism was excepted, of course.) The club claim to have been described by FIFA as officially the most environmentally-friendly on the planet (I wonder how many vegan pies they had to slip their way to get that accolade, suggests he cynically) and – among their many other claims to fame, even have a robot lawn mower to cut the old as well as the new lawn presumably.

So here we have a Right-On forward-looking club setting Another Way for running a football club (and with the latest goings-on this week back home in Morecambe, I don’t personally feel in any position to criticise the way any club is run differently at the moment to be honest…), where the lawn is humanely manicured, no animals are forced to suffer, the electricity is renewable, the plan is sustainable and… whoa! – hold on a minute…

I was forced to question my quaint notions that I was visiting the Green Republic of Nailsworth and an alternative way of doing things as soon as I looked at the ticketing arrangements listed by Forest Green on Morecambe FC’s website a couple of weeks before the game. At other grounds I have visited to watch the Shrimps: Carlisle; Hereford; Bradford; Blackpool; Bury; York City; Wrexham – you name it – opposition supporters have been shepherded into covered seats from which they could watch the contest without being at the mercy of the elements. At Fleetwood and Dagenham & Redbridge, you could stand if you wanted to but only Accrington Stanley in my previous experience required visiting fans to stand in the open come hail, rain or shine whether they wanted to or not: but that’s probably what you would expect from a pretty Neanderthal outfit playing in probably the worst stadium in the EFL. At The New Lawn, I was expecting at least Yurts filled with large cushions stuffed with organically grown Kapok or something even better to welcome supporters from elsewhere. So imagine my astonishment when I read the following before setting off for deepest, darkest Gloucestershire:

 “All away fans are invited to watch the match from our West Terrace (standing only), which can hold up to 808 people.

The West Terrace is an uncovered standing terrace at the moment and we have plans to create a covered seating area, but it won’t be ready in time for your arrival unfortunately.

That said, we’d advise fans to bring appropriate clothing in case of inclement weather particularly as The New Lawn is on top of a hill and is exposed to the elements.” 

So it would appear that the only cruelty to animals that Forest Green Rovers (the Green Devils) actually promotes is that to the human beings who have the misfortune to support someone else. If the New Lawn was the mixture of downgraded chicken sheds, grown-up Meccano and whatever other building cast-offs Accrington’s Crown Ground is made of, they might have an excuse. But this stadium is less than ten years old: it was designed to be like this. So Boo and Hiss, Hippies; Green Devils indeed! My partner Anne intended to come with me on this adventure today but when she saw the above she decided that the thought of a 65-year old woman recovering from a stroke which she endured fourteen months ago paying eighteen quid to stand in potentially freezing weather in the rain was not only taking a liberty but also taking something else wet, totally natural but not necessarily organic as well…

So I went on my own, having first looked-up the address of The New Lawn (it’s: Another Way, Nailsworth, Gloucestershire) on Google Earth.

I was surprised how much bits of Gloucestershire around Stroud and Nailsworth actually looked like Lancashire because of the number of old brick-built textile mills in the vicinity. This hardly chimed with my preconception of the Cotswolds but after we passed through Nailsworth and headed further south towards Tetbury (where Anne, effectively banished from The New Lawn for being too old and too wobbly on her pins would spend the afternoon looking at overpriced ‘local crafts’ and other tat in their tourist trap `antique’ shops), the preconceptions were fulfilled. No – not necessarily the tourist tat but the green panorama and chocolate box buildings. No dark Satanic mills here, thank you very much.

I dropped her off just before two o’clock and headed back the eight or so miles to Nailsworth and followed the signs from the centre of the place up a very long steep hill until I reached the `overflow’ carpark at Forest Green and parked on the playground of a school adjacent to The New Lawn. I got out, exchanged pleasantries with a few other people on Missionary work from Morecambe and then walked the short distance to the ground, where I bought a ticket and a programme.

I’d dressed in green specially to make this pilgrimage and intended to visit the Green Man next to break bread (organic) and have an (orgasmic) pint of naturally brewed beer.

But a man with an orange reflective jacket and a Gloucestershire accent so impenetrable that I first thought he was trying to sell me a Forest Green Lottery ticket escorted me from the premises. Or would have done if I hadn’t guessed that what he was actually saying was `home supporters only’.

“Where do I get a pint then?” I asked:

`Round the corner…”

If he’d added `in a tent’, I would have had another vision of some sort of Yurt. But this doesn’t look much like a Yurt to me:

The beer – as promised in Forest Green’s propaganda – was organic and from Stroud Brewery. From a bottle. I’d already bought an onion bhaji wrap from an adjacent Indian Food stall and it was really delicious. The beer wasn’t bad either and you can’t complain about the way it was served – biodegradable cup and everything…

As I stuffed my face and wet my whistle, I got talking to another Forest Green Steward (note the bars between me and her. Animals in a pen? At FGR? Surely not…)

This was a female one and when I mentioned that I would not be all alone if it were possible to actually sit down as an Away supporter, she became quite indignant. If I had taken the trouble to ring the club in advance, space would have been made in the main stand for anyone with mobility difficulties. “And how would I know that as an Away supporter?” Face the East and go “Om!” preferably from Stonehenge? No  – don’t be silly. “This is the fault of your club: they should have published this information in advance!” “I’ve no reason to believe that Morecambe  didn’t publish all the information they were sent by your club” I said, “But there’s no mention of it there. Your lot told us to come prepared for bad weather!” She was not happy about this and said she would be `raising this issue’ with the Forest Green hierarchy – and I’m sure she will. In fact, she was very friendly and gave me this lovely smile to share with you all:

Once inside the ground, there was no escape from the fact that Forest Green is not a football club like any other I know of. Here’s the menu for those of us not already stuffed full of beer and Indian food:

And if you want a cup of tea, remember that you ain’t going to get any milk in it (I’m not entirely sure the cup and the cover which went with it are quite as Right-On as the one with the beer had been but nobody’s perfect…):

And if anyone was still in any doubt about being in a Vegan wonderland, this sign and the flagpole with a skull-and-crossbones flag attached to it were further clues, as was the eight-page supplement called Vegan Forest Rovers in the middle of the matchday programme.

And if you still hadn’t got the message, the announcement over the PA that today’s sponsors were `itseasy2bvegan’ means that only the wilfully deaf and blind could ignore the fact.

I wish the club well personally. I didn’t enjoy what happened on the field during the next two hours or so (Morecambe lost two-nil to fall into the relegation zone at the bottom of League Two) but I hope that both clubs will meat – sorry – meet again next season in the EFL.

I don’t know how much it costs to visit a Premiership football ground but I can tell you what it cost me in strict cash terms to visit Forest Green today after I had paid for the diesel for the 400+ mile round journey: A fiver to park; the same for the Indian wrap; eighteen pounds to get in; three quid for a programme; £1.60 for a cup of tea and four quid for a bottle of beer. Total: £36.60. It’s not a cheap day out…

But at least it didn’t rain…

Except in my heart. 

No GBH at FGR

Morecambe renewed an old acquaintanceship with Forest Green Rovers today when they visited Nailsworth in Gloucestershire for the first time in two years. There, the only Vegan football club on the planet are experiencing their first exploratory steps on the lofty plain of League One football. It hasn’t gone brilliantly so far. Even before the new season started, Right-On FGR Chairman Dale Vince had made it very plain that the way Watford had poached the Manager who had steered Forest Green out of League Two – Rob Edwards – without approaching him or the club about their intentions was a very shabby piece of business. Left in the lurch at the very last minute, Chairman Vince turned to Ian Burchnall to pick up the baton and attempt to consolidate Forest’s new-found status at the highest level of English football they have ever competed in. Of the eight games they have played so far, FGR have won two, drawn two and lost the rest. This record placed them in twentieth place in League One – enough (just) to make them safe if the competition had ended last Tuesday, when they earned a 1-1 draw at Charlton. In previous EFL meetings with Morecambe, Forest Green have a marginally better record having won three of seven League Two games (an eighth was cancelled due to the Covid pandemic) and lost two.

Morecambe, on the other hand, arrived at the New Lawn on the back of something of a crisis. Derek Adams’ team have yet to win this term in League One and with a paltry four points from eight games so far, languished next to the bottom of the table at the start of play. The Usual Suspects loudly suggest that Mr Adams should be sacked and drone on about negative football, weak personnel yada yada yada. They have very short memories. King Derek steered the club into League One in the first place. He has explained repeatedly that he is hamstrung by what is in a reality a very small budget by long-term deals offered by the former regime of Stephen Robinson to players who are now surplus to requirements. Derek’s career has been built on his ability to coach journeymen footballers and men not playing to their true potential into effective units. He did it last season with a team which would have been relegated for certain if Robbo hadn’t left the club in the lurch at the time he chose to do so. Derek may or may not be able to do so again this season with the players he has available to him. But – and this is the question the doubters conveniently overlook – who do they think could do a better job than the current Manager with the resources which are available to him? In my view, they could do with a reality check. It’s not nice as a supporter to see your favourite team repeatedly lose. But as a football fan – as in life itself – everybody needs to learn to take the rough with the smooth. If you can’t, the one certainty you can rely on is that life is going to be a major disappointment. Whingeing about it is not in any way constructive. Derek Adams is the best thing that has ever happened to Morecambe Football Club. In my view, we all need to look at things from the Manager’s point of view – and get behind both him and his players.

Derek didn’t shy away from the potential significance of today’s game before it happened:

“I think that when you do get promoted, you either go on a good run of results or it goes the opposite way for you. We just have to go there and put the onus on Forest Green. We’ll have more of the ball probably than we did on Tuesday. We’ll obviously get more chances as well because of the nature of the opposition. These are the teams we’ve got the best opportunity of beating. We’re not far away from getting those wins that will take us further up the league. The difficulty for us (is) we’re playing against technically good sides and we haven’t been able to get the better of them at this stage. There comes a time where that’ll turn because, as you can see, the quality is there. We’ve got some technically very good players in this division. Shaw has come in and played the last two games. Taylor and Weir in midfield have played very well for large aspects. All in all, I’m happy with the group we’ve got.”

The Boss started with the same line-up which played on Tuesday night.  So did Forest Green. Their Head Coach Ian Burchnall had this to say prior to the match:

“It’s a different kind of game. (They are) a really competitive team. Derek Adams will have them extremely well organised. I know they are disciplined. They’re probably disappointed with their points return so far. But I think even against Sheffield Wednesday, they played a really good team and showed some good moments in that game where you know that they can be a threat. So I think we have to be really on our top game.”

It was sunny at times in Nailsworth with a cool breeze this afternoon. After the crowd paid its collective respects to the late Queen and then sang a truly dreadful version of `God Save The King’, the match began. Following a half-hearted appeal for a penalty by the home crowd in the opening minute, the ball found Morecambe Skipper Donald Love unmarked in the centre forward position and he produced a shot which home custodian Luke McGee did well to push away for a corner. It was Even Stevens for a while after that with the best chance falling to the Green Devils after ten minutes when Connor Wickham’s low cross evaded everyone in the middle and went out for a goal kick. Jensen Weir then took a pretty wild shot after some really good approach play by the visitors with a quarter of an hour on the clock. Oliver Casey then headed Corey O’Keefe’s corner narrowly wide two minutes later. At the other end, Weir came even closer with a fierce volley which only just missed the target after eighteen minutes. Within sixty seconds, Jake Taylor then played a fine pass to Kieran Phillips, who rounded McGee only to see his shot deflected against the home crossbar by Jordan Moore-Taylor among the massed ranks of home defence and bounce back into the keeper’s arms. Out of nowhere, though, FGR took the lead after half an hour when O’Keefe nudged the ball towards the experienced Wycombe, who chanced his arm with a shot–come-lob from the edge of the penalty area which looped over Connor Ripley into the top corner of the away goal. Myles Peart-Harris then came close again for the hosts with 37 minutes played; walloping a shot from distance which was only just off-target. Another blow for Morecambe arrived in the thirty-ninth minute when Liam Gibson hobbled off with an obvious problem. Liam Shaw then got it all wrong when well placed with a few minutes left to play and then Farrend Rawson drew a good save from McGee with a volley from close range in the forty-third minute . But just before the break, the impressive Phillips equalised for the Shrimps when he scored his second league goal with a lovely finish. His first attempt had been well saved by McGee but Kieran won the second ball and wove his way brilliantly through the Rovers’ defence to cleverly chip the ball over the home goalkeeper. So it ended all-square at half time – and deservedly so. With a little more luck, the visitors could have actually have been in the lead.

Morecambe started the second half on the front foot and Cole Stockton would have opened his account for the season had not McGee made a brilliant save from his powerful strike at the cost of a corner after 48 minutes. From this, FGR immediately counter-attacked via impressive Chelsea loanee Bryan Fiabema and then Wycombe, who drew an excellent stop from Ripley with another fierce shot. The visiting goalkeeper then did really well to tip a header from Dominic Bernard over his bar for another corner kick which Rawson headed away. This was after fifty-one minutes. Just before the hour, McGee was called into action at the other end as Jake Taylor set-up Phillips for another tremendous strike which the home stopper deflected away from danger with clenched fists. The game deteriorated into a pretty scrappy affair for a while after this with neither side making any clear-cut chances until injury time. Then, Weir took a tremendous free-kick and found Rawson at the far post to head joyfully home against his former club and earn Morecambe’s first three points of this season’s campaign.

Nobody could say they didn’t deserve it. To come from behind to win with a performance where they were always solid at the back but constantly a threat going forward too is a tribute mostly to the players but particularly the Manager for sticking with a line-up and a formation which he said prior to the game he had total confidence in.

Despite the win, the Shrimps still find themselves in the bottom four of League One this evening. They are still next to the bottom but find themselves only a single point behind today’s hosts this evening.

Derek Adams said about the victory:

“We obviously deserved it. It was a very good performance from us today. We dominated the game for large spells. It was a thoroughly professional performance here today from us: the way we kept the ball; the way we kept on pushing Forest Green back. We’re delighted for the players. We said to them today `Just go and enjoy the game’ because we know we are coming up against a team that’s going to be around about us in the league table. We’ve played against a team that’s going to be at the top of the league table and the differences are massive. In the end, we’ve got a team that have shown throughout the season how well they can play. And they’ve done that again today.”

Forest Green Rovers: 1 Luke McGee; 2 Corey O’Keeffe (Y); 3 Dominic Bernard (C); 5 Oliver Casey; 8 Regan Hendry (7 Ben Stevenson 80’); 15 Jordan Moore-Taylor; 18 Bryan Fiabema; 21 Connor Wickham (Y); 23 Christian Fernandes-Marques; 25 Myles Peart-Harris (29 Reece Brown 74’); 26 David Davis (10 Armani Little 61’).

Subs not used: 24 Lewis Thomas; 16 Jacob Jones; 17 Kyle McCallister; 27 Harvey Bunker.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson (21 Ryan Cooney (Y) 39’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (13 Arthur Gnahoua 66’); 9 Cole Stockton (11 Dylan Connolly 83’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (8 Ousmane Fané 83’); 23 Kieran Phillips.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 18 Shane McLoughlin; 19 Jon Obika; 22Anthony O’Connor.

Ref: Ollie Yates.

Att: 2,601 (112 from Morecambe)

Morecambe entertained Hartlepool (or is it Hartlepools United? – answers to the club itself not me, please) on Tuesday night last in the Junk Food Cup or whatever it’s called. For the visitors, this was the first outing for former Manchester City star and Carlisle United Manager Keith Curle as their new interim boss. This followed the sacking of Paul Hartley, who failed to guide Pools to even one victory in his nine match stint in charge of the League Two club, which currently find itself next to bottom of the table, two points ahead of Jim Bentley and Toumani Diagouraga’s Rochdale but also two points behind Gillingham, who have accrued six points so far. The Goalkeeping Coach brought to the club by Hartley as Goalkeeping Coach – our old pal Kyle Letheren – has apparently (and hopefully) survived the purge because he was named as a substitute by Mr Curle for the visitors last Tuesday.

In a game which will not linger long in the memory, the ninety minutes ended with no goals scored by either side. In the Penalty Shoot-Out which ensued, Jensen Weir scored from the second spot kick. Colleagues Cole Stockton, Ryan Cooney and then Skipper Donald Love followed his lead. Given that Adam Smith had saved Euan Murray’s first attempt for the visitors and then thwarted a second effort from David Ferguson as well, no further spot-kicks were required and Morecambe won the game 4-2.

Despite losing on the night, the visitors still found themselves right at the top of the Group A table after the game. Extraordinarily for this competition at least, the result saw the Shrimps level on points with them in second place.

Wow…

This was the starting line-up which Derek Adams chose for tonight’s encounter:

Adam Smith; Liam Gibson; Ousmane Fané; Dylan Connolly; Arthur Gnahoua; Jacob Bedeau; Shane McLoughlin; Jon Obika; Anthony O’Connor and Adam Major

Obika, Mayor and Gibson were replaced by Cole Stockton, Liam Shaw and Donald Love during the second half. Both Fané and Love managed to pick-up bookings tonight.

The Boss has this to say after Morecambe’s latest victory in this competition:

“Overall, we’re happy to get to four points in the section. Adam Smith made two very good saves in the penalty shoot-out. The penalties were very good in themselves. We probably should’ve scored in the game. We’ve had some good opportunities (and) their goalkeeper made a great save at the end; a double save. All the penalties were good; Cole’s was excellent into the top corner; Jensen Weir’s as well. Ryan Cooney and Donald Love’s:  they were all very good penalties (too). (Hartlepool) have a new manager that’s watching here tonight. He was in the dressing room before the game, so we’re not surprised they gave us a game tonight. We had a very good, strong side, a lot of appearances in the football league (between them). They just haven’t had much game time this season and we’re delighted to get them match time today. It’s difficult because they haven’t played for many weeks – and to come into competitive action against a team who’ve got a new manager; it’s always difficult.”

934 supporters attended the game, with 71 of them being from Hartlepool.

United We Slump…

Before we go any further, let’s quickly at least mention the cloud we must all be aware of which lies just over the horizon to the south at the moment but which could be heading this way depending which way the wind blows in the next few days or weeks.

This concerns Worcester Warriors Rugby Union Club. The RFU (Rugby Football Union) ruled a couple of weeks ago:

“The RFU and Premiership Rugby have been in regular dialogue with the RPA (Rugby Players Association), DCMS (Department for Culture, Media and Sport) and Worcester Warriors, and the Premiership clubs since a winding up petition was filed by HMRC. As a result of assurances provided on payment of salaries and insurance cover they are able to participate in Premiership Rugby. We will continue to work together to provide the Worcester Warriors owners with the best opportunity for developing their future sustainability plans.”

Last week, the Guardian had this to say about latest developments at the rugby club:

“Worcester’s director of rugby, Steve Diamond, says his team “cannot keep going” in the Gallagher Premiership beyond the next few days unless a deal can be done to ease the club’s increasingly acute cashflow crisis. There are fears the Warriors’ weekend loss to Exeter could be the last league fixture the club is able to fulfil without urgent fresh investment.

In a statement released on Sunday, the club’s owners insisted a new buyer was still keen to take over and that a formal announcement of a sale would be forthcoming “in the next 48 hours”. Within the club, however, trust has virtually evaporated and there is not even enough money available to register loan players with the Rugby Football Union before Wednesday’s Premiership Cup fixture against Gloucester. Diamond also cannot yet say for certain whether Saturday’s home game against Newcastle will go ahead, with the Exeter match having been staged only because volunteers offered to cover stewarding and medical requirements. “We are on the never-never at the minute, we can’t keep going,” said Diamond, having seen his side give a valiant display in a 36-21 defeat to the Chiefs.

“An answer is going to have to come this week. The players are now working in arrears. I don’t know how long we can keep going but a line has to be drawn. It’s quite embarrassing for us to call ourselves a high-performance environment and for me to be involved when we are dealing with what we are dealing with. It’s like the old days of professional sport, a bit of shamateurism.”

There are even allegations of staff currently owed money having been threatened with the sack after criticism of the owners on social media. Diamond said: “If anybody has been threatened or bullied in the building, which allegedly has happened, I can’t believe it when people have given up their free time and volunteered to come into work when they’re not getting paid.”

41-year-old Warriors’ Coach Jonny Goodridge and former player Mat Gilbert have come out of retirement to play for the stricken club as it is All Hands To The Pumps to desperately try and keep Worcester afloat.  The Times adds to this tale of woe:

“The co-owner of a Premiership rugby club has been banned from working for lawyers after misleading a foreign prince in a failed £8 million luxury car deal. Colin Goldring, who jointly owns Worcester Warriors, was found to have “misled” a “low-standing” member of an unidentified royal family in the attempted purchase of two Ferraris and a Bugatti Chiron. He has been banned from working in the legal profession unless granted regulatory permission.”

What must concern all Shrimps supporters is that Colin Goldring – along with Jason Whittingham – own our club as well. During the week, Worcester’s Tory MP Robin Walker didn’t mince his words when he told parliament about Warriors’ current crisis: “The current owners of the club have brought it to the brink of financial collapse.”

Rumours are swirling around that these two gentleman have been involved in further murky dealings – including raising a huge `loan’ using our club as collateral. These rumours may or may not be true. Given the lack of clarity concerning the ongoing crisis involving both Worcester and Messrs Goldring and Whittingham (to say nothing of the libel laws in this country) it is safest to say nothing further at the moment except: watch this space – and – good luck to Warriors and its fans…

Now to less contentious things. Cambridge United made the long trip to north Lancashire today hoping to put an end to a losing streak of the last two games out of five. They had won the previous two and drawn the one before that but successive defeats at Cheltenham and then at home 0-3 to Barnsley last Saturday have seen them slip out of the Play-Off positions into ninth place in League one. Against the Tykes, the U’s only faced ten men for the final half an hour of the match – plus Barnsley’s reserve goalkeeper – but still contrived to ship a further two goals.

We all remember that the Shrimps – as a non-league club – beat EFL Cambridge 2-1 in the FA Cup at Christie Park in the year 2000. But since then, United have also inflicted Morecambe’s record defeat – seven-nil – on them in the Football League at the Abbey Stadium in 2016 and annihilated them again at today’s venue 0-5 just two years ago almost to the day. In their last six matches against today’s opponents, Morecambe have only drawn one and lost five. In League One specifically, Stephen Robinson’s Shrimps lost to the Amber Army last season at home 0-2. Once the Ulsterman had packed his bags and taken the High Road, though, Morecambe faced the High Jump in the Fens, being beaten 2-1 in one of Shrimps’ Redeemer  Derek Adams’ early attempts to rescue the team bequeathed to him as a poisoned chalice by the departed Manager. This was only last April but the squad – and particularly the starting eleven – he selected today was virtually unrecognisable from the one he had few options but to choose then.

Here is the team he chose to start then: Trevor Carson; Greg Leigh; Jacob Bedeau; Cole Stockton; Aaron Wildig (C); Dylan Connolly; Adam Phillips; Liam Gibson; Arthur Gnahoua; Ousmane Fané; Rhys Bennett.

The man so aptly described as `the integral engineer’ of Morecambe’s recent success and survival by Cambridge’s website had this to say about how he feels things are going at this stage of the season prior to the match:

“We’re delighted with the progress we are making. We’ve played a lot of difficult games this season. We’ve played a number of Championship teams in Stoke City and Rotherham and been able to win these games in the League Cup to progress. In the league, we’ve played a top team in Sheffield Wednesday here which is always difficult, and we’ve been away in tough fixtures. We understand we’ve got to cut the points between ourselves and the ones above us. We’re only five points off tenth position, so it’s an extremely tough and tight league. We’ve been unfortunate a number of times this season not to have won games. We’ve come close a number of times; Bristol Rovers and Fleetwood Town: they’re the two fixtures we feel we probably could’ve won. The rest of the games have been very tough, but that’s the division we’re in.”

As far as Cambridge United is concerned, he added:

“They’re the same as ourselves. We got up to League One at the same time and have been able to stay in the division last year. Like us, they’re trying to fight to stay there this year. To get a home victory would be nice, we’re probably due it with the performances we’ve had. We’ve been unfortunate not to have been able to get those three points. It’s that balancing act – and it is difficult to win games in this division. But if you can, the points total – the three points – is hugely beneficial to you. We’ve been trying our hardest but, in the end, sometimes a draw can be good. At the end of the day, it depends on circumstances in the game (and) we’ve been able to pick up some good draws.”

United Manager Mark Bonner’s Assistant Head Coach Gary Waddock talked about the forthcoming fixture in these terms:

“They’ve got a good group of players there and some real threats in their frontline. The manager knows the level; he’s a good and experienced manager. It’s going to be a tough game for us. When we’re playing teams in and around us, on the same level as us, we’d like to perform well firstly, and pick up points against them. That was the key last year, and it’ll be similar this year. The players that were here last year did so well, they deserve their opportunity again. You want competition, and that’s hopefully what we’ve been able to do here. Everyone wants to play in every game, but Mark has been really good in the way he has rotated the group. If you come out of the team, you’re not out of the team for very long, so you have to make sure you’re performing while you’re in it because you have to leave your mark.”

It was sunny but quite breezy in north Lancashire all day today. Cambridge – making a very passable impression of Coventry City in their all-Sky Blue strip – looked well-drilled and played some progressive football right from the start. But Morecambe took the lead in the 12th minute with a really good goal. Kieran Phillips received the ball in midfield and then played in Jensen Weir down the Shrimps’ right. I personally thought that Jensen had flunked the chance with a poor first touch but he recovered brilliantly to beat visiting goalkeeper Dimitar Mitov low to his left. So the man who had been on-loan last season with the Amber Army scored against his former team.

This was as good as it got today for the home side. As we all stood to applaud for  sixty seconds in memory of long-term Shrimps’ Fan Tom Dixon with seventeen minutes on the clock, Cambridge were continuing to play some neat football and might have equalised a lot earlier than they actually did. In the twentieth minute, Sam Smith’s last-second lunge at a Paul Digby free-kick on the United left was well stopped by a reflex save from Connor Ripley. Then the same player was denied by a possibly even better stop just a minute later. The visitors were dominating play at this juncture and it was no surprise when they equalised after half an hour. Harrison Dunk made good progress down their left wing and then sent over a perfect cross for Jack Lankester to direct past the home keeper from quite close in. So it ended one each at half time but the visitors – in all truth – had probably just about shaded the play.

Mark Bonner clearly told his troops to increase the pace and push further up the field in the second half. Morecambe thus found themselves playing on the break most of the time. That said, they had the first two decent chances of the second period, which both fell to Kieran Phillips.  He dragged the ball wide with an instant shot after 49 minutes which could have restored the Shrimps’ lead if he had managed to get hold of it properly. Then he couldn’t quite grow enough to be able to head Skipper Donald Love’s cross from the right on target a couple of minutes later. Up the other end of the field, Smith actually beat Ripley after fifty-five minutes but smashed his resulting shot into the side netting. At the other end, Lloyd Jones did really well a couple of minutes later to block live wire Phillips’ attempt on goal shortly afterwards.

Both Managers made lots of changes around the seventy minute mark. But Mr Bonner’s proved to be the most effective. Once Cole Stockton – who looked more like his old self today – was taken-off, Morecambe seemed to lack any focal point up-front. But United, if anything, stepped up a notch. For a period after all the changes, the hosts struggled continually to even get a touch of the ball as the `Us’ pinged it around confidently and constantly probed for openings. The decisive moment in the match duly arrived after substitute Harvey Knibbs ran purposefully from midfield and controlled fellow-sub Shilow Tracey’s cross from the Cambridge right to beat Ripley convincingly from quite close range. After this, Morecambe actually roused themselves and gave the visitors at least a bit of a game for the remaining seven or so minutes. But it was too little, far too late.

King Derek was right when he said that teams like Cambridge are the ones we really need to be seeing-off in this division to stand any chance of survival. United are not one of the Leading Lights in the division but in striker Joe Ironside – who caused all sorts of trouble for the Shrimps’ defence all the time he was on the pitch, they have a genuine handful of a Centre Forward.  Skipper Paul Digby impressed throughout too with a performance which reminded me, at least, of what we are missing in the shape of Aaron Wildig. For me, the actual Man of the Match today was Zeno Rossi at the back: he had a phenomenal game throughout.

For Morecambe, official Man of the Match Jensen Weir had a really good game too. In my view – for what it’s worth – Jake Taylor was the best player in a red shirt this afternoon. Ryan Delaney was good too and most of the defence – particularly Gibbo – performed well. But you just have a nagging feeling that something is still missing.

King Derek had this to say after the game:

“They get the goal at the end which is a sucker punch to us. Liam Gibson got into the box; unfortunately, he could’ve cut it back, but has a shot at goal. And then we misplace a pass in the middle of the pitch – a square pass – and they’re on the end of it. They didn’t really look like they were going to get that second goal, it looked like it could’ve been 1-1 at the end of the day. But in the end, they’ve got that victory.

We got ourselves into good areas at times, but the final ball wasn’t good enough from us. If it had been, it would’ve led to an opportunity. Today, we didn’t find that solution, and that’s why we haven’t won the game.”

The loss saw Morecambe remain next to bottom of League One. Cambridge went back up to seventh. Even at this very early stage of the season, it is becoming to be clear who are the other favourites for relegation this term. And these are Burton Albion, FGR, Cheltenham and Bristol Rovers. The latter were beaten at home 0-1 today by old adversaries Accrington Stanley. And guess who are up next in Morecambe’s struggle for survival?

Finally, spare a thought for Worcester Warriors fans this evening. Their club was bottom of the Premiership Ruby table with no points before play today but then thrashed Newcastle Falcons against all odds by 39 points to 5. Lions led by Donkeys yet again. The BBC tells us, though:

“Worcester Warriors director of rugby Steve Diamond has described the imminent threat of his ailing club going into administration as “like the death of a dog”. Warriors have been cleared to host Saturday’s Premiership game with Newcastle Falcons. But the club must provide the Rugby Football Union with proof of funds to continue on Monday or face suspension.

“I just don’t know how it’s got to this position,” Diamond told BBC Sport. “It’s sad and it’s diabolical that it’s been allowed to walk itself to the graveyard.”

After weeks of uncertainty surrounding the club’s future since HMRC issued a winding-up petition over an unpaid £6m tax bill, a further £14m owed in Covid sports survival loan payments, underpaid and late payments to players and staff, and some non-payments to suppliers and part-time staff, under-fire co-owners Jason Whittingham and Colin Goldring are still to announce positive action.”

But for the grace of god…

If you have missed any of the action from Morecambe’s season so far (including the Papa John’s Trophy game against Hartlepool last Tuesday), you can catch up at:

MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB. SECOND SEASON IN LEAGUE ONE: 2022-23.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (8 Ousmane Fané 73’); 9 Cole Stockton (13 Arthur Gnahoua 73’); 15 Jensen Weir (Y); 16 Jacob Bedeau (11 Dylan Connolly 72’); 20 Liam Shaw (22 Anthony O’Connor 84’); 23 Kieran Phillips (19 Jon Obika 81’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 21 Ryan Cooney.

Cambridge United: 1 Dimitar Mitov; 2 George Williams; 4 Paul Digby (C); 6 Lloyd Jones; 7 James Brophy (18 Shilow Tracey 65’); 9 Joe Ironside (20 Feiiri Okenabirhie 85’); 10 Sam Smith; 11 Harrison Dunk; 14 Jack Lankester (26 Harvey Knibbs 73’); 16 Zeno Rossi; 19 Adam May.

Subs not used:  5 Greg Taylor; 8 Liam O’Neil; 15 Jubril Okedena; 25 William Mannion.

Ref: Robert Madden. The Scotsman had a very erratic game today which was littered with basic mistakes.

Att: 3,917 (307 from Cambridge.)

A Story of Morecambe, Accrington – and Oldham.

I had a really bad dream which actually woke me up the other day. In it, two nefarious creatures of the night had crept along the sewers to the Mazuma Arena, slithered up the waste pipes and emerged – slimy, stinking and very, very scary – from a toilet and then squelched their way to the Board Room. There, they squirted ink from various bodily orifices all over a Contract which was lying on the Board Room table. In doing so, they changed the Maz into Morecambe Stadium Limited. In a stroke (as can only happen in nightmares) these things actually owned it. The team I have supported all my life suddenly became tenants – for the first time ever. The Hospitality and all the other things which actually generated revenue to keep the club going were suddenly owned by them alone.

And how these diabolical things laughed after the dreadful deed was done. And laughed. And laughed.

I woke up with a start and then slowly realised that what I had dreamt wasn’t real.

How could it be?

If I’d noticed the following, as instead I ate my breakfast later on, maybe I would have thought differently. Joe Harvey of Talking Rugby Union wrote this about the other club owned by Morecambe duo Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham; Worcester Warriors:

“A report by BBC Hereford & Worcester outlined much of the problems faced by the club. Starting with the company running Warriors’ operations – WRFC Trading Limited – being handed the winding-up petition by HMRC. They also outlined how the club’s owners purchased other parts of the club’s land through other companies they are directors for, including for the freehold of the club’s car park to MQ Property Ltd for £50,000 [which is operated by Whittingham and Goldring]. This was paid for using a loan from a company called Triangle Estate & Petroleum Ltd. In June, training pitches owned and used by Warriors were sold to a real estate company named Worcester Capital Investment Ltd for £350,000. Whittingham and Goldring have also registered Sixways Medical Limited, Sixways Property Limited and Sixways Stadium Limited, although the purpose of those three businesses is not known.

After the Sixways site was independently valued at £16.7m, it is uncertain whether the land which has been recently purchased has been undervalued, and what planning restrictions are in place. A source close to the Warriors camp informed Talking Rugby Union that the club’s owners have, in fact, not even spoken to the players about what the future may hold. In May, some players went unpaid after the club was unable to pay wages because of “cashflow” issues. With little direction as to what the future may hold, it is difficult to imagine what is going through the minds of all the employees that call Sixways Stadium their place of work at this moment in time, the balancing act of being in professional sport never having been more precarious.”

Sky Sports added last Monday:

“”The owners of Worcester Warriors have not met the Rugby Football Union’s 5pm deadline to evidence insurance cover, availability of funds to meet the monthly payroll, and a credible plan to take the club forward,” a statement from the RFU said. “The RFU has therefore suspended Worcester Warriors from all competitions, including the Gallagher Premiership, Allianz Premier 15s, U18s Academy Cup and Allianz Cup with immediate effect.””

The club are now in Administration. The people who once thought their new owners would take it forward to a bright new future now fear for its very existence altogether. A senior and long-time member of the old Board of the Rugby Club has gone on  record this week to say that – with the club in massive debt; no access to the revenue previously generated by the Hospitality and other revenue-generating elements of Sixfields Stadium plus a huge fee to actually use it at all, Warriors are effectively doomed.

If you don’t have a club to play at it – what is the point of having a sports stadium at all? And you could build a hell of a lot of houses on the Sixfields site, couldn’t you? – if you were a property developer of course.

So just remind me – what do Messrs Goldring and Whittingham do for a living?

Talking about nightmares, Morecambe travelled across Lancashire today to face a recurring one of their own in the shape of Accrington Stanley. As we all know, Stanley are the Shrimps’ all-time Bogey Team. They have played each other twenty-five times in the EFL so far and Morecambe have only won a truly feeble two of these matches – and lost a massive fourteen. Last season, having raced into a 0-2 lead at this venue, Stephen Robinson’s team once again capitulated and conceded two goals to finally draw the game – a reflection of the earlier game at the Maz, which ended three goals each.

Accrington started today’s game in unlucky thirteenth position in League One on the back of two victories – most recently away against Bristol Rovers last Saturday – and three losses in their last five league games. They were five points better off than today’s visitors, who lay next to bottom of the table at the start of play.

Morecambe Manager Derek Adams assessed the scale of the challenge facing his team before the game in these terms:

“We know where we are as a football club. We know where we stand and in this division, it is tough, you are going to have ups and downs. We’ve lost 50 per cent of the games and we have drawn or won the other 50 per cent of games so that is something that we have to change: draws into wins which will help us.  We have had a number of players injured such as Hunter, Melbourne and Watts, who came in to play in a variety of positions. We have done well with the formations we have played in. We have to look at the opposition’s strengths and weaknesses going forward as we always do. There is never a good time to come up against Accrington because we know what type of game it is going to be. It is a high tempo match; it is one that will go to-and-fro. They have done really well to stay in League One over the years and we have aspirations to do the same as them. We did that last year and we want to do the same this year.  To be fair to them, financially, they have done very well. They have sold a number of players on and that has enabled them to recoup and enabled them to bring others in and that has been really good for them.” 

King Derek’ Opposite Number and legendary ex-Shrimps striker John Coleman had this to say as Manager of the opposition:

“We’re going into a really tough derby game. Having beaten Bristol on Saturday and Morecambe losing at home people just think it’s a foregone conclusion that we’re going to win. They’re the most dangerous games – that’s when you’ve really got to stay on top of the players until three o’clock. Morecambe in recent years have started to improve their results against us and it won’t be easy – but that’s the message we’ve got to put across to the players. You’ve got to try and pick up points against the teams that are the financial equivalent of you. Everybody knows my affinity to Morecambe. I want to see them flourish.  I had my most prolific spell as a footballer there. Then you have the new fans; they probably won’t have heard of me playing – that makes me smile as well. They are generally really good games, the fans make it a good atmosphere and Morecambe will travel in numbers. Once you have that atmosphere, the game hots up and there has always been plenty of goals. You have got to hope we put them in one end and keep them out at the other. Derek’s done a marvellous job there when he got them promoted. He’s got a style of football. Once you get to know Derek, you see how passionate he is about football. I love seeing managers who eat; sleep; drink; breathe football – and he’s one of them. He’ll be doing his damndest to get one over on us on Saturday.”

One thing that has followed a pattern over the year as far as Stanley teams are concerned is that despite the ever-changing personnel, they are always a physically big and combative side. The latest incarnation of Mr Coleman’s blueprint follows this pattern precisely.

It was overcast at times in Accrington this afternoon. Occasionally, the game was played under bright sunshine but it ended – appropriately enough from Morecambe’s point of view – under heavy clouds from which cold rain was blown almost horizontally into the uncovered away end and even the first few rows of the covered stand set aside for visiting supporters.

The first half was fairly even. Derek Adams chose to play with Kieran Phillips as lone Centre Forward today. It didn’t really work. He was often stranded alone up-front and given very little service except long balls over the top and goal kicks from the back which Morecambe stopper Connor Ripley – as has been so often the case this season – our XL size goalkeeper booted far too long.

Having said that, though, Kieran’s effort– which was well blocked by Doug Tharme after seven minutes, was the first serious attempt on goal by either side. A minute later, from a corner, Farrend Rawson headed only just wide of Lukas Jensen’s left-hand post to almost score against another of his former employers. At the other end, a weak Tharme header was directed straight at Ripley after ten minutes. Connor has struggled with routine saves all of the season so far but on this occasion, he caught it without any trouble. But with twenty-five minutes on the clock, Rawson did really well to prevent an opening goal for the hosts by clearing a Harvey Rodgers headed effort off the line with the away goalkeeper beaten. About ten minutes from the end of the half, Jake Taylor tried his luck for the Shrimps with a shot which went wide of the target.

It had hardy been a scintillating game so far but both teams played some nice football at times and probably just about balanced themselves out on the balance of play. But in injury time, the game changed entirely – and in that moment, Morecambe’s fate was sealed.

Anyone who has ever seen Arthur Gnahoua perform knows that he is not a dirty player. Far from it – indeed I think a lot of us would like to see Arthur getting properly stuck-in from time to time. But not the way he did today. In a mid-air collision with Mitch Clark, he led with his arm. Clark rolled around as if he had been pole-axed. I thought he was play-acting at the time. And as Stanley’s Big Units surrounded the Referee, all suggesting that a Morecambe elbow had been responsible for their team mate’s histrionics, I thought it was typical Stanley intimidation. When The Man in Black – James Oldham – seemed to capitulate to them and gave Arthur a straight red card, I thought it was a diabolically weak piece of refereeing. But I am mistaken. Replays I have subsequently seen show that Mr Oldham got it absolutely right and I must eat Humble Pie for ever doubting him.

Having said that, early in the second half, Tharme’s two-footed lunge on Ousmane Fané from behind was a really poor challenge for which the Stanley man might have walked. But Mr Oldham only proffered a yellow card.

The home team had been dominating the play against the ten men for a while before they almost inevitably went ahead. Just before the hour, Liam Coyle latched on to a pass from Clark on the Accrington right and squeezed a shot into the net to Ripley’s right to open the scoring for the home team. Shortly afterwards, only the goalkeeper’s right-hand post stopped the home side adding a second as another shot hit it and bounced innocuously away. King Derek shook things up and sent on both Cole Stockton and Ryan Coney with about twenty minutes left. The visitors immediately looked to be offering more threat going forward and Cole’s harrying of Ryan Astley caused the big central defender to panic and unleash a perfectly judged lob over his own goalkeeper right into the top left corner of Jensen’s net after 77 minutes. It was an absolute classic of an Own Goal. And how the away fans cheered!

But the celebrations, sadly,  didn’t last long and this time, the visiting goalkeeper was culpable. The Shrimps conceded a free-kick just outside their own penalty area just to right of centre from Stanley’s point of view. Ripley set up his wall and left himself with a very inviting space to his right into which to shoot. Ethan Hamilton duly did so – and scored as the big stopper got nowhere near it with a low shot. This was after eighty-one minutes.

It all went wrong again just four minutes later. Substitute Dylan Connolly lost the ball on the Morecambe right to fellow-sub Jack Nolan who put the after-burners on and blasted down the Stanley left to sling over a cross which Tommy Leigh slotted home at the far post. And that was it.

I thought Morecambe were a little unlucky today. With eleven men on the field, they looked like a match for Accrington throughout the first half. But once Arthur Gnahoua let the side down by being dismissed, they were inevitably over-run at times in the second period. Once Cole the Goal and particularly Ryan Cooney entered the fray, though, the Shrimps looked a lot more dynamic in the midfield and forward areas. League One is tough – and unforgiving. But today’s performance wasn’t all bad.

The loss, though, meant that – with Burton scraping past FGR at home by three goals to two – Morecambe are now rock bottom of League One on goal difference. Accrington went up the table to ninth. Their Manager said after the game: “We’ve managed to concede a goal without them even having a shot on target.” But that’s not the whole story of this match.

Derek Adams must have been really disappointed after the game given what happened just before half time. He had the sense, though, not to criticise – at least in public – his own player.  Instead, he said:  

“The sending-off changes the game. It changes the flow of the game. It changes the aspect of the game where we come in eleven against ten – and that becomes extremely difficult in any league that you’re in. When we got back to 1-1, it looked like we became the stronger team. Did we deserve to lose today? No. I think if it was eleven against eleven, we would have had enough over the ninety minutes to have got something from the game.”

Accrington Stanley: 1 Lukas Jensen; 2 Mitchell Clark; 4 Ethan Hamilton; 5 Ryan Astley; 6 Liam Coyle; 7 Shaun Whalley; 8 Tommy Leigh; 11 Sean McConville; 16 Harvey Rodgers; 28 Seamus Conneely (Y); 34 Doug Tharme (Y)(17 Jack Nolan 74’ ).

Subs not used:  15 Mohammed Sangare; 18 Nathan Delfouneso; 22 Dan Martin; 35 Bailey Sloane; 40 Toby Savin; 50 Baba Fernandes.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C)(Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 7 Jake Taylor (21 Ryan Cooney 59’); 8 Ousmane Fané (Y); 13 Arthur Gnahoua (R 46’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (9 Cole Stockton 73’); 23 Kieran Phillips (11 Dylan Connolly 59’.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 18 Shane McLoughlin; 19 Jon Obika; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Ref: James Oldham.

Att: 2,916 (727 from Morecambe.)

Beam Him Up, Scotty…

I’ve nothing to add to the very sad news that Worcester Warriors seem destined to join the ranks of Gretna; Third Lanark; Rushden & Diamonds; Scarborough and countless other clubs in the round ball game which have disappeared off the earth without any trace whatsoever. Poor old Warriors have been suspended from all competitions by the Rugby Football Union and were expelled from the Premiership by them last Wednesday. At the same time, part of the club was wound up in the High Court. So since last Wednesday, players and staff alike have all had their contracts terminated. Everybody knows – and many of us feel – the current Cost of Living crisis. For the people involved at Worcester, the callous way the owners have systematically sold off the club’s assets in recent times leaves a particularly bad taste in the mouth as all of the people suddenly finding themselves without a job or an income must now be seriously concerned for their own futures – and that of their families

Even more worryingly though – according to Twitter – Derek Adams (the Manager of the other club also owned by current Warriors’ supremoes Colin Goldring and Jason Whittingham: our very own Morecambe FC) – said this earlier in the week:

“The last month has been terrible. The worst time for me as a manager. Some of the things I can’t say on camera that has happened, there’s a lot of inner workings that have been difficult. The players have shown how well they’ve dealt with it. I’m worried off the pitch, not on the pitch at this moment in time.”

This remark tells us far less than it actually explains. If the players have dealt well with whatever it is he feels he can’t talk about, it’s obviously not about them. So what is it that he is so worried about `off the pitch’? He subsequently told Radio Lancashire that he was seriously concerned about the club’s future. King Derek said:

“Of course I am. I think that any supporter has to be. If somebody comes in with a very good deal for the owners, they are going to sell. Who’s that going to be? Is that in the best interests of Morecambe Football Club? Is it in the best interests of the staff that are here already? There’s a whole host of things to be looked into. It’s not easy selling a football club. Where’s the money going to come from? Will we have new investment? We’ve obviously got a budget until the end of the season. Beyond that period, we obviously need new owners at some point and everyone must understand that. We don’t have any money to spend in the transfer window in January unless we have a cup run. That’s the only investment and extra money that’s going to come into this club at this moment in time.”

Co-Chairman Rod Taylor has attempted to soothe the troubled waters once again rocking the Good Ship Morecambe FC this week. Making a comparison to the time a few years ago when dodgy dealers became involved once the club was put up for sale by former owner Peter McGuigan, he told Radio Lancashire on Thursday last:

“We are in a different position now. At that time, our balance sheet wasn’t good; there was a lot of debt to the bank and external debt. That isn’t the situation now. I think generally we are in a much better place.”

He added that the Manager’s concerns were to do with injuries to key players; the sad loss of Jon Obika due to the player’s father’s death in Nigeria and some largely unspecified worries about what is going on behind the scenes at the club. He insisted that there is no threat at this moment of time of staff or players not being paid in the foreseeable future. Dismissing any comparison between Morecambe FC and Worcester Warriors, he explained that the assets of the club could not be sold-off in the way that they have been as the doomed rugby club approached Administration. Specifically, he explained:

“We will be meeting with the owners in the next couple of days to get their strategy clear. The community own the football club – I really do believe that. The benefactor of the club in the 1920s – Joseph Barnes Christie – left Christie Park in a pretty water-tight situation. That Trust (and) those covenants were moved to the Westgate site when we moved in. The freehold belongs to the JB Christie Trust. Nobody can do anything with that. Nobody can come in; asset-strip; build anything; do whatever they want. The whole plot apart from what Tyson Fury owns now is in control of Morecambe Football Club. We could be in a totally different and better situation by the end of December. Derek will have his targets and things he wants to do – we’ve got to work towards that. There’s no guarantee we can do that but, surely, if we want to retain our League One status, we’ve got to give him as much opportunity and backing as we can – not ignore that because there may be new owners by then.”

The situation on the field before the visit to the Mazuma Stadium today of Ipswich Town – second in League One behind leaders Plymouth Argyle – was bad enough. The Shrimps are bottom of the division. But if another unexplained crisis is gathering pace off the field as well, relegation for the first time ever may be the least of the worries of loyal Shrimps’ supporters.

Worrying times indeed…

As has been mentioned, Ipswich Town made the long journey from East Anglia today to the north west of England well-placed in League One. Their current form is one game lost; another drawn and three won out of their last five league games, including beating Cambridge United 3-0 at Portman Road last Tuesday and high-flying Plymouth Argyle 3-2 at the same venue last Saturday. In the EFL, Town and Morecambe met as equals for the first time ever last season. Both games ended in draws. In their only other meetings, Ipswich dumped the Shrimps out of the FA Cup both times when Morecambe were a non-league club but the Tractor Boys were still one of the bigger names in English football. Morecambe’s recent league record is: lost three (including their last two games); one won and one drawn. On paper, then, there was only going to be one winner in north Lancashire today.

But life – and football – doesn’t necessarily always go the way that might be expected. Putting his worries about whatever might be going on behind the scenes to one side, Derek Adams had this to say about today’s opponents prior to the game:

“They’re a fantastic football club. I think they had twenty-eight thousand there on Tuesday night against Cambridge United. They’re one of the best teams in the division. We’ve got a really tough task, but that’s any Saturday in League One. You come up against really competitive teams. It’s no surprise to us. I think we’ve got to win games that shock other teams, and that’s what we’re going to have to try. We did that towards the end of last season, and before that as well, we had a number of shocks along the way.”

Opposite Number Kieran McKenna expressed the following thoughts prior to the long haul northwards to complete today’s fixture:

“It’s a big game for us in terms of the long travel, the position they’re in and of course the fact that we want to win three games this week. They will fight for everything and nothing will be easy. Every game in this league is difficult to win so you have to enjoy it when you get three points, but, at the same time, a win in October is not the be all and end all. We are going up to Morecambe as a determined squad and our focus is on doing the right things to give us every chance of getting a result up there. Mentally, we need to be ready as they will make it a test. It’ll also be a challenge physically and we will have to stand up to a robust team who will do everything they can to impose themselves on us. At the same time, we want to make it our type of game. We want to control the ball and create as many chances as possible. The biggest thing for me is mentality and we want to make sure we go there with the same level of focus that we have had in games recently.”

There was no place in the visiting squad today for Greg Leigh, our former left-back, who I was personally sad to see leave the club last summer. Greg had the misfortune to fracture his leg against Sheffield Wednesday last month and faces another sort of enforced break whilst it heals.

After a very changeable week, it was sunny and mild in north Lancashire today, albeit with a strong wind. There was a minute’s applause before the game started in memory of long-time servant of Morecambe FC, Life Vice-President Val Easthope. Rest In Peace Val.

Ipswich must have won the toss because they chose to play towards their own supporters in the first half.

They looked competent and well-organised but I thought they were slightly off the pace and seemed surprised by the Morecambe press and the way the men in the red strips constantly took the game to them. After eight minutes, Jacob Bedeau played a lovely pass to Dylan Connolly on the Shrimps’ right. As the Irishman accelerated into the danger area, his run was brought to an end by a superb tackle by the ancient looking Richard Keogh. Ten minutes later, the packed away end shrieked for a penalty as Ousmane Fané tangled with Tyreece John-Jules but it looked innocuous enough from where I was sitting. After thirty-three minutes, Connolly was brought-down just outside the penalty area, just to the left of centre from his point of view. A clearly well-rehearsed move from the training ground led to a push forward into the area followed by a superb cross towards the far post, where young Kieran Phillips intervened with a fantastic and committed finish. Almost immediately, Ipswich almost equalised as Lee Evans’ strike from distance hit the foot of Connor Ripley’s left-hand post. The rebound was blasted way off target by an onrushing Kayden Jackson. But that was as close as the visitors came by half time and they left the field a goal down.

Jackson came close to equalising for Town just two minutes after the re-start. He hit Ripley’s left-hand post with a swerving shot from the Tractor Boys’ left which saw the home stopper a mere bystander. In a comedy moment a couple of minutes later, Morecambe Skipper Donald Love managed to hit his own crossbar with an attempted headed clearance from a Connor Chaplin cross only to see the ball loop into the air to be caught by his own goalkeeper. So Morecambe were riding their luck at this point.

But it was soon to run out. Town equalised after 54 minutes with a close range-shunt over the line low down by their Skipper George Edmondsun following a corner kick.

A couple of minutes later, they could have taken the lead. Referee Thomas Kirk awarded a penalty and Chaplin stepped-up to take it. But Connor Ripley made a tremendous save by diving low to his left and smothering the shot. At the other end, Connolly then bulged the Town net with a lovely finish – but it was ruled out for an offside which video footage later showed to be illusory.

Then the key moment of the game arrived. In the sixty-fourth minute, Jackson really was fouled in the penalty area. This time, Evans scored with a tremendous finish to Ripley’s right as he again dived to his left.

The time-wasting and play-acting by the men in the blue shirts then started in earnest. As the Referee did nothing to stop him, Edwards decided that the funereal march back to the centre circle following prolonged celebrations of the goal by his team mates was the very moment to re-tie not just one, but both of his boot laces.  The Referee should have booked him for such blatant gamesmanship. But he didn’t.

To their considerable credit, the home team didn’t lie down and die at this point. They continued to try and play direct, purposeful football. Towards the end, Cole the (no) Goal missed with a chance of the sort he was regularly scoring from last season. But it wasn’t to be.

So Ipswich marched on by coming from behind to win for the third time in a week. They are a good side – but there wasn’t a lot in it today in my opinion.

Novice Referee Thomas Kirk had an appalling game today. Yes, I’m biased – but so was he. This wasn’t by any stretch of the imagination a dirty game. But he managed to book no less than six Morecambe players – that’s more than half the team. Ipswich were no less committed in their tackling – but only one of their number was booked. That’s ridiculous. The incompetent on the Berlin Wall side of the ground with a flag was also culpable this afternoon. In the move that led to Ipswich’s equaliser, the final cross which led to a corner was delivered by a man in a blue shirt who was clearly off-side by a country mile. But the linesman’s flag stayed down – as it did several other times when Tractor Boys were clearly beyond the last defender as the ball was played to them. Minutes later, as Edwards literally fell over Rawson in the home penalty area, the Man in the Middle instantly awarded a penalty. It was an appalling decision. All afternoon, Cole Stockton had Ipswich defenders all over him; pushing him down; wrapping their arms around him or – at one time, pulling him back by the neck. But Mr Kirk stood by impassively and did nothing at all to either stop it or penalise the visiting team. I felt he totally lost control of the game during the second half for a few minutes and throughout, he was far too quick to be influenced by Town players and staff who proffered imaginary yellow cards at him which he frequently obliged them by booking our lads.

We don’t do that. I hope we never will.

But weak officials like this one let us all down by falling for football’s Dark Arts. No wonder he was escorted off the pitch by Stewards as the home crowd as one roundly booed him at the end.

Beam this particular Kirk up for goodness sake Scotty…

It’s odd to write after another defeat that I think Morecambe played the best football they have in League One all season so far today. They were the better team in the first half and by pressurising the visitors – particularly at the back – made Town look distinctly pedestrian and actually panicky at times. The goal was a brilliant piece of invention, clearly straight from the training pitch. Phillips’ finish was first class. Throughout, the Shrimps tried to play their way out of tricky situations rather than hoof the ball forwards as they have done on so many occasions this season.

Official Man of the Match Jacob Bedeau deserved the award today but I personally thought that Liam Shaw had a truly outstanding game as well.

Ipswich found themselves still in second place in League One tonight because Plymouth had beaten Accrington in Devon by three goals to nil. Morecambe remained stuck right at the bottom of the table. They are now four points from safety. Derek Adams summed-up what had happened at the end of the game thus:

“We’re disappointed not to take anything from the game. I thought it was an entertaining game. It was probably one of our best performances of the season. I think we took the game to Ipswich. We started on the front foot, and we got that goal ahead from a set play; a great ball in and Kieran Phillips was able to put us one nil ahead. We looked very comfortable, we limited Ipswich to very few chances throughout the ninety minutes. They had openings but they weren’t clear cut. All we’ve shown is we’ve got some really good players who will enable us to move in a positive direction.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney (Y); 8 Ousmane Fané (Y) (21 Ryan Cooney 85’); 9 Cole Stockton (Y); 11 Dylan Connolly (25 Adam Mayor 85’);  20 Liam Shaw;  16 Jacob Bedeau 23 Kieran Phillips.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 18 Shane McLoughlin; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Ipswich Town: 1 Christian Walton; 2 Richard Keogh; 3 Leif Davis (24 Kane Vincent-Young 75’); 4 George Edmundson; 5 Sam Morsy; 8 Lee Evans (Y); 10 Connor Chaplin (11 Marcus Harness 66’); 14 Tyreece John-Jules (Freddie Ladapo 75’); 19 Kayden Jackson (7 Wes Burns 65’); 29 Kyle Edwards; 44 Janoi Donacien.

Subs not used: 31 Václav Hladky; 6 Luke Woolfenden; 30 Cameron Humphreys.

Ref: Thomas Kirk.

Att: 4,766 (1,064 from Ipswich.)

Game at the Pirelli Goes Flat…

It seems a bit melodramatic to be talking about `A Relegation Six-Pointer’ this early in the season but the game which happened in Staffordshire today was exactly that. Hosts Burton Albion have played thirteen games in League One so far and have just seven points to show for it. This poor form saw them sitting in twenty-third place at the bottom of the table prior to kick-off against Morecambe this afternoon. The Shrimps, though, found themselves one place lower than the Brewers right at the foot of the Division. They have only managed to accrue six points so far but have played one game fewer than today’s opponents.

Albion’s season began disastrously. With previous saviour Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink in charge, Albion managed to take only a single point out of their first seven league games. On 5 September 2022, Jimmy resigned, saying that he had “taken the club as far as I can with the limited resources available”. Sound familiar at all? Since then, though, ex-Stevenage and Oldham boss Dino Maamria has taken over. Burton won his second game in charge, a shock 0-2 win at Exeter and also overcame another of League One’s fellow-strugglers – Forest Green Rovers – by the odd goal in five at home a couple of weeks ago. They’ve lost three of their other games under new management but forced a 1-1 draw at high-flying Peterborough last Saturday. Struggles on the field have not been helped by problems off it: defender Williams Kokolo, for instance, has rape allegations hanging over him and faces another Court appearance in June next year.

Morecambe had a fantastic record against Burton in their non-league years and never lost to them. But in the EFL, they have done less well. The two clubs have met fifteen times before and Morecambe have won five and lost eight of them. They lost here in League One last season after taking the lead, 3-2. In the return fixture last April, though, the Shrimps walloped Albion three-nil. How the Shrimps could do with a repeat performance today.

Derek Adams’ team have lost their last three league games and picked-up a mere three points out of the last five games.  However, not all their performances have been poor and with a different team of officials – who denied the Shrimps a perfectly good goal with an appalling collective off-side decision – would have drawn against or even beaten high-flying Ipswich at the Maz last Saturday.

Prior to the match, King Derek stressed the need for his team to score more goals in league matches:

“We obviously have to be seeing teams off when we get that opportunity. Kieran Phillips has scored three goals for us this season; Jensen Weir has scored four. Arthur (Gnahoua) has got two – but he’s obviously suspended. And we’ve still got to get Cole Stockton, who was second highest goal scorer in the division last season, off the mark. These are the areas we need to improve on. I think we can score goals from a variety of positions; even from set plays as well.”

As far as today’s opponents specifically are concerned, he refuted the claim by some people that this was a must-win game. Having said that, he also said that a victory this afternoon would be a definite bonus. He added:

“They’re a well-equipped team with undoubted talent on their books. But they are where they are in the table at this moment in time: a place above us. It’s an opportunity to try and get three points. I think Burton are a well-equipped League One side who have played in the Championship. We’re the only team other than Forest Green that have not been in League One more than one season. You look at all the rest of the teams: they’ve been in League One before. That shows you the gulf we’ve got to bridge. We understand that. We’re not denying that. But we’ve got to be respectful for the rest of the teams in this division and know what their capabilities are.”

Derek dropped Ousmane Fané today and promoted Jensen Weir to the first team in his place. There was also a welcome return from injury for Caleb Watts, who was named on the substitutes’ bench.

Opposite number Dino Maamria assessed his own team’s form currently with a message which will surely send a chill all the way to the Etihad Stadium:

“We keep building blocks. The structure of the team is getting better and better all the time. I’m really pleased with how they are training, and they are showing that they are all fully committed and ready to go out and fight for each other. We’re all on the same page in terms of how we want to defend and attack as a team – It’s about keeping that energy level high.

We want to have the ball as a team. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing against, we want to dominate the ball. We want to do our defending with the ball. If the opposition doesn’t have the ball, we don’t have to do a lot of defending. That’s ultimately the big goal. It took Pep Guardiola at Manchester City over a season to make big improvements in the Premier League – It takes time to build that brand of football, but ultimately we want a team that plays thrilling football with pace, power, commitment, and a ferocious will to win. There is a process to get there. We can’t just click our fingers and become that team, but the signs are there, and the progress is being made. The growth in the team is so evident, and that’s what we’ve got to keep doing. I have huge confidence that we’re going in the right direction.”

So should Pep be looking anxiously over his shoulder? Maybe not just yet…

It was blustery with occasional showers and sunny intervals in Burton before the game today. From kick-off, Albion won a corner almost immediately which Connor Ripley should have caught – but punched away for a throw. This was delivered straight back and obliged him to deal with a difficult ball as centre-back Sam Winnall got the ball over his head but he was able to grab it before it went over the line. Morecambe had the next chance when a cross from the Shrimps’ right was completely misjudged by Ben Garratt in the home goal. Sadly, Dylan Connolly wasn’t able to connect with the ball properly as it fell to him beyond the far post but his effort was cleared for a corner which Burton defended without too much trouble.  At the other end, Connolly made a poor clearance which resulted in Ripley making a fine save from Brewers’ Skipper John Brayford’s fierce volley from about twenty yards out at the cost of a corner. This was with seven minutes on the clock. Kieran Phillips then cleverly beat his man on the edge of the box about three minutes later but his cross with his less favoured left foot was poor. The game deteriorated into a scrappy affair for some time after that, with the ball being booted right out of the ground twice by Farrend Rawson. He then conceded a free-kick in a dangerous position on the Albion left after 21 minutes. But the central defender was there again to clear the ball away from the danger area. The Red Mist descended on Liam Shaw shortly after this and he was lucky not to be sent off for a two-footed lunge on Terry Taylor after 25 minutes. Three minutes later, leading Albion scorer Victor Adeboyejo then missed with a shot after Taylor cleverly set him up with a reverse pass. As heavy rain began to fall – and right on the half hour mark – Shrimps’ Skipper Donald Love headed the ball weakly into the air and was both out-thought and out-muscled by Davis Keillor-Dunn, who needed no second invitation to beat Ripley with a fine shot to put Burton into the lead. The rain quickly turned to hail as thunder rumbled in the distance and the visitors continued to struggle to cope with the storm – in more ways than one.  Winnall came close to doubling the hosts’ lead with a header which only just missed the target after 35 minutes. With just two minutes left to play before the break, Cole Stockton managed to get away from the Albion rearguard and found Liam Gibson in the centre but his effort was absolutely brilliantly saved by Garrett at full stretch in the home goal.

So the Shrimps trudged off through the sopping wetness at half time one-nil down. It was a result of poor defending by their Skipper, who had a generally poor game all round throughout the half. But it could have been worse if Referee Darren Handley hadn’t taken an unusually lenient view of Shaw’s bad challenge mid-way through the half. So Morecambe had yet another mountain to climb in the second half – against a poor team, they had looked second best almost all the way through the game so far.

Understandably, Love made way for Ryan Cooney and Ousmane Fané also replaced Connolly for the beginning of the second half. Cooney almost immediately found Ryan Delaney from a corner in a clearly rehearsed move which came to nothing. The game was really poor in the opening phase as both teams struggled to string more than two passes together. Burton might have gone further ahead after 64 minutes but Adeboyejo was just unable to connect with a cross by Jonny Smith from the Brewers’ left. Cole Stockton then tried a hopelessly optimistic shot at goal which went way off target a couple of minutes later.  As the snooze festival continued, Burton made whatever little progress there was. On their left, Smith got the better of the substitute for Donald Love more often than not. But Burton perhaps had a let-off after 77 minutes when there seemed to be a deliberate hand ball in their penalty area. Almost immediately afterwards – and right out of nothing – Ryan Delaney let fly with a thunderbolt of a shot from about twenty-five yards out right into the top corner of  Garratt’s net to equalise for the visitors. It was an unstoppable strike – and his first-ever goal for the club. It couldn’t have come at a better time. The game didn’t improve as a spectacle after that. The nearest anyone came to scoring a winner was when Davis Keillor-Dunn booted the ball right over the stand roof in injury time – an action in keeping with the very low quality of the rest of a truly dreary game.

But a draw on the road is better than nothing and Derek Adams will be more pleased with the point than Dino Maamria will be in the aftermath. Burton and Morecambe thus stayed locked together at the foot of League One. FGR drew today but so-called MK Dons lost 1-4 at home to Plymouth. Morecambe have a game in hand over both of these clubs and are just four and two points adrift of them respectively this evening. However, they are also six points from safety tonight.  Derek Adams, as ever, was still optimistic at the end of the game. He said:

“It was an eventful match. We obviously should have gone ahead in the game. We had the better opportunities in the match. They only had one shot. It was a very scrappy football match. The weather took its toll. It wasn’t pretty at times. At the end, to come away from home and score a great goal: sometimes; you have to take a point and move on. I thought the way that we fought and looked after each other was very good. To come here, it’s not easy. They changed their system today to try and get at us and I thought we stood up to that very well. We need a wee bit more quality – fight is not going to get you everywhere. That’s another draw on the road and we’ll just keep up picking up points.”

Burton Albion: 1 Ben Garratt; 2 John Brayford (C); 4 Deji Oshilaja; 5 Sam Hughes; 8 Adrian Mariappa; 9 Sam Winnall (7 Joe Powell 42’) (39 Bobby Kamwa  84’); 10 Davis Keillor-Dunn; 11 Jonny Smith (21 Mustapha Carayol 84’); 14 Victor Adeboyejo; 23 Terry Taylor; 37 Tom Hamer.

Subs Not Used: 24 Viljami Sinisalo; 3 Cameron Borthwick-Jackson; 6 Calum Butcher; 17 Elliot Thorpe.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (21 Ryan Cooney 45’); 4 Liam Gibson (25 Adam Mayor 76’); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 9 Cole Stockton; 11 Dylan Connolly (Y) (8 Ousmane Fané (Y) 45’); 15 Jensen Weir (17 Caleb Watts 67’); 20 Liam Shaw (Y) (22 Anthony O’Connor 81’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 23 Kieran Phillips.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 18 Shane McLoughlin.

Ref: Darren Handley.

Att: 2,602.

Pizza Eaters Latest…

Morecambe travelled to Yorkshire on Tuesday night to face Harrogate Town in the Papa John’s Trophy. They started the game in second position in the table of four which makes up Northern Group A with four points. Town, on the other hand, had only one point to show for their efforts in the two games that every team has played so far.

Manager Derek Adams said that – with a crisis brewing behind the scenes concerning at least the funding of Morecambe FC in the foreseeable future – his main interest in the competition was the cash it could generate for his club:

“We’ve had two wins in the competition so far, both on penalty kicks against Hartlepool and Everton, that’s given us the four points. Now we go to Harrogate on Tuesday night looking to try and win the game if we possibly can, and hopefully top the group. We’ll try our best to do that. I think we’ve worked so hard to get ourselves into the position we are. We want to try and get to the next round which obviously gives us money. We’ll change things about a bit on Tuesday night for the game to give some others an opportunity of game time, but we still want to try and get through in this competition.”

It started well enough as youngster Adam Mayor scored for the visitors after just two minutes, pouncing upon a poor clearance in the home defence to turn the ball home from close range.  The Shrimps had other chances to extend their lead through Arthur Gnahoua and Kieran Phillips but a combination of inaccuracy and good saves by Harrogate goalkeeper Mark Oxley kept them out. Town equalised in the twenty-eighth minute with a powerful strike after Morecambe had failed to clear their lines following an attack by the Sulphurites. It was thus one each at half time. Phillips headed against the crossbar during the second half and both sides had other chances to win it. The League Two side – including a number of Academy players – undoubtedly had the best of the earlier exchanges and Adam Smith was lucky to get away with just a yellow card when he brought down impressive forward Sam Folarin in the 50^th minute with a cynical foul which probably prevented a goal. The Morecambe Manager responded by trying to steady the ship and making a triple substitution in the sixty-seventh minute. But deep into injury time, the hosts scored the winner by reacting quickest to head home a corner kick in the ninety-sixth minute.

As always, King Derek picked the positives out of tonight’s result, which was good enough to qualify the Shrimps for the next stage of this competition for the first time ever. He said:

“I’m delighted for Adam Mayor tonight, to get his first goal for the club, and obviously to progress through to the next round of the Papa John’s Trophy. I think it’s the first time the football club has progressed and we’ve done that tonight. It’s disappointing how the game finished. We should’ve been ahead by a greater margin with the chances we created in the game. We’ve hit the bar, their goalkeeper has had one-on-one saves from us, and the game should’ve been out of sight. In the end, we’re through to the next round.”

Morecambe’s line-up for tonight’s game was:Adam Smith (Y); Ryan Cooney; Liam Gibson; Ryan Delaney (Ousmane Fané 67’); Anthony O’Connor; Dylan Connolly (Jacob Bedeau 67’); Jensen Weir (Liam Shaw 67’); Shane McLoughlin (Caleb Watts 72’); Arthur Gnahoua; Adam Mayor; Kieran Phillips.

Connor Ripley and Farrend Rawson remained on the bench as 717 people took the trouble to actually watch the match.

Which Phillips Would We Rather Have?.

Morecambe welcomed high-flying Barnsley to the Mazuma Stadium this afternoon for the first league encounter between the two clubs ever. The former members of the Premiership arrived in sixth position in League One. Their recent league form was: three games won and one lost, with a draw in their most recent match at lovely Bolton Wanderers last Saturday. The two previous meetings between the clubs both happened in Yorkshire in the League Cup. The Shrimps caused a shock when they won at Oakwell 0-2 eleven years ago and ran the Tykes close again in 2017, when they lost only by the odd goal in seven which was scored in the very last minute.

Morecambe went into the game on the back of three losses, one win and a draw in their last five league games. With unlucky thirteen games played, they have still to accrue double-digit points – they only have eight – and sat right at the bottom of League One prior to the fixture today.

Former Burnley loanee to Morecambe Adam Phillips was promoted to the first team today for a change following his permanent transfer to the Tykes earlier this year. He told his club’s website the following a couple of days ago:

“I’ve played at Morecambe, it’s a tough place to go. They’re at the bottom of the league, but that doesn’t mean anything really. They’ve got a good fanbase, they stick behind them. In this league, every game is tough. We’ve got to go there with the mentality that it won’t be an easy game. They played Ipswich at home a couple of weeks ago, who are flying at the minute. They only just scraped past them. It won’t be an easy game. We’ll have to go there with the performances that we’ve been giving away from home recently. There’s still quite a few players there, it is still the same manager. I know a few of the lads that are still there – they’re a good group. They stick together, even when they’re at the bottom. I don’t think they’ve ever been relegated from the league. It’ll be a tough game. I don’t think the lads have ever played at Morecambe, so I’ll have to tell them what it’s going to be like. It won’t be as easy as the league position says.”

His Head Coach, Michael Duff, assessed the task confronting his team today in these terms:

“We don’t focus on outside noise. Football is a game based on opinions. One thing we do know, Derek’s teams are hard to beat. They’ve only lost five games, I think. We’ve lost four. They’re bottom of the league but they’re hard to beat. The year they got promoted from the play-offs I think they averaged 36-37% possession – they’re not bothered about possession. There always seems to be a good spirit there.”

Before the game, Derek Adams said about  Barnsley – and other teams used to playing in higher divisions than League One:

“Over the years, these clubs have been in the Championship. You only have to look how many have been in the Championship that are in League One. A number have been in the Premier League as well. What I would say is, we’re fighting against a group of teams down the bottom of the table and we can’t concern ourselves with the teams at the top. We’re going to have to shock a few some times this season. We’ve got to go up against them and try and get the better of them. We have missed some of our players who can be creative and open doors, the likes of Caleb Watts and Hunter who we’ve missed for large periods. We’ve missed Stockton for six games of the season, Obika’s been away for the last three, Gnahoua’s missed the last three, we’ve got Taylor who’s out, they’re all players in that forward area. It always affects confidence because you feel that you’re not getting anywhere when you probably deserve to get somewhere. There will come a time when it will all click together. We will get the players coming back. We will go on a run and get ourselves in a much better position.”

It had been unseasonably sunny in North Lancashire and quite warm with it before, during and after the game. The teams ran out in front of a bumper crowd and the first thing of note was that Barnsley appeared to have forgotten their Away strip today. So they played in red. Morecambe thus had to wear their dark blue Away strip. For people with a small brain cell like me, this was quite disorientating for the first few minutes.

(Having belatedly read Derek Adams’ notes in the match day programme, I now understand that playing in blue was a deliberate choice by the club today. He explained that they did it to show solidarity for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Good for them…)

The Reds (er – Barnsley) had the first chance of the game after just three minutes. Josh Benson – who won September’s League One Goal of the Month for a long-range strike against Charlton – headed a cross from the Tykes’ right quite tamely at Connor Ripley in the home goal. Five minutes later, they were off down the right again. Tom Edwards slung a cross over; Nickey Cadden connected and Ripley stopped it as a standing leg deflected the ball away for a corner. I doubt he knew much about it but you have to be in the right place at the right time – and he was. Today, in the absence of dropped Donald Love, he was Team Captain. For me, this was the best game he has yet played for the club. His domination of the penalty area was much improved; he pulled-off a couple of excellent saves and – most of all – his distribution was at last really good today.

It was a pretty even game for the first half an hour or so. The nearest the hosts came to opening the scoring was in the twenty-sixth minute when Cole the Goal fired a long throw-in by deserved Man of the Match Ryan Cooney right out of the ground. Two minutes later, Josh Martin dragged a shot narrowly wide for the visitors after some clever approach play which the men in the dark blue strip stood off and allowed to happen. Apart from those, there were few chances for either sides for quite some time after this but the game was always good to watch with some fluent moves from both teams. The key moment of the match arrived in the thirty-ninth minute, however. Cooney took another long throw from the Shrimps’ right; the men from Yorkshire failed to clear their lines and Kieran Phillips turned the ball home from close range.

Just before the break, another Howitzer from Ryan caused further problems for the Tykes’ defence but big Central Defender Liam Kitching managed to clear it for a corner kick. Cooney then made a simply superlative tackle in his own penalty area to stop a promising attack for the visitors with two minutes of injury time played. This was virtually the last action of the half though and the visitors trailed off back to the Dressing Rooms one goal in arrears.

Ryan Cooney was hurt after about half an hour when he collided with the advertising hoardings behind the home goal – Ouch! He was treated off the field and it was good to see the entire home crowd applaud long-serving Physiotherapist Simon Farnworth as he returned to the dug-out after he treated the injured defender in one of his last actions on behalf of the club.

If anybody expected a reaction from Barnsley once the game restarted, they were to be disappointed. Benson tried his luck with a long-range shot which missed after fifty minutes. Ripley then did brilliantly to paw a powerful long-range shot from Benson over the bar with a strong hand as he made a tremendous leap high to his left with just over an hour played. Apart from that, though, they offered very little threat. As for Morecambe, they fell back too far at times in my humble opinion as the match got older but the changes the Manager made to the team later in the game meant that they always looked a threat on the counter-attack and managed to compress the play much further up the field towards the end of the game.

So Morecambe ended the match in the very unusual position of victors – their first League One win at this venue since April. They deserved it. Derek told us that it was just a matter of time before things clicked – and they certainly did today.

I was severely critical of Adam Phillips’ languid and uncommitted performances last season for Morecambe until Derek Adams returned. In his namesake Kieran, though, I think the club has unearthed not only a significant upgrade but a potential gem. His commitment to the Morecambe cause has been obvious since the day he first pulled on a Shrimps’ shirt. He’s been unlucky not to score more goals than he has and the goal he scored today to win the game for the Shrimps was just rewards for his performances so far. Given that namesake Adam was taken off after an hour after a totally ineffectual performance for the Tykes, I know which Phillips I would personally prefer to have in the team.

Whatever, the win pushed Morecambe one place up the table into twenty-third position in League One above the Plastic People who pretend to be Wimbledon. They have a game in hand over both Forest Green Rovers and Burton and are just three points from safety this evening.

King Derek had this to say after the game:

“I thought the back three, back five and midfield competed ever so well. We closed down space, we got a foot in front and, later on in the game, we had a number of players getting in behind as well. Dylan came on, he gave us energy, so did Adam Mayor.  The two up top were there to start with and we were able to change it about. I thought Fané in the middle of the park was immense, breaking things down, harassing players as well, and that all added to the performance. I think today, we deserved the three points, we played very well, we competed well which we had to because we were coming up against strong opposition just joining from the Championship.”

So it was a great day for everyone connected with Morecambe Football Club. If you follow the link below, you will see a photo of the man who might have a significant input into the way things could develop for the club in the future. Speculation is rife. Maybe he will appointed as the next Prime Minister of Great Britain as well. Well – he couldn’t do any worse, could he? But will he bankroll the Shrimps in the way so many people are suggesting at the moment? Time will tell…

All the details of this season’s campaigns by Morecambe football club – including last Tuesday’s loss in the Pizza Trophy at Harrogate – can be found at:

MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB. SECOND SEASON IN LEAGUE ONE: 2022-23.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley(C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 8 Ousmane Fané; 9 Cole Stockton (Y) (11 Dylan Connolly (Y) 80’); 15 Jensen Weir (22 Anthony O’Connor 80’);16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (Y);  21 Ryan Cooney (Y); 23 Kieran Phillips (25 Adam Mayor 85’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 2 Donald Love; 17 Caleb Watts; 18 Shane McLoughlin.

Barnsley: 40 Bradley Collins; 3 Thomas Edwards (Y); 5 Liam Kitching; 6 Mads Andersen; 7 Nicky Cadden (C); 10 Josh Benson; 14 Josh Martin; 24 Robbie Cundy (Y) (26 Ziyad Larkeche 84’); 30 Adam Phillips (27 Jack Aitchison 58’); 44 Devante Cole; 48 Luca Connell (8 Herbie Kane 45’).

Subs not used: 1 Jack Walton; 15 Jasper Moon; 29 Fabio Jalo; 31 Slobodon Tedic.

Ref: Simon Mather.

Att:  5,270 (A magnificent 1,756 from Yorkshire).

(Memory Lane for Morecambe supporters of a certain age. This – the Main Stand at Whaddon Road – dates back to 1963 and is a carbon copy of the old Main Stand at Christie Park. Even the floodlight pylons on the roof have survived at Cheltenham.)

Cheltenham are Red; Morecambe are Blue…

Morecambe journeyed to Gloucestershire today to face a Cheltenham Town team which they came from behind to beat at Whaddon Road in the first game of their promotion-winning season two years ago. In League One, though, Town won both fixtures against the Shrimps last season by three goals to one. Overall, they have beaten Morecambe twelve times in all competitions; lost seven and drawn seven.

Last season’s Boss Michael Duff has departed for Pastures New and was in charge of the Barnsley team which lost to the Shrimps in north Lancashire last Saturday.

Replacement Wade Elliot has seen his team lose their last three League One matches, most recently at the hands of fellow strugglers against relegation, Burton Albion. In doing so, they have shipped eight goals and scored only one. The Robins started this evening’s game in twentieth position in the table, just above the relegation zone and three points ahead of tonight’s opponents. Asked how he rated Morecambe’s win against Barnsley last Saturday, Mr Elliot said:

“Barnsley are a good side but they had to perform really well. They were dogged and they were organised and it was a really good win for them.”

When also asked if he regarded the match against Morecambe to be a six-pointer or if he read any significance in to the fact that Town had beaten them twice last season, he replied:

“I think they’re all important. We don’t prioritise any one game over any other game. We try to pick a team and a game plan to get a result in every game. Just because you won the last one, it doesn’t necessarily owe you the next one. Obviously we’ve done our homework on them. They had a good result at the weekend. They got a point at Burton the week before that. We certainly won’t be taking them lightly. We don’t think we have an entitlement to rock-up and take the points. We have to find a better balance than we had against Burton.“

Concerning the unrest which Robins’ fans made obvious at the end of the away game on Saturday, he said:

“I would just say stick with us. I do understand the frustration and I think fans have got a right to vent that. I think, from experience, what I don’t want is for that to spill over into something that then everyone regrets later. At the end of the game the players’ emotions are high, fans’ emotions are high. I think potentially that can become a flashpoint which you don’t want and which you’d rather avoid. But I’ve got no problem with there being a dialogue between fans, players and staff, because I do think we’re all in it together.”

Opposite Number Derek Adams said the following prior to the game tonight:

“Firstly, the only important thing for all of us is to win football matches. The three points certainly gets you quickly up the table. You only have to look at where we could have been if we had a couple more wins on the board. We take it a game at a time, but we’ll always look at the table and see how many teams we can gain ground on on any given day should we go on and win the match. We’ve cut the gap between ourselves and sixteenth place to five points, so that is something we’re looking at and hoping to build on. After Saturday’s result in particular, the team spirit is very good and the players have got that desire to do well. We’re going into a big game against Cheltenham; a number of wins can push you up the table quite quickly, and this is something we’ll be looking to achieve on Tuesday night.”

It was dry and quite mild as the game kicked-off and Morecambe went straight onto the front foot.

Liam Shaw had the first effort of the night for either side but his wild shot cleared the stand roof after three minutes. A minute later, the ball was well worked to Ryan Cooney on the Shrimps’ right but his cross was confidently held by Reading loanee Luke Southwood in the home goal. Eight minutes had been played before Town showed any attacking intent. Tricky Charlie Brown made good progress through the visitors’ defence before setting-up Ryan Jackson to miss with a low effort when he might have done better.

Three minutes later, Jacob Bedeau’s excellent pass to Cole Stockton on the Morecambe right led to the centre forward slinging over a low cross which eluded all the men in blue strips. Town hit quickly on the break as they picked-up the loose ball and Brown again set up a chance which this time Daniel N’Lundulu directed wide of the target when presented with the entire goal to shoot at. Cole Stockton then hit the ball way out of the ground after a quarter of an hour with an unconvincing attempt to replicate one of his many wonder strikes of last season. Morecambe were still asking most of the questions though, with some slick inter-passing as they pressed the hosts far up the field into their own half.

Liam Gibson forced Southwood to turn his long-range shot for a corner with a decent save after seventeen minutes and then Stockton was denied by a superb tackle when in a threatening position in the centre of the Cheltenham penalty area with 23 minutes on the clock. King Derek then got a talking-to by officious Referee James Oldham after almost half an hour when he was clearly disputing the pinching of loads of yards by Cheltenham at a throw-in.

However, his team’s dominance of events was underlined by the fact that Town didn’t have their first corner kick – which came to nothing – until almost this time. Then Ryan Broom took a weak shot which was easily held by the visiting goalkeeper after 34 minutes.

It was still looking good for the visitors until Ryan Delaney made a really poor pass straight after this almost half way up the pitch on the Morecambe left. It was pounced upon by the hosts in the shape of Ryan Jackson, who motored up their right wing and slung over a cross which full-back Ben Williams gleefully buried at the back post.

The goal totally changed the momentum of the match. After it, the Robins looked like men re-born as Morecambe clearly completely lost their way. It was as if a balloon had been popped. There were few good chances for either side from here on in until injury time at the end of the game.

Derek shook things up with positive changes at the beginning of the second half: off came defender Delaney and midfielder Jensen Weir to be replaced by forwards Dylan Connolly and Arthur Gnahoua. Dylan ran about a lot and managed to get a booking for a stupid foul on home custodian Southwood but did nothing constructive otherwise. Arthur offered even less. The seemingly totally uncommitted Stockton was also replaced later on by Caleb Watts.

But long before the ninetieth minute, there had been a gnawing feeling about the inevitably of defeat this evening. Morecambe had a lot of the ball in the second half but almost constantly failed to do anything constructive with it despite constant changes in personnel and the team’s shape.

Cheltenham also offered little apart from a few efforts from the impressive Ryan Broom – they look like another pretty poor team.

At the death, substitute Adam Mayor fairly walloped a volley into the side netting of Southwood’s goal from a long way out. During injury time, Kieran Phillips again did what he does when played-in by substitute Caleb Watts, who produced the only killer pass of the entire evening for the Shrimps. On the right hand side of the hosts’ penalty area from his point of view, Kieran unleashed an absolutely tremendous shot which beat Southwood all ends up but cannoned off the angle of crossbar and post high to the goalkeeper’s right. And that was it…

Results elsewhere made this an even more depressing evening for Morecambe fans tonight.

MK Nobodies won 0-2 at Charlton. FGR drew at Fleetwood.

So Morecambe fell back to the bottom of League One again, albeit only four points from safety.

All is far from lost yet, though. Having said that, this was a truly disjointed display tonight once the Shrimps fell behind. Headless Chickens probably more or less summed it up.

The win pushed the Robins up to eighteenth position in League One tonight.

After the game, King Derek was – as ever – brutally honest about what happened this evening:

“I’m really disappointed because the performance tonight was very poor.”

There’s not a lot else to say.

Cheltenham Town: 1 Luke Southwood; 3 Ben Williams; 5 Charlie Raglan; 6 Lewis Freestone; 7 Charlie Brown (30 Christian Norton 57’); 8 Liam Sercombe; 9 Daniel N’Lundulu (19 George Lloyd 50’); 14 Caleb Taylor; 22 Ryan Jackson; 28 Taylor Perry; 32 Ryan Broom.

Subs not used:  20 Shaun MacDonald: 4 Tom Bradbury; 16 Daniel Adshead; 23 Elliot Bonds; 36 James Olayinka.

 Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson (25 Adam Mayor 81’); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney (14 Arthur Gnahoua 45’); 8 Ousmane Fané (Y) (18 Shane McLoughlin 76’); 9 Cole Stockton (17 Caleb Watts 66’); 15 Jensen Weir (Y) (11 Dylan Connolly 45’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney); 23 Kieran Phillips.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 2 Donald Love.

Ref: Scott Oldham.

Att: 3,515 (Congratulations and commiserations to the scores of Shrimps fans who made the long journey.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY 29th OCTOBER 2022.

Adams Parks The Bus…

Morecambe made the long journey to High Wycombe in Buckinghamshire again today to face a Wanderers team against which they have a very poor record historically. In the twenty EFL games they have contested over the years, the Chairboys have won half of them and only lost five. Last season in League One at this venue, Gareth Ainsworth’s men came from two down at half time to win the game 4-3 as Stephen Robinson’s team simply fell apart defensively during the second half. However, in one of Robbo’s few late successes before he fled to Scotland, the Shrimps were able to overcome today’s opponents by the odd goal in five at the Maz last January.

Before the game at Adams Park, Wycombe were unlucky thirteenth in League One; Morecambe rock bottom. But having won three out of their previous two League One matches (two away from home), Wanderers slipped-up at home last Tuesday night and lost 2-3 to Cambridge United. Meanwhile, today’s opponents were tamely losing to relegation rivals Cheltenham Town at Whaddon Road after playing well for the opening period of the game. So the omens for Derek Adams’ men were not promising today.

King Derek expressed his disappointment with his team’s poor performance at Cheltenham as soon as the game ended. Today, he was even more succinct than usual before the match:

“We need to get three points. Three points is big in this league, and it allows you to move up the table quickly. It would’ve been perfect to get three points the other night because we’d have caught the teams above us, but we’ve got another opportunity to do that on Saturday.”

He shook-up the team from last Tuesday’s disappointment. Cole Stockton was relegated to the bench after a lackadaisical display and there was no place for either Ousmane Fané or Farrend Rawson in the squad at all due to suspension due to the Yellow Card totting-up procedure. Caleb Watts, Anthony O’Connor and – perhaps surprisingly – Donald Love replaced them.

Opposite Number and Blackburn lad Gareth Ainsworth said this about the upcoming clash yesterday:

“There’s no teams in this league that you can just dismiss or write-off. Morecambe are scrapping for their lives. Cole Stockton scored numerous goals last season and they have some real match winners in their side.”

In sharp contrast to last season’s game at this venue – which was played in a monsoon – it was sunny as the match kicked-off in Buckinghamshire. Morecambe – with Donald Love pushed slightly further up from the defence than usual – were on the defensive early on with Ryan Cooney making a good block early doors. He was then hurt after five minutes following an accidental clash of heads with Jordan Obita and had to be treated on the field. Almost ten minutes had been played when Lewis Wing combined with Obita in the box but the latter’s resulting shot  went way over Connor Ripley’s bar. At the other end, Love found Caleb Watts on the left wing from a free-kick with eleven minutes played after the midfielder had been fouled. Caleb cleverly cut inside and worked a position for himself but his weak shot was straight at Max Stryjek in the home goal.  The eighteenth minute saw Jacob Bedeau make a fantastic block to smother the danger of a Wanderers attack.  In the twenty-first minute, though, Garath McCleary got away down the Wycombe right, slung over a cross and unmarked defender Chris Forino headed home past a helpless Ripley to put the Chairboys one goal to the good.

It was Family Fun Day  today at Adams Park and it was unusual to hear obviously very juvenile voices loudly urging Wanderers forward once they had gone ahead. As Kieran Phillips looked increasingly isolated up front for the visitors, the home team continued to ask most of the questions. They scored another `goal’ from Sam Vokes’ tremendous header after 32 minutes but Morecambe were saved by a raised linesman’s flag for a foul during the build-up as the striker took a ride on a defender’s back before finishing. The away team had a good chance to equalise after a quick corner kick by Jensen Weir with thirty-three minutes on the clock. After a mix-up in the home penalty area, Jensen found Watts in a good position but his shot went agonisingly just wide of the post. At the other end, Wycombe Captain Joe Jacobson swerved one of his deadly corners right into the goal-mouth but Ripley was equal to it with a slightly tentative punch after 36 minutes. The visiting goalkeeper then redeemed himself with a tremendous save from Anis Mehmeti’s screamer after forty minutes at the cost of a corner which he then punched away far more decisively.

So the half ended with Wycombe’s performance on the field so far adding to the Family Fun day off it. They had most of the ball and created nearly all of the chances as Morecambe chased the game and offered very little themselves going forward.

Wycombe started the second period on the front foot as well and forced a corner which the visitors struggled to clear almost straight from kick-off. Ripley was forced to make a fairly routine stop from a weak shot by Obita after forty-eight minutes. He then made a simply superlative save from an instant volley by Vokes at the cost of a corner just two minutes later, somehow or other managing to push a shot seemingly bound for the top corner of the net over the bar. It was All Hands to the Pump for Morecambe at this point as Jacobson headed wide after 51 minutes and then Ryan Delaney was forced to make an excellent block from Wing following good play by Mehmeti only moments later. As the home team racked-up their Corner Kick Count, Watts was found by a long goal kick and ran forwards only to fail to seriously test the home team’s Reading loanee goalkeeper with a poor attempt. Weir then played a one-two with Liam Shaw and Liam fairly hammered a shot on goal which Stryjek did really well to push away for a corner. Cooney took this long; Shaw headed it back into the centre and still photographs taken from behind the goal prove that Jacobson’s arm definitely helped it over the dead ball line for a goal kick. The man who matters, though – Referee Alan Young – clearly didn’t see this. As Watts went off to be replaced by Cole Stockton after an hour, Morecambe were enjoying their best period in the match.  Phillips had a weak shot deflected into the arms of the home goalkeeper. As the home crowd fell silent, Love then took a shot at goal which went horribly wide after seventy minutes. For the hosts, McCleary emulated Donald’s wild strike a few minutes later. Adam Mayor came on with twenty minutes left and his first action was to find Cole the Goal, whose attempt was blocked for a throw-in. Morecambe’s nearest attempt to equalise so far arrived in the eightieth minute when Shaw’s fierce drive was brilliantly pushed against the post by Stryjek at the expense of a corner. Substitute Mayor took this and emulated Jacobson’s strike for Wycombe last year by whipping the ball straight into the net from the dead ball kick. Well done that man – and this was his first league goal for the club. Wanderers tried and failed to recreate the momentum they had in the earlier parts of the game after this – and failed. Right at the death, Mayor wasted a golden opportunity to win it for the visitors when one-on-one with the home goalkeeper as Cole had done well to make sure the ball ran through to him. But Stryjek again rushed from his goal and denied him with a tremendous save. The ball went straight to the other end and substitute Brandon Hanlan seemed to have won it for the men in the blue strips by burying the ball in the net during injury time but the goal was again struck-off for a foul on Jacob Bedeau in the build-up.

I suggested earlier that Derek Adams Parked The Bus at this venue today. It makes a good headline which I couldn’t resist but it isn’t true. Morecambe rode their luck in the first half as the hosts looked by far the better team. But they gradually took control of the game in the second period and deservedly pulled the deficit back with a wonder goal. With a bit more luck – and more eagle-eyed officials – they would have also been awarded a penalty for hand-ball by the home Skipper as well. Home goalkeeper Max Stryjek also excelled himself to keep the Shrimps out single-handedly at times this afternoon.

The point saw the Shrimps move a single position away from the bottom of League One as Burton lost 4-2 at Sheffield Wednesday and dropped beneath them. They are a single point behind FGR – who also lost today; 2-0 at Barnsley – but have a game in hand over them. Safety lies just four points away. With Accrington being walloped 3-0 at Fleetwood; Bristol Rovers losing 4-2 at Derby and Cheltenham and the Plastic People playing-out a goal-less bore, there is still plenty of reason for optimism for Derek Adams’ side. The great man said himself after the game:

“I thought we were excellent today. I think we’re obviously disappointed to only be coming away with a point – that says something when you come to Wycombe. They’ve obviously been a Championship club just come down to League One and very dominant at home. It was very good today because it’s a really difficult venue to come to. We deserved more than the point today. We hit the post twice and had other opportunities in the game and rarely do you come to Wycombe and that is the case.”

Wycombe Wanderers: 1 Max Stryjek (Y); 3 Joe Jacobson (C); 5 Chris Forino; 9 Sam Vokes; 10 Lewis Wing; 11 Anis Mehmeti; 12 Garath McCleary (18 Brandon Hanlan 75’); 20 Alfie Mawson (Y); 22 Nick Freeman; 23 Jordan Obita; 26 Jason McCarthy.

Subs not used: 2 Jack Grimmer; 7 David Wheeler; 16 Sullay Kaikai; 17 Daryl Horgan; 21 D’Mani Mellor; 30 Joshua Blunkell.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 15 Jensen Weir (Y) (18 Shane McLoughlin 80’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (9 Cole Stockton 61’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Kieran Phillips (25 Adam Mayor 72’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 11 Dylan Connolly; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 19 Jon Obika.

Ref: Alan Young.

Att: 6,263 (138 from Morecambe)

MORECAMBE 1:1 DERBY COUNTY. LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1st 2022

Derby match – Against Team based Over 110 Miles Away!

Tonight’s game at the Mazuma Stadium should have been played on Saturday, 10^th September but was postponed due to the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

If the game had been played as originally scheduled, this would have been Derby County’s five thousandth Football League match. The club was founded so long ago that they actually predate the Football League itself. When the latter venerable institution was created in 1888 – four years after the Rams first saw the light of day – Derby was a founder-member. At the beginning of the Twentieth Century, County could be found in the upper reaches of the old First Division. They won the FA Cup in 1946 but by the time legendary Brian Clough arrived at the club in 1967, they were plying their trade in the Second Division. They immediately won promotion and in 1972 went on to end up First Division title winners as well. Three years later, with legendary ex-club Captain and Scottish international Dave McKay in charge, they were Champions of England once again.

But since then, Derby’s has been a Downward Spiral more often than not. Off the field, financial problems have repeatedly plagued the club since the 1980s to the present day. In January this year – when the Rams were still in the Championship – they were estimated to owe the HMRC alone a quite eye-watering thirty million pounds and more than this figure again to a host of other creditors.

Morecambe, by comparison, are also no strangers to money worries – as is the case currently as the present owners have put the club up for sale. Other than that, the Shrimps have never competed in the Premier League; come top of the highest Division in English domestic football; won the FA Cup or competed in any European trophy competition. But they have never been relegated either and their upward progress since the 1970s as Derby was entering its heyday has been steady and unrelenting. So meeting Derby County tonight was a historical event for both sides involved – for totally different reasons. The fact that the Shrimps hosted the Rams this evening as equals in the first ever meeting between the two clubs tells anyone interested both how far Morecambe have progressed – and how far the once-mighty County have fallen.

Derby arrived in seventh place in League One on the back of two wins, a single draw and two losses in their last five league games. Their latest win came at home against Bristol Rovers last Saturday, where the Rams were 3-0 up after twenty-five minutes but ended the first half – and finally the match – 4-2 to the good.

Prior to the game which was postponed because of the death of the Monarch, Rams’ then Boss Liam Rosenior had said:

“It will be a big challenge for us. Morecambe can play with a back five or a back four, which they used in their last match against Bristol Rovers. I want every match, whether we are home or away, to be about us and our standards and performance. That is the message to players and we have a really good group here, on and off the field. It is all about us. It is special for me to be at this club anyway, but to be in charge for the 5,000th league match is a great feeling. It is a great landmark to hit and another reminder to myself and the players of the magnitude of the club we are working for. I hope we can mark the occasion with three points on Saturday.”

His replacement – ex-Rotherham Manager Paul Warne – is a smart chap, even if the extraordinary bobble hat he routinely wears would suggest otherwise . He explained his strategy for the next few games in these words before the match:

“If we can go and win against Morecambe, it takes us into a month of away fixtures where we can pick up points and come back and have a good December. We just need to try and average two points a game, that’s how I see it. If you average that over the season you are right up there. At the moment we are short of that for a few different reasons but hopefully we can start to perform at a level where we see that.”

His ex-Luton striker James Collins– about whom we will hear more in due course – added:

“We’ve got to go into the game against Morecambe with the right mentality. They are obviously near the bottom of the league so if we go up there thinking it’s going to be an easy game then we’ve got it all wrong. It’s a tough place, I’ve played there a few times and we need to put a run together now and try to catch that top six. Tuesday is our game in hand and that will put us into the top six if we win. That’s an incentive in itself.”

Our old favourite – Tom Barkhuizen – was unavailable for the Rams due to a hamstring problem. Midfielder Jason Knight plus defenders James Chester and Curtis Davies were also unavailable for selection due to long-term injuries and midfield supremo Conor Hourihane was suspended for this fixture.

Derek Adams made no bones about the enormity of the task facing his men tonight with these thoughts prior to the game:

“It’s a difficult fixture. They’re ones who are trying to get automatically promoted back into the Championship. We understand the threats that they have. We understand the weaknesses they have as well. We’re going to have to be very good on the night.”

They were very good on a night which started damp and ended with torrential rain falling from the dark skies. Derby – dressed in their classic black and white kit – immediately went on the attack and the die was cast for the evening: they were quick, fluent and worked the ball well from front to back. But after just a minute, they should have been behind. Morecambe caught them on the break with a smart counter-attack which saw Kieran Phillips shake off the attentions of a Derby defender and bear down on Joe Wildsmith in the visitors’ goal. But the Derby goalkeeper stood his ground and managed to deflect Kieran’s attempt wide of the target. The match swept from end to end but the visitors had the next chance after six minutes. Korey Smith headed the ball forward to James Collins who then set-up his Skipper Max Bird to shoot from 20 yards out. Connor Ripley in the home goal was equal to it at the cost of a corner which came to nothing. Liam Shaw was only just unable to get on the end of a clever flick into the Rams’ penalty area by Ryan Delaney after almost ten minutes. Three minutes later, Adam Mayor – who was a handful for the Derby defence all night with his mazy runs and direct approach play – did well to create space for himself and shoot but Wildsmith was again equal to it. With just over a quarter of an hour on the clock, David McGoldrick drew a fairly easy save from the home goalkeeper. Phillips then immediately went on a run just to the right of centre right down the pitch, weaving in and out of the away defence before unleashing a shot which was again well saved by the visiting goalkeeper. Nathaniel Mendez-Laing missed with a powerful effort after half an hour following a County corner. But a key moment of the match arrived in the thirty-second minute. Referee Marc Edwards always struggles to keep up with the play and tonight he simply guessed when he adjudged Anthony O’Connor to have brought down the unfortunately-named Lewis Dobbin in the Morecambe box. He whistled for a penalty: an appalling decision as Anthony clearly got the ball before the man went over his legs. The delightful James Collins – infamous for once tipping a beer glass full of his own urine over a balcony at Cheltenham Race Course – stepped-up to take it. But Shrimps’ Skipper Ripley dived low to his left and kept the ball out. So justice was done in the end. Moments after this, McGoldrick showed his frustration by chopping-down Ryan Cooney with a wild, angry foul fully deserving of a Red Card. But the weak official only proffered a Yellow. Yet the match remained always good to watch, with some nice touches by both sides. It constantly swept sometimes towards the massed ranks of Derby supporters and sometimes towards the packed home end instead.

In injury time, there was a bit of pin-ball in the away penalty area before Jensen Weir fairly walloped the ball home with a shot which went in off the post. So Derek Adams’ men returned to the Dressing Rooms at half time one goal up against the best League One team I have personally seen this season.

The visitors could – and should – have equalised right at the start of the second period. The ball pinged around the Morecambe penalty area virtually straight from kick-off and Collins fairly rattled the goal frame with a thunderbolt of a shot which bounced off the crossbar.  The referee then blew his whistle for another penalty. I assumed this was for handball by a Morecambe player. But as nobody on the home team was booked, let alone sent off, his reason for making the award – and who was the guilty party – is not clear. Again, I suspect he simply guessed.

This time, McGoldrick took the spot-kick. And big Connor in the home goal chose to dive to his right this time and managed to keep the ball out of the net once more. As the away crowd became suddenly totally silent, the match continued to follow the pattern of the first half. The Rams attacked and Morecambe continually caught them on the break. With almost an hour played, though, Derby finally equalised. Tricky and elusive winger Haydon Roberts made good progress down the County right, found Dobbin with a good pass for the ball to be played across to Louie Sibley, whose shot was deflected past a hapless Ripley by one of his own defenders. The game was pretty even after that but it seemed to me at least that the men in the red shirts had a good a shout for a penalty of their own after 69 minutes. But Mr Edwards – who was again miles away from the incident – chose not to blow his whistle on this occasion. The Referee was again the centre of controversy with 81 minutes on the clock. Morecambe were about to break away again just over the half way line in the Derby end of the field. Seeing his fellow defenders out of position, Eiran Cashin committed an appalling foul on substitute Dylan Connolly to stop this move dead in its tracks. He went straight through the back of him and made no attempt to play the ball. Cashin should have got a straight red but once again, the useless man with the whistle only proffered a yellow. Is it one of the Laws of football that players who have just been relegated from the Championship can’t actually be sent off?

There were a couple more half-chances for both sides and the Ref clearly enjoyed the ego-trip that results from prancing right across the field to book Derek Adams for protesting too vociferously against another dodgy free-kick he had gifted Derby in a dangerous position near the end of the match. But what had always been a good game to watch – despite the inept performances of the clowns in the blue shirts – ended in what was probably a deserved draw.  

The single point was enough to take the Shrimps above Forest Green Rovers on goal difference in League One tonight. Derby, meanwhile, stayed in seventh, just two points adrift of the Play-Offs.

King Derek’s verdict at the end of the game was:

“It was an excellent game tonight. I think it was end-to-end from the start. It was non-stop: two teams going for it, passing really well; finding space between both defences and in midfield. It made the game really open. We started the game very well and we could have been further ahead.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (Y) (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (Y) (11 Dylan Connolly 59’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Kieran Phillips (9 Cole Stockton 73’); 25 Adam Mayor (8 Ousmane Fané 90’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 5 Farrend Rawson; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 18 Shane McLoughlin.

Derby County: 1 Joe Wildsmith; 3 Craig Forsyth; 6 Eiran Cashin (Y); 8 Max Bird (C); 9 James Collins: 10 David McGoldrick (Y) (23 William Osula 72’); 11 Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (16 Liam Thompson 83’); 12 Korey Smith; 15 Haydon Roberts; 17 Louie Sibley; 18 Lewis Dobbin.

Subs not used:  21 Scott Loach; 19 Richard Stearman; 30 Kwaku Oduroh; 34 Jake Rooney.

Ref:  Marc Edwards.

Att: 5,157 (loads from Derby – a fantastic turn-out on a wet and stormy night a long way from home.)

Tremendous cover artwork by Liam Roberts – @LiamOneThree on Twitter.

Shrimps Fail at Sheffield Wednesday

Well, what a week for your average Shrimps fan. On Tuesday, it was Derby County; Sheffield Wednesday; Thursday off and then Sheffield Friday again. 

Derek Adams’ team made the one hundred plus mile journey into God’s Own Country across the Pennines today to face Wednesday at Hillsborough for the third time this year.

The game should have been played tomorrow but was moved back due to a potential clash between the Blue and Red Sheffield tribes – the Owls and the Blades – as United would be playing in the Championship against Burnley at Bramall Lane in the city at the same time.

There has been much understandable grumbling on Morecambe fans’ websites that work commitments; the weather and the difficulty of getting back home again by public transport from Sheffield late at night all reduced their chances of attending this tie.

Surely Sunday – and at least a possibility of a bumper TV deal for the cash-strapped Shrimps – would have been a better option from our point of view.

But Hey Ho, the FA always knows best, doesn’t it?

In January this year, Stephen Robinson’s ailing side lost 2-0 to Darren Moore’s men as their chances under his leadership of remaining in League One were quickly disappearing. In their only ever previous league encounter, the Owls had lost one-nil at the Maz during August 2021 which marked their first concession of a goal as well as their initial league defeat of last season. The only other times the two clubs had faced each other were most recently when the Yorkshire club clocked-up a routine 3-0 win at the same location in a league game earlier this season. The other – first – time the clubs met was in another FA Cup First Round tie which Wednesday were lucky to win 1-2 in north Lancashire during 2011.

Before the game, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams expressed this view of the tie:

“Sheffield Wednesday are one of the biggest clubs in this division. They shouldn’t really be in this division. We’ve come off some really good performances. We are going to have to do exactly the same against Sheffield Wednesday. We understand the abundance of talent that they have in their squad. But it’s the FA Cup. It is an FA Cup game that everyone’s looking forward to.”

He changed the line-up slightly from Saturday’s draw against Derby County. Having played for Colne in one of the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup this season, Adam Mayor was unable to compete tonight. Strikers Arthur Gnahoua and Dylan Connolly both returned to the first team as Kieran Phillips and Caleb Watts were moved to the bench. Defender Farrend Rawson was also recalled to the starting line-up.

Opposite Number Darren Moore said this prior to the game:

“I love the FA Cup. The furthest I got was the quarter final stage. I love the nostalgia of it. I expect Morecambe to come here and go all out. It’s a cup match and they can play with an element of freedom. We’re looking forward to the game tomorrow night and we have prepared just as we normally do. Morecambe are in our league, they know us, we know them and I’m looking forward to it. For me, it’s about consistency and we have to keep the same mentality in the cup as we do in the league. It’s a break away from the league but we look at it in the same way and keep the same focus.”

The weather had been overcast with rain at times in Sheffield today. Following an impeccably observed Minute’s Silence in anticipation of Remembrance Sunday just over a week hence, the match kicked-off in front of an eerily far less than half-empty stadium.

Morecambe had the first chance of the game within the first two minutes. Liam Shaw – playing against the club he signed for as a Junior – worked the ball down the right flank and played-in Dylan Connolly to take a fairly tame shot at home custodian David Stockdale. Wednesday’s first chance came via Michael Smith, who missed with a free header from Josh Windass’ cross from the Sheffield left after twelve minutes. Windass himself then looped a header over the bar and onto the top of the net about a minute later. Twelve minutes had been played when Connolly played-in Arthur Gnahoua from the right to take a powerful shot at goal which Owls’ custodian Stockdale did well to save. At the other end, Jack Hunt hit a shot which was deflected against Connor Ripley’s post with the away goalkeeper beaten after twenty minutes. Reece James then had a shot well blocked by the visiting defence with 23 minutes on the clock before Smith headed just wide from Tyreeq Bakinson’s cross a minute later. The pressure was increasing and it was no surprise when Windass curled a beautifully-judged shot around Ripley from about twenty yards for the opening goal of the game after almost half an hour.

Virtually straight from the re-start, Stockdale did well to save a thunderbolt from Jensen Weir which was heading towards the top corner of his net. Morecambe’s attempts to drive forward were generally frustrated by poor passing or off-side decisions and Wednesday continued to dominate the play, which was quite scrappy most of the time after the home team had gone ahead. Almost at the end of the first half, Alex Mighten was denied by another confident stop from the visiting goalkeeper as he got down low to save but that was as close as either team came to scoring another goal before the break.

Kieran Phillips was introduced at the expense of Jacob Bedeau as King Derek expressed his intention to take the game to the hosts during the second half. But Wednesday had the first two clear chances after the re-start. Fifty minutes had been played when Mighten waltzed his way through the visiting defence and unleashed a shot which went just wide of the target. A minute later, Windass played in Smith again to force another good save from Ripley in the away goal. Phillips then lobbed the home goalkeeper after pandemonium in the Owls’ defence after fifty-two minutes. This beat Stockdale – who was out of his ground – but was headed off the line by Dominic Iorfa for a corner. Morecambe then struck on the break after almost an hour and – after some nice interchanges between the Shrimps’ players – Weir took a tremendous shot from the edge of the area which Stockdale did really well to push away for a corner kick as he dived high to his left.  Reece James then missed again for Sheffield after Smith had back-heeled the ball to him with exactly an hour played. In the sixty-fifth minute, Mighten only just missed with a close-range effort. But just seconds later, he found the net as Ryan Cooney passed back without looking and the Owls’ forward took full advantage by smashing the ball low past a helpless Ripley to double Wednesday’s advantage.  Anthony O’Connor played-in Phillips with a superb pass after 64 minutes but the substitute’s effort on goal was smothered by a Sheffield defender. Weir missed again four minutes later with a shot a long way off target in another rare Shrimps’ foray into opposition territory. Darren Moore – clearly seeing the game already won – took off three of his most effective players with about twenty minutes left.  

Derek sent on Caleb Watts to replace Gnahou shortly after this. The change made little difference. Further changes within the last ten minutes also had no effect. Sheffield had the best of what few chances were created after these changes. Ripley did well to keep out an effort from substitute Callum Paterson with about five minutes left. A minute later, Will Vaulks also missed with an effort which went just wide of the target. Right at the death, a Smith strike on Morecambe’s goal was also deflected away from the goal. At the other end, Stockdale had virtually nothing to do.

Disappointingly, the Shrimps went out of the FA Cup with barely a whimper tonight. King Derek told us a few weeks ago that the only way he could expect to receive funds to improve his squad later in the season would be an extended run in this competition.

So let’s hope his team do better at the so-called `Dons’ of Milton Keynes next Tuesday in the League Cup than they did against them in the league earlier this season.

For a very welcome change, BBC Radio Lancashire provided live commentary for this game tonight. Summariser Mark Atkins summed-up what happened thus from Morecambe’s point of view:

“They started off with a defensive set-up; tried to really just keep Wednesday at bay. It worked for so long – they didn’t have many chances on goal; they were doing well defensively.  Second half, they put a centre forward on. They really got into the game; really pushed themselves forward; got a couple of half-chances. But then, the back-pass from Cooney – it was Game Over; there was no coming back from that. (Derek Adams) will be quite pleased with their effort; their determination. They never gave up. Will he go away thinking `we started the game too defensive?’ because second half, they were far better than they were in the first half.”

Sheffield Wednesday: 31 David Stockdale; 4 Will Vaulks; 6 Dominic Iorfa; 7 Mallik Wilks (13 Callum Paterson 80’); 11 Josh Windass (17 Fisayo Dele-Bashiru 70’); 19 Tyreeq Bakinson; 24 Michael Smith; 32 Jack Hunt (20 Michael Ihiekwe 70’); 33 Reece James (18 Marvin Johnson (Y) 70’); 34 Mark McGuinness; 45 Alex Mighten.

Subs not used: 47 Pierce Charles; 3 Jaden Brown; 9 Lee Gregory; 10 Barry Bannan; 14 George Byers.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 11 Dylan Connolly (9 Cole Stockton; 84’) 14 Arthur Gnahoua (17 Caleb Watts 75’); 15 Jensen Weir (Y); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor (8 Ousmane Fané 84’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 23 Kieran Phillips; 19 Jon Obika.

Ref: Sunny Sukhvir Gill.

Att: 8,558 (several hundred stalwarts from Morecambe.)

LEAGUE CUP THIRD ROUND. TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8th 2022.

Far Too Easy for the MK Imposters…

The football authorities in Britain once allowed a brand new club to cannibalise Wimbledon FC, swallow it whole and then move up the M1 motorway almost one hundred miles away. Then they allowed these interlopers to carry on under another identity altogether whilst pretending nothing at all had happened. This shows in one stark example that there is corruption at the heart of the Beautiful Game in this country. But money talks – always has; always will. So the fact that these frauds have ever been in the EFL at all marks a very dark chapter in the history of English football. The further fact that MK Plastic so-called Dons have ever played in a competition once known as the League Cup is therefore – by definition – a scandal in itself. Tonight, though, these interlopers were allowed the privilege of entertaining a club whose EFL membership (in common with all other clubs except themselves) has been earned the hard way – through the Pyramid System of lower league football.

I’m not going to say a lot more about the Buckinghamshire club other than their record against Morecambe has been excellent from their point of view over the years. They’ve only lost one and drawn one of seven previous meetings so far. They have been victorious in all three League One games played so far, most recently last August, when they romped to a 0-4 rout where they looked superior to the Shrimps right across the park in every position. Since then, though, the Cuckoos’ league form has seen the wheels fall off, with three losses and only a single win in their last five games which sees them just one place above Morecambe in the highest League One relegation position: twenty-first in the table. They have a single point more than tonight’s visitors – albeit with a game in hand.

Key players for the Plastic People have been missing during this slump, though: Mo Eisa and Tennai Watson notably. However, they got back to winning ways last Saturday when they walloped National League South club Taunton Town at this venue in the First Round of the FA Cup, 6-0. Respect to Taunton though – at least they have never pretended to be someone else entirely.

MK Manager Liam Manning said about this win – and the goal Eisa scored in it:

“It’s great to have him back. He’s a terrific character and he’s a really big player for us. The goal meant a huge amount to him, and hopefully it gives him a boost going into Tuesday.”

For Morecambe, any high-flying hopes of an extended FA Cup run came crashing down to earth at Hillsborough last Friday night, when Sheffield Wednesday unceremoniously dumped them out of the competition by two goals to nil. Morecambe Manager Derek Adams is on record as saying that the only way to generate cash to buy any new players in the January Transfer Window in order to save the club’s very erratic league campaign is to have a plum draw against one of the Big Boys in a cup competition this season. So – with the tin-pot Pizza Trophy thing more or less an irrelevance – all his eggs have now been put in a basket which required a win against the MK Brand this evening.

Prior to the match, King Derek said:

“MK Dons played very well when we faced them at the Mazuma Stadium earlier this season. They were clinical, particularly in the first half. We grew into the match in the second half, but we can learn a lot from that fixture. We can see the strengths and weaknesses in their side. There are areas we can improve upon, and there are areas that we can focus on to exploit them too.”

Opposite Number Liam Manning’s first team coach Darren Smith added:

“We’ve got a real tough game against Morecambe. Knowing Derek and coaching against his sides, they won’t be any pushover. They certainly won’t come here and roll over. They’ll come here and have a real hard go and we’ve got to be at our best to get a win.”

After a wet and blustery day right across the British Isles, it was at least dry in Milton Keynes as the game kicked-off in front of a disappointingly small crowd. Perhaps 90% of the ground was actually empty. So much for the investment of the local community in this renegade of a club. (I didn’t know the actual attendance figure when I wrote this. It was only 1,674. MK Stadium’s capacity is 30,500. Socks off – er: 3,050 is thus ten percent. So, given that 1,674 is only just over half that number, it equates to just over five percent of the available space;. In other words, almost 95% of the ground was actually empty this evening: which must be one of the most shocking statistics of the season. AFC Wimbledon – bless them – get a lot more than that. We’ve all heard of the Pub Without Beer. Now we have the Stadium Without Fans…)

As the players could be clearly heard shouting to each other in the eerily empty stadium, not a lot happened in the opening moments of the game. But with five minutes gone, full-back Tennai Watson latched onto Warren O’Hora’s smart pass and weaved his way through the Shrimps’ defence before unleashing a shot which Connor Ripley did well to push away to his right for a corner. From this, Ethan Robson’s effort was clawed away by Ripley only for Jack Tucker to strike the rebound against the post with the away goalkeeper beaten. The visiting defence then managed to belatedly clear the ball.

Morecambe offered nothing going forward as the home team continued to dominate the play and won another corner after twelve minutes which came to nothing. They won another corner five minutes later and central defender O’Hora smashed the loose ball home after the Morecambe defence had played head tennis in their own area instead of clearing the ball up the field.

Liam Gibson made a poor header after twenty minutes which Darragh Burns walloped only just over the bar as Gibbo tried to atone for his mistake with an attempted block.

Morecambe won their first corner kick of the evening on their right after twenty-four minutes. But this was completely wasted.

Clearly unhappy with the languid performance he had witnessed so far, King Derek made a double substitution after only half an hour. Defenders Ryan Delaney and Anthony O’Connor were withdrawn in favour of forwards Dylan Connolly and Adam Mayor as the Manager clearly wanted his team to go for broke in a match where they had showed no attacking bite whatsoever so far. Mayor – prompted by Caleb Watts with a good pass – immediately made his way into the opposition penalty area and aimed a cross towards Kieran Phillips which home custodian Jamie Cumming plucked out of the air without too much trouble. That was as much as he had to do all night.

In the sterile atmosphere generated by so few fans, the rest of the half basically meandered to an end as neither team showed any real spark or determination to get a proper grip on proceedings. Having said that, the home team always looked the better of the two sides and their custodian Cumming had no difficult shots to save throughout the entire pretty tedious 46 minutes.

Morecambe thus needed to improve markedly in the second half if they were going to stand any chance of turning things around and potentially win the glamour tie which might fill their coffers with filthy lucre from TV deals and whatnot in the next round of the League Cup.

Cole the No Goal So Far Stockton was sent into the fray in the second half as Caleb Watts was withdrawn. Cole hasn’t scored in any competition since Good Friday and his body language and performances so far don’t do him any favours as he doesn’t look properly fit and clearly is not committed to the cause any more. Tonight, he again offered very little.

The game almost immediately went from bad to worse for the visitors as substitute Matthew Dennis increased the Plastic People’s lead with just five minutes of the second period played. It could have been worse – Farrend Rawson tried to pull the forward down as last man Dennis set himself to score and could have faced a red card as a result. Ryan Cooney then deflected another rebound from Dennis just wide of the post after Ripley had saved his initial shot after 53 minutes. It could so easily have been an own goal.

With three forwards on the pitch, Morecambe still failed to make any impact whatsoever on the Milton Keynes defence. They won a corner after 63 minutes but this was booted straight into touch.  And this was basically as good as it got all night.

Despite what Derek Adams said after the game, the MK Cuckoos are not a good side – the league table does not lie. But they didn’t have to be to win this evening. Ripley did well to dive on the ball as Dennis chased substitute Matthew Smith’s Route One ball over the top with 76 minutes played. Two minutes later, the big away stopper did well again to save a shot from another MK replacement – Daniel Oyegoke this time. At the other end, though, Cumming was again never tested.

So Morecambe yet again failed to become one of the final sixteen teams in this competition. For the Plastic People, tonight’s win was more like a training match than a proper test against a team in the same Division. The Shrimps were utterly pathetic tonight and gave in with barely a whimper. With the hope of extra funds from Cup runs well and truly evaporated, Derek Adams needs to find a way to galvanise the men he already has into trying to stay in League One. If this performance is any guide, they won’t do so.

King Derek, however, is forever the optimist. After the game, he was brutally honest about what happened earlier:

“We were beaten by a far better team than us. I’d just like to apologise to supporters tonight. We have no complaints. It’s just unfortunate tonight that our players – my players – didn’t make a good account of ourselves. That sometimes happens.”

Plastic Milton Keynes: 1 Jamie Cumming; 2 Tennai Watson (12 Daniel Oyegoke 45’); 4 Jack Tucker; 5 Warren O’Hora; 8 Ethan Robson; 10 Mohamed Eisa (Y) (30 Matthew Dennis 45’); 14 Bradley Johnson (28 Dawson Devoy 65’); 16 Conor Grant; 20 Darragh Burns (7 Matthew Smith 65’); 22 Henry Lawrence; 33 Zak Jules.

Subs not used:  11 Nathan Holland; 17 Daniel Kemp; 19 Louie Barry; 21 Daniel Harvie; 23 Franco Ravizzoli.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (11 Dylan Connolly 31’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (Y) (9 Cole Stockton 45’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor (25 Adam Mayor 31’); 23 Kieran Phillips (8 Ousmane Fané 61’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 19 Jon Obika.

Ref: Ben Toner.

Att: 1,674 of which about 120 were from Morecambe. Well done to everyone concerned.

Ian Evatt’s Fantasy World Uncovered.

Morecambe Football Club released a Statement this week. On 9^th November 2022, they told us:

Today, Lancashire Police have confirmed that no further action will be taken in relation to an allegation of racist abuse at our fixture versus Bolton Wanderers last season.

At the end of this game, BBC Sport reported on what had happened thus:

“A League One game was stopped for 10 minutes after a “barrage of abuse” including racism was said to be directed towards the opposition.

Referee Ross Joyce took Morecambe and Bolton players off the pitch on 88 minutes of the 1-1 draw. Morecambe said they were aware of the allegations and would investigate.

“From minute one the barrage of abuse from directly behind the dugout was astonishing,” Bolton boss Ian Evatt told BBC Radio Manchester. “No protection. Encroachment, spitting and it takes the worst of all remarks – a racist remark – for somebody to stand up and do something about it.””

This nonsense – as was mentioned at the time – was repeated on the now thankfully defunct EFL on Quest later in the evening. The barely literate Clinton Morrison was given a platform to launch a totally unjustified attack on the club, making a string of allegations for which neither he nor anyone else at the programme had any proof whatsoever. No mention was made of the real events that happened inside and outside the Mazuma Stadium, which have been retrospectively re-assessed by the BBC thus this very week:

“A police investigation into an allegation of racist abuse during a League One match has been dropped.

Lancashire Police said no further action would be taken against a 61-year-old man who was arrested at Morecambe’s match against Bolton Wanderers last season. The game was suspended for 10 minutes at the Mazuma Stadium in February.

Officers had been investigating alleged racial slurs being directed at the Bolton bench.

Five Bolton fans were also detained at the same match on suspicion of assault and being drunk and disorderly, with one man later charged with pitch encroachment. Some other suspects were given fixed-penalty notices, police said.

The arrests were made after a number of fans ran onto the pitch to celebrate Bolton’s equaliser.”

Why didn’t they mention these facts at the time? The whole thing stinks. Given that no evidence has been found to substantiate his claim about spitting and particularly racist abuse, Ian Evatt clearly invented these allegations. So what action is going to be taken against him? His actions caused two of our number to be ejected from the game when all the evidence at the time indicates that they – rather than Evatt – had been the victims of abuse aimed at them from the Bolton Bench. The club as a whole and Morecambe fans in general have rallied around the victims – Santa and his Missis – to express our collective outrage about this development on the day. The wrong person was arrested on the day.

So is Mr Evatt going to be man enough to express any regrets or even remorse about engineering the delay in the game when his team were clearly about to lose last February? Any words of comfort he would like to offer to Santa and his family?

What do you think?

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 12th NOVEMBER 2022.

Portsmouth’s Bishop’s Mate…

Over a thousand Portsmouth fans made the long journey to Morecambe from Hampshire to watch today’s League One fixture at the Mazuma Stadium. It’s about three hundred miles one-way from the south coast to the north west so well done to everyone concerned. The team travelled the same distance yesterday to prepare for the game and Manager Danny Cowley told the local media before he left:

“Great game for us. One that we’re really looking forward to. We had the pleasure of watching Morecambe on Tuesday night at MK Dons – (brother and Assistant Coach) Nicky and I – so that’s nice when you can watch an opponent before you play them.  I think there’s a lot to like in that Morecambe team. It’s a really determined, resilient group; really gritty. Their home form has been good in recent games so we anticipate a tough game but we’re in a good place ourselves. We’re looking forward to the game.”

The Shrimps have played Pompey on ten previous occasions. They have lost half of them and won only three so far. In League One last season, the Blues beat Stephen Robinson’s team 2-0 at Fratton Park before drawing 1-1 at the Maz last April as Derek Adams took on the daunting task of saving his old club from the humiliation of an immediate return to League Two from which he had led them only a year or so earlier. What short memories some amongst our number have. We have to remember that Derek has been lumbered for all of this season by 75% of the squad which was bequeathed to him by Robbo prior to his defection North of the Border. Performances in the last week – when Morecambe have been tamely dumped out of the two major English Cup competitions by Sheffield Wednesday and the Wimbledon impersonators away from home – have been very disappointing. But their collective effort against a brilliant Derby County in their last home match still gives us hope that Derek can perform the same miracle once more this season even with players he doesn’t want and with no resources to improve the squad. If he can’t do it – who else does anyone with even one toe still in contact with reality – would be able to? (I don’t think the Prophet Mohammed; J Christ Esq. or Mr Buddha are available currently…)

King Derek’s men started the game third from the bottom of the League One table on the back of just one defeat in their last five league games. It’s not anything like as bad as the Soothsayers of Doom would like us to believe in their regular hysterical social media outbursts. The Shrimps have won one and drawn three of the remaining matches.

High-flying Pompey have exactly the same record in their last five league games, even though they arrived in fifth place in the table given a far better win ratio earlier in this season’s campaign. But Portsmouth is another big club with a huge actual and potential support which has fallen on (relatively) hard times. We aren’t…

Last Saturday, the Blues had to come from behind at Edgar Street to overcome Hereford FC of National League North 1-3 in the FA Cup. The fact that they were losing to what is now, very sadly, a genuinely small club shows in itself that they are far from invincible these days.

These were King Derek’s thoughts before the game:

“It’s another challenge, just like all the games in this league. We want to try and stay here. We understand the difficulties, but as a staff and players we know how we are going to get ourselves staying in the league next season. We’ve played against two very good sides in Sheffield Wednesday and MK Dons. We did our best to get through but we unfortunately weren’t good enough and we just have to get on with that. I know what people are spending elsewhere and it’s extremely difficult. But we’re working hard, and we’ll get there. Our aim is to remain in League One, and that hasn’t changed. Home form is key. The more wins we can get at home will give us an opportunity to stay in this league. Draws will help us too through the season, but it will be the wins against the teams around us that will be vital, and we haven’t done that well enough so far.”

As far as recent league matches are concerned, he added:

“We’ve drawn three and won one of our last five. The games we’ve had to play in that time have been very difficult, really hard games with small margins in the games. We’ve competed with the superpowers of the league.  Every game we go out and try and win. We’ve lost 14 points from winning positions so far this season. With those points, we’d be in the play-offs at this moment in time.’’ 

After a wet and blustery week in north Lancashire, it was sunny and quite mild in Morecambe today. The Last Post was impeccably played by a female bugler and wreaths placed on the pitch by the club captains prior to the usual silence to respect the dead of two world and other wars over the years.

The hosts had the first half-chance once the game started as Ryan Cooney headed wide after four minutes. They looked lively and well-drilled against a team dressed in turquoise (Teal? Portsmouth Bay Blue? – who knows?) shirts and socks and black shorts. Portsmouth looked well organised and had a couple of nippy players in their ranks in the shape of Josh Koroma and Dane Scarlett. Both sides won several corners and the match was fairly evenly balanced throughout the first half. Referee Adam Herczeg and his Assistant on the main stand side of the ground hardly covered themselves in glory when they both missed a very obvious and pretty crude challenge on Caleb Watts off the ball as Morecambe hit on the break during the early play. Connor Ripley made his first significant save of the game after 23 minutes, when he was forced to push a curling shot from Owen Dale over his bar. But the breakthrough came in the thirty-sixth minute when Adam Mayor’s good run and cross from the Shrimps’ right was struck home low by official and deserved Man of the Match Liam Shaw. Although there were few clear-cut chances, this was always a good game to watch. In injury time, though, Kieran Phillips had a decent opportunity to score but couldn’t quite sort his feet out to strike on target. Even further into stoppage time, Morecambe should have increased their lead and would have but for an outstanding save from Josh Griffiths. With an unmarked Jensen Weir bearing down on him at speed, he somehow or other managed to turn the striker’s effort over the bar.

So Morecambe returned to the Dressing Rooms in the Winning Position King Derek had highlighted before the game. The question was – could they hold onto it this time?

The initial signs were good. As the visitors tried to compress the play into the home half, the Shrimps kept breaking the press by constantly hunting down the man in possession and hitting on the break at every opportunity.

Visiting Skipper Clark Robertson was hurt just before half time and didn’t return after the break.  In his absence, Watts missed with a shot after only two minutes of the re-start. He then came even nearer when – following an excellent counter-attack by the Shrimps – he headed a cross from the Morecambe right agonisingly wide of Griffiths’ right-hand post with fifty-four minutes played. But the away team were beginning to build up a head of steam at this point. They had a lot of the ball and Morecambe found it difficult to get it off them for a period before they actually equalised with 67 minutes played. It was a scruffy goal but after the Morecambe rearguard failed to clear the ball in their own penalty area, Pack’s header was cleared off the line only for Pompey’s leading scorer Colby Bishop to then sweep the ball home from close range.

As the famous Chimes constantly underscored the action, there was a brief period where the visitors looked as though they were going to steamroller their way to a win at this point in the game. But – to give them their due – Morecambe responded very positively. Substitute Dylan Connolly outstripped the entire Pompey defence on their left after 76 minutes and unleashed a shot-come-cross which Griffiths couldn’t hold but got away with. A minute later, he was off again. His cross this time found Cole Stockton in a position where he would have scored for certain last season on the Morecambe left in the box and with a clear sight of goal. But Cole missed today. Connolly then had a golden opportunity of his own after 81 minutes. One-on-one with the goalkeeper and the goal gaping, he also contrived to allow Griffiths to save a chance he should have buried with a poor effort. A minute later, the third of the trio of late substitutes – Arthur Gnahoua – also came close with a strike which went just wide. At the other end, Ripley did well to save a thunderbolt from Pack after 86 minutes. But the `goal’ wouldn’t have stood as the Ref had already blown for off-side.

All the time, Pompey looked vulnerable to the counter-attack and the antics of some of their players – shamelessly time-wasting after falling over on the pitch often a long way from the action and feigning injury- showed how grateful they would be for a point long before the end of the game. Their Manager – constantly dancing down the touch-line miles away from his technical area to coach his players as the weak Referee did nothing to stop him – didn’t help. Pompey were quite physical at times this afternoon and a general free-for-all between the two teams right at the end of the game threatened to spoil things as a spectacle.

Cole missed again with a hopeless shot from a long way out in injury time.  But that was as close as anybody got to winning it.

Morecambe could – and should – have won today. They were the better team most of the time and created far better chances then did their opponents. But it wasn’t to be. At the end of proceedings, neither club was any better off as far as the League One table is concerned. But both rival MK Devils and Forest Green Vegans lost at home and Burton Albion could also only draw at the Pirelli. Encouragingly, Accrington Stanley also lost again, this time in East Lancs to Sheffield Wednesday. So things could be a lot worse.

This is what Derek Adams had to say after the game:

“How we haven’t won by five or six is a travesty. I’ve played against Portsmouth many times in my career as a manager, and never had as many glaring opportunities as we had today. We out-defended them, we outplayed them, we outran them and the chances we created were glaring. Their goalkeeper’s made a couple of good saves, we’ve maybe not done well enough. We should’ve won by a landslide, there’s no doubt about it. We should have had them dead and buried, and if anybody says differently, they’ve not got a clue about football. I’m very proud of the players today. The players gave their all and I thought they were fantastic over the afternoon. The fans were fantastic, they kept our players going. They saw the chances we created; the way they worked; the way they ran forward. I’m proud of the supporters because they were outstanding. But over the afternoon, the disappointing thing is not being able to win the game against Portsmouth, and that is hugely frustrating.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (11 Dylan Connolly (Y) 74’ ) 20 Liam Shaw (Y); 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Kieran Phillips (9 Cole Stockton 74’); 25 Adam Mayor (14 Arthur Gnahoua 74’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 3 Max Melbourne; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Ousmane Fané.

Portsmouth: 1 Joshua Griffiths; 2 Zak Swanson (25 Jade Jay Mingi (Y) 83’); 4 Clark Robertson (C) (3 Denver Hume 45’); 6 Connor Ogilvie; 7 Marlon Pack (Y) (28 Michael Morrison 90’); 8 Ryan Tunnicliffe; 9 Colby Bishop (10 Joe Piggott 83’); 15 Owen Dale (18 Reeko Hackett-Fairchild 67’); 19 Dane Scarlett; 20 Sean Raggett (C 45-90’); 27 Josh Koroma.

Subs not used: 13 Kieron Freeman; 11 Ronan Curtiss; 16 Joe Morrell; 21 Josh Oluwayemi.

Ref: Adam Herczeg.

Att: 4,726 (A magnificent 1,057 from Portsmouth.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 19th NOVEMBER 2022.

Rub of the (Lincoln) Green for the Imps

After the draw against Portsmouth at the Maz last week, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams said the following:

“We haven’t had some decisions because we are the minnows.  We’re playing against superpowers in the league and we’re not getting the big decisions when they come along. There’s no doubt about that.”

He has a point. But what worries me is what he went on to say:

“The big thing for me over the summer I’ve been disappointed because I’ve had to make changes and unfortunately I’ve not been backed enough in the summer to make the changes.  If we had been backed in the summer then we’d have a far different team to what we’ve got now. That’s the big disappointment for me coming back to the football club. That’s my biggest disappointment over the summer – we haven’t been backed. The previous management were backed – and we haven’t been. We’re fighting every day just to compete in this league. We just haven’t been able to get enough revenue to help us.  It’s hugely frustrating for me as a Manager of Morecambe Football Club. To get out of League Two; to stay in League One last season because we were down and buried. We had eight teams out of the top eleven to play; we had none of the bottom five to play and we were able to stay there. We’re going to have to do the same again this year. Fifth bottom- whatever it is – is a huge success. It’s like winning the lottery for Morecambe. People don’t understand. The supporters – some do, some don’t; they haven’t a clue, some of them. What happens in the inner sanctuary of the football club – they have no idea.”

It’s unusual – to put it mildly – for any football Manager to directly criticise the leadership of the club and stay in post. Most Managers in any walk of life who publicly criticise their owners get the sack. For Derek to speak out in such a forthright manner about what anybody with even half a brain cell can see is the dire reality at the club is obviously going out on a limb. Asked by our own Quinny what difference the Transfer Window re-opening in January would make, Derek interrupted – with obvious frustration bordering on actual anger that even the interviewer didn’t seem to fully appreciate the utterly grim financial situation at the club:

“January? We’re skint! We’re absolutely skint – we have no money! January doesn’t mean anything to me! What am I going to do?”

As I’ve said before, Derek Adams is the best thing ever to have happened to Morecambe Football Club. What he said about the Board backing Stephen Robinson last season is true. Robbo brought a lot of dead wood to the club and gave most of them long contracts. He then took the two best of these signings – Jonah Ayunga and loanee Trevor Carson – with him to St Mirren this season. Derek has been left to pick up the pieces and try to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear both last season and this. Some of the better signings he made prior to the latest campaign have been injured subsequently and basically haven’t featured in the first team so far. It’s a tough gig and nobody could blame him if he simply chose to walk away from it.

One of the things I personally hope is that he is not going to do so. If he does, we will not only struggle to stay in League One but – with the continuing questions about the finances of a club which is up for sale without any guarantees for the future – potentially face a struggle to stay in the EFL at all. With the nagging fear of extinction as a football club altogether still a very real possibility always hovering in the background. It happened at Worcester Warriors under the same ownership that we have. Don’t think for one moment that it can’t happen to us as well…

For now though, King Derek has stayed. Today, the next hurdle he had to invent a means to cross on the unrelenting obstacle course which is League One survival was at Sincil Bank.

Another fantastic image by Liam Roberts – @LiamOneThree on Twitter

Hosts Lincoln City were lucky thirteenth in the table with 23 points on the board so far before the match. Morecambe were nine places below them with nine points fewer.

The Imps remain unbeaten at home this season and have won one and lost one of their last five league games. The Shrimps, despite their lowly position in the table, had exactly the same record.

City has the very dubious – and indelible – distinction of being the first football club ever to have been relegated from the Football League once promotion and relegation from the previously Closed Shop was very belatedly introduced in1987.  I think they are also almost unique in having suffered this indignity twice. (Grimsby Town is the only other club I can think of which has suffered a similar fate. Macclesfield did too – but they, very sadly, never returned second time around. Any other offers?)

Last time City returned to the EFL, Morecambe was the first team they played in 2017. As a Lancaster Bomber buzzed the stadium before the match, Lincoln went behind to a goal by Aaron Wildig but finally drew the game one apiece.

In all other previous encounters, the two clubs have met sixteen times altogether in various competitions. Lincoln have won half of these and lost only three. In League One, Stephen Robinson’s Shrimps beat the Imps two-nil at the Maz last September but lost the return fixture in February this year by the odd goal in three. These statistics will change markedly – one way or another – during the next three days. Strangely enough, both teams will reconvene at this venue next Tuesday night, when the Shrimps will take on the Imps in the Papa John’s Trophy.

King Derek said the following about his hopes for more goals from his men in the future prior to the game:

“We’ve played on the front foot to try and get that advantage in games. We know we can defend well at times as well, and we can go forward (too). We’ve got players now coming back into the team who enable us to have that extra dimension going forward. If you look at Caleb Watts and Mayor, they’ve come into the side after one was injured and one making his way from the academy: that’s enabled us as well to have different propositions up front. We’ve got the likes of Gnahoua who can come into the squad and Connolly at times, Stockton and Phillips. It’s really helping us now.”

As far as the job he had to tackle today was concerned, he added:

“Lincoln is a big club in this division. They’ve got average gates of eight or nine thousand. They’ve taken some very good income from that point of view, and they’ve been in League One for a number of years now. They moved up from the National League to League Two, and straight up to League One, and they’re a club who is well supported. It’s up to us to go there and try to win because they’ve drawn seven games at home this season. We understand that but they’ve come off a very good draw at home to Plymouth Argyle themselves.”

With Dylan Connolly suspended, Derek was able to put Jake Taylor – just returned from a long-term injury – straight back into the starting eleven.

For the Imps, their Irish Manager Mark Kennedy was asked how he feels about the prospect of playing Morecambe twice in the next few days:

“I’ve not spoken to Derek but I imagine that we both probably would have both wanted something different. But it is what it is. So I’ll stop talking now. We’re expecting a really tough game; both games: one league; one cup. Not ideal in terms of three days after each other. But it would have been nice to have somebody different.”

Morecambe kicked-off after all the Lincoln and some Shrimps’ players Took the Knee before Referee Martin Coy blew his whistle. The hosts had the first half-chance of the game when Sunderland loanee Jack Diamond played-in Charles Verman on the Imps’ left only for Ryan Cooney to block the move at the cost of a corner within the first minute. With seven minutes played, Cooney then cleverly played-in Kieran Phillips on the Morecambe right but the young centre forward’s effort went just wide of Carl Rushworth’s right-hand post. At the other end a minute later, Vernam was given too much space to run into before unleashing a shot from a long way off which hit Jensen Weir and forced Connor Ripley in the away goal to make an excellent save as he pushed the ball over his bar.  In the eleventh minute, Diamond wasted an excellent chance when he blasted Jamie Robson’s fine pass from the City left over the bar when well-placed. The game was flowing from one end to the other but the first goal arrived with just over a quarter of an hour on the clock. The Referee penalised the visitors on the edge of their penalty area. Max Sanders’ shot seemed to go straight through the wall but in trying to clear it, Jake Taylor only managed to deflect if past his own totally stranded goalkeeper. Morecambe immediately pushed back up the field and Weir’s shot was blocked for a corner kick which was cleared. Caleb Watts showed some fancy footwork on the right flank after nineteen minutes and played in Kieran Phillips for a shot from the right hand side of the penalty area which went just wide of the target. Within sixty seconds, Caleb re-created the trick on the Morecambe left and got the ball to Liam Shaw this time. His instant shot bounced back off Rushworth’s right-hand post with the goalkeeper a mere bystander. Morecambe were shading the play with some slick inter-passing at this stage of the match with the home team playing on the break. From one of these, Vernam received a fantastic pass on the City left from Skipper Poole miles away on the right wing but made a complete hash of his attempted finish. With just over five minutes remaining, another cross from the left wing this time was headed down to Timothy Evoma by Poole but Ripley pulled off a literally miraculous save to keep out his point-blank effort.

Derek Adams withdrew Watts and replaced him with Cole Stockton during the half time break. Morecambe played during the second half towards the Stacey West stand, named in memory of Bill Stacey and Jim West, Lincoln fans who both died along with 54 supporters of Bradford City in the Valley Parade fire of 11^th May 1985.

Right from the start, the away team took the game to Lincoln and looked by far the better side most of the time. Phillips was played-in on the right after just two minutes of the restart but his close-range effort was blocked for a corner by Robson. As the men in the all-blue strip constantly tried to play the ball forwards, Weir’s long range shot was well-saved at full stretch to his right by the home custodian at the cost of a corner after almost fifty minutes. In the fifty-sixth minute, Taylor and Adam Major combined well on the left and set-up Phillips for another chance which was well saved by Rushworth. But the home team hit the visitors on the break again in the sixty-second minute. Matty Virtue played in Diamond for a low shot which the visiting goalkeeper clearly pushed away for a corner. But Referee Coy – who otherwise had an excellent game today – awarded a goal kick. Stockton lost possession of the ball just beyond the centre circle in the sixty-fifth minute and the Imps hared up the field in the shape of substitute Tashan Oakley-Boothe and Ben House. House swept the ball home when the sub’s first effort had been well-saved by Ripley. It was a sucker punch but the Shrimps didn’t let their heads drop after it.

Cole took a trademark long-range hoof with his back to goal after 68 minutes after a mistake by the City defence. This beat Rushworth all ends up but agonisingly bounced back into safety from the goalkeeper’s right-hand post once again. But all the Shrimps’ hard work this afternoon was finally rewarded in the eighty-first minute. A deep cross from the Morecambe left was headed away from the Lincoln penalty area by Robson only for Weir to wallop it back low to Rushworth’s left into the corner of the net from thirty yards or so out. The visitors threw the kitchen sink at the thin red line of the City defence after this. Weir walloped another volley over the stand roof in injury time after Phillips had headed a cross straight at the goalkeeper who was able to clutch it but that was as close as they came to pulling back Lincoln’s slight advantage.

Another loss saw the Shrimps slip back one place to twenty-fourth in League One tonight. All four of the bottom clubs – MK Frauds; Burton and FGR – have fourteen points, just four points adrift of Accrington and Cambridge in the lowest positions of safety. All is definitely not lost though. Morecambe played the better football today. The only difference is that Lincoln took their chances – and we didn’t. Derek Adams was typically positive after the game:

“We had a number of really good opportunities. Over the piece, I’m delighted with the way we played; to pass the ball the way we did; to create the openings we did – we shouldn’t be coming away here with no points today. To be fair to Lincoln, they defended deep; they defended well as they have done this season – and they came out with the points.”

Lincoln City: 1 Carl Rushworth; 2 Regan Poole (C); 6 Max Sanders (21 Lassse Sǿrensen (Y) 79’); 7 Charles Vernam (8 Tashan Oakley-Boothe (Y) 61’); 15 Paudie O’Connor; 16 Joe `Rocky Mountain High’ Walsh; 17 Jamie Robson (Y) (24 Seán Roughlan 87’); 18 Ben House (9 Tom Hopper (Y) 87’); 22 Timothy Eyoma; 26 Matty Virtue; 27 Jack Diamond.

Subs not used:  25 Jacob Davenport; 29 Jordan Wright; 38 Elicha Ahui.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 7 Jake Taylor (14 Arthur Gnahoua 63’); 15 Jensen Weir (Y); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (9 Cole Stockton 45’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney (3 Max Melbourne 79’); 22 Anthony O’Connor; 23 Kieran Phillips; 25 Adam Mayor.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 8 Ousmane Fané.

Ref: Martin Coy.

Att: 8,3254 (176 from Morecambe.)

PAPA JOHN’S TROPHY, SECOND ROUND. TUESDAY, 22nd NOVEMBER 2022.

No More Pizza for Morecambe.

Morecambe returned to Sincil Bank on Tuesday night for the second time in three days to face Lincoln City anew in the Papa John’s Trophy. Both sides were markedly different from last Saturday’s League One game, which the Shrimps had lost 2-1.

In a game that won’t linger long in the memory, the hosts took the lead through returning Skipper Tom Hopper, who headed home from a free kick after 55 minutes. But Cole the Single Goal Stockton opened his account for this season with an equaliser with twenty minutes left, seizing on a deflection by the Imps’ defence of Donald Love’s cross from the right to wallop the ball home past second string goalkeeper Jordan Wright. So the game went to penalties.

Jensen Weir scored with a tremendous shot into the top corner of the net from the first one. Jack Diamond then equalised for City. Then Cole scored again from the spot with an assured finish into the bottom corner of the net. Ted Bishop then made the tie level once more. Ryan Cooney then stepped up and buried the ball. Then Max Sanders levelled the tie again, although Adam Smith in the away goal made a fine attempt to keep it out. Skipper Donald Love then took a shot which Wright saved. Imps’ Regan Poole then put Lincoln into a winning position when he converted his penalty. So it was up to Liam Shaw to score to keep the Shrimps in the competition. But he also failed – home goalie Wright kept his effort out too. So that was it: Morecambe’ senior team is now out of all cup competitions this season. Derek Adams and his men can now truly concentrate in staying in League One.

1,445 people witnessed what happened tonight, with 25 of these people making the long journey from Morecambe. Well done to them.

King Derek had this to say after the match:

“This is the first time this season that we have lost a penalty shootout, and I think we were unfortunate to do so. Adam Smith guessed two penalties correctly, but they went under him. We made a number of changes to the team and I think the ones that came in did well and got some important game-time. Despite the loss, there were plenty of positives for us to take. Max Melbourne came back into the team with his first start in a number of weeks and of course Cole Stockton got on the score sheet, which was really pleasing. It was of course a match we would have liked to have won but we ended up losing on penalties which is the way it goes sometimes. But I think we gave it a good go and threatened well.”

About Cole Stockton’s first game of the season, he added:

“It’s really important for Cole and for us. You want your best players to score goals and for him to get off the mark was pleasing. He was really unfortunate to not score on Saturday when he hit the post and we’re hoping this goal will spur him on to get some more goals in the second half of the season. We’ve got the likes of Kieran Phillips and Jensen Weir who have scored a number of times this season, and now Cole is off the mark and ready to push on.”

This was the Morecambe team which played on the evening:

12 Adam Smith; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne (21 Ryan Cooney 72’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 9 Cole Stockton; 11 Dylan Connolly (23 Kieran Phillips 83’); 14 Arthur Gnahoua (25 Adam Mayor 58’); 15 Jensen Weir; 17 Caleb Watts (7 Jake Taylor 58’); 20 Liam Shaw.

Subs not used: 1 Connor Ripley; 8 Ousmane Fané; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

LEAGUE ONE. FRIDAY, 2nd DECEMBER 2022.

Grecians Urn a Point.

Exeter had to make the very long journey from Devon to North Lancashire today to play a game which was originally scheduled to be played tomorrow. This is yet another downside of FIFA’s comprehensively corrupt decision to award the World Cup tournament at to a dodgy country where money speaks far louder than any other of the many objections to the reality of a state whose laws and values are rooted in the Dark Ages. To play the World Cup at a time when the major leagues of international football have to be interrupted to allow for this is a decision that makes no sense at all except to those members of the ruling clique who have benefited from it personally in terms of large wads of cash. It stinks, in fact. But the knock-on effect tonight was that many Grecian supporters would be logistically unable to travel and get home again in a reasonable time all because the England team were originally predicted to play a World Cup match tomorrow afternoon. (Just to rub things in, it turns out that they will not be playing until Sunday in reality.) So commiserations but also congratulations to all the two hundred and fifty-five fans from the south coast who actually made the long journey (287 miles) to the Mazuma Stadium tonight to support their club. Many of these people would have had to shuffle their work routines – if this was even a possibility – to leave the city centre today at noon. Return coaches are due to arrive back in Exeter at just before four tomorrow morning. Both of these things are ridiculous – and shouldn’t have happened in the first place. I wouldn’t be happy if the boot was on the other foot – and I’m sure they aren’t either.

Morecambe have a strange relationship with Exeter City. They first met when both clubs were in the Conference and Morecambe never beat them even once in eight times of asking until they finally met in the Play-Off Final at Wembley in 2007. We all know what happened then…

Since 2007, though, the two clubs have met nineteen times altogether in League Two. Morecambe only won four of them and lost seven. So if it wasn’t for the historic win at Wembley, City would be a bit of a bogey team for the Shrimps.

Exeter arrived in eleventh position in League One in their first season back in the third tier of English football on the back of two wins and two losses in their last five league games. Morecambe, on the other hand, were rooted in twenty-third position in the table with just fourteen points: eleven fewer than the Grecians have picked-up so far. The Shrimps haven’t won in the league since they overcame Barnsley by the only goal of the game in October and have lost two of their last five League One games. A win tonight could help them to the top of the relegation pile, where they are equal on points with the team from Milton Keynes, Burton Albion and Forest Green Rovers but behind the first two on goal difference alone. MK Frauds host Burton tomorrow at 12.30pm and FGR play Cambridge at the New Lawn half an hour later.

Exeter Manager Gary Caldwell reflected prior to the game on his team’s 4-1 loss to Oxford United in their away FA Cup game last week with these words:

“Nobody likes to lose football matches and the good thing we have seen during the week is a reaction. The players have responded with intensity and the volume has been cranked up at the training ground. It is all about how you react. I have seen what I like in training and the players’ comments give me heart and their reaction to it in training give me heart.”

City have conceded fourteen goals in the six matches Mr Caldwell has been in charge of the team, keeping just one clean sheet in the process. He lamented:

“Our Achilles heel is too many opportunities, too many shots at our goal, too many goals going in the back of our net. It’s been a problem for a number of weeks now and it’s something we have to find a solution to now quickly.”

As far as tonight’s match specifically is concerned, he added:

“It’s going to be a difficult game. I know the (Morecambe) team very well. They are much improved from earlier on in the season and they have added some players of quality, especially in midfield. They have a clear structure in how they want to play and how they want to win games, so we’re fully prepared for that.”

Morecambe Manager Derek Adams had a full-blown – and very understandable – rant about lack of money after his team were very unfortunate not to beat Portsmouth in their last league fixture at the Maz. He had calmed down a bit by the time he reflected on that draw prior to tonight’s fixture:

“We played very well that day; we were really unfortunate not to have won the game. We had to settle for a draw in the end, but we created a lot of very good openings. Now we go into the Exeter game on Friday night – looking forward to that. We have said that we know how this division works. There’s a lot of quality sides. We’ve been unfortunate a number of times not to have got those wins from the draws we’ve had. It’s the wins which are the most important thing. Draws are good against some of the teams, but wins are vital. We’ve got players coming back from injury, the likes of Jake Taylor and Max Melbourne. Cole Stockton is scoring goals, so that’s enabled us to have a better squad to choose from than we had many weeks ago. We’ve created really good openings for Phillips. If Stockton gets back into the team, hopefully they fall for him. He was unfortunate the Saturday before when he hit the post with a long ranger. If it was last season, it might’ve gone in for him”

It was dry but cold by the side of the Irish Sea as the match kicked-off in the darkness of a Winter Friday night in the north of England. Morecambe immediately went onto the front foot and played some nice, accurate football in the opening phases. After five minutes, Cole Stockton controlled a lobbed pass from Jensen Weir brilliantly and took a shot which went just wide of Jamal Blackman’s post. It wasn’t all one-way traffic, though. With just over a quarter of an hour on the clock, Jay Stansfield combined well with Alex Hartridge,  Joshua Key and Sam Nombe before Jake Caprice took a low shot which Connor Ripley did well to save at the cost of a corner. Caleb Watts was lively tonight and received some harsh treatment from the visiting defence, including a few really bad fouls. The worst of these was committed after almost twenty minutes – and not for the first time – by obvious self-styled Hard Nut Jonathan Grounds. He had, er, Grounds to be booked for it but Referee Peter Wright clearly had decided to be lenient to both sides tonight and let a number of poor challenges go. Indeed, the only player to be booked in the first half was Anthony O’Connor, who stupidly talked his way into the Referee’s notebook by constantly back-chatting to the official after he had penalised him for a poor challenge on Stansfield after 25 minutes.

Ten minutes later though, the Shrimps took the lead. City conceded a corner to their left; the home team worked a clearly rehearsed routine and Cole Stockton finally opened his account for the season with a low header from close range.

It was a deserved lead because Morecambe had been the livelier of the two sides so far.

But that was as good as it got. Shrimps’ heads seemed to be still on Cloud Nine after Cole the Goal’s first successful strike as Exeter’s own Number Nine took the ball almost the length of the pitch straight from kick-off. “Tackle him!” I thought; “Somebody –  tackle him!”

But nobody did. Stansfield slid the ball to Nombe, who unleashed a shot from point-blank range which Ripley saved only for the ball to rebound to Key, who swept it home to equalise.

From then on, Morecambe simply fell apart. Their discipline disappeared; the shape they had earlier was nowhere to be seen and they went onto the back foot – and stayed there.

It was all Exeter, particularly in the second half, when there seemed to be several more men in a light blue strip on the field than there were men in red shirts throughout. City constantly probed and – with both Nombe in particular but also Harry Kite always a threat – Morecambe’s response was last-ditch defending and the occasional wild punt up the field to clear their lines only to see the ball played straight back into their half. As a spectacle, though, it was really dreary. Although they had all the play and forced loads of corners, the Grecians thankfully had no punch up front. If they had, they would have won this match at a canter. The nearest they actually came to taking the lead was when Nombe’s shot clipped the post after about seventy minutes and then when Ripley made a smart save to his left to keep out substitute Jevani Brown ‘s powerful low shot in injury time.

So that was it. Morecambe looked like they were going to win this game early on but finished up being thankful to escape with a point. They were so poor in the second half that it actually came as a shock to the senses to fleetingly see them in the Exeter half after all of 83 minutes. Why on earth King Derek waited until three minutes from time to send on Kieran Phillips to attempt to break the stalemate is something only he could explain. However, the single point his team clung onto tonight was enough – for a few hours at least – to push the Shrimps up to twenty-first position in League One. Worryingly though, they are now five points adrift of safety. Exeter, meanwhile, moved up – probably temporarily as well – one place to tenth. Derek Adams is always realistic but also emphasises the positive in all situations. Tonight, he had this to say after the game:

“It’s another point added to the points total. The boys put in a terrific effort tonight; we can’t fault them for that. They defended the box really well in the second half. We gave the ball away while Exeter regained possession and found a man and used the ball better than us.  It was probably a match where we had the better of the first half and definitely Exeter had the better of the second half. We started the better team. We controlled possession and really got into the game. We started off with a great goal, well worked from the training ground. They didn’t pick Caleb up, he flicked it round (for) a header from Cole Stockton, but it was a really good start to the game.”

If there are any match reports you have missed do far this season, (including Morecambe’s failure in the Second Round of the Papa John’s Trophy last week at Lincoln), please look at:

MORECAMBE FOOTBALL CLUB. SECOND SEASON IN LEAGUE ONE: 2022-23.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 7 Jake Taylor (23 Kieran Phillips 87’); 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (5 Farrend Rawson 77’); 20 Liam Shaw (11 Dylan Connolly 61’); 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor (Y); 25 Adam Mayor (3 Max Melbourne 87’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 2 Donald Love; 6 Ryan Delaney.

Exeter City: 18 Jamal Blackman; 2 Jake Caprice; 5 Alex Hartridge; 8 Archie Collins; 9 Jay Stansfield; 10 Sam Nombe; 12 Joshua Key; 16 Harry Kite; 26 Pierce Sweeney (C); 27 Jonathan Grounds (20 Jevani Brown 66’) 39 Cheick Diabate.

Subs not used: 3 Jack Sparkes; 6 Rekeem Harper; 7 Matt Jay; 14 Timothee Dieng; 15 Kgaogelo Chauke; 22 Harry Lee.

Ref: Peter Wright.

Att: 3,976 (255 from Exeter. Very well done one and all.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 17th DECEMBER 2022

Plymouth Storm Finally Sinks Morecambe

Morecambe made the long journey to Devon today to face high-flying Plymouth Argyle for their first League One match in two weeks. Argyle were second in the table but have only won one of their last five games and drawn three of them. Derek Adams returned to one of his former stomping grounds today – he took Plymouth up to League One five years ago. His struggling Morecambe team were rock bottom of the table at the start of the game. Having said that, the Shrimps have only lost one of their last five league games.

Before the visit to Home Park last season, King Derek said: “This is probably the most difficult job I’ve taken on: to keep Morecambe in the Division.” The team lost 2-0 but he went on to succeed in saving the Shrimps at the end of the campaign. Can he do it again this time?

In previous meetings, Morecambe have a poor record against the Pilgrims. They have never won at Home Park and have been victorious in only three of fifteen matches so far but lost eight of them. Before today’s game, the Manager said that his players had been obliged to train on Astroturf because of the freezing weather recently. He said that this is far from ideal but added as far as the return to Argyle is concerned:

“They’re a fantastic club. To sit second close to the halfway stage is fantastic and they’ve done well because it’s a difficult division. Going back there is always an enjoyment for me. I don’t think there’s any good time to play a team at the top of the table. We have to go there and to be at the top of our game. Peterborough have lost more games than us this season –ten games – and they sit in sixth position but they’ve won ten. Going back to my Plymouth Argyle days, we were sitting (during) 2017 in December bottom of League One on fifteen points. We ended up seventh in the league. Never judge a team at the half-way stage – always judge a team at the end.”

Opposite number, Scouser Steven Schumacher, said before the game:

“Everybody here knows how well Derek sets his teams up. Defensively they are hard to break down. Looking at their results this year, they have only won a couple, but they have drawn nine games, which shows they are competitive. They have quality in their team that can score goals. We need to be patient. We need to start games well, but if it is getting a little bit tricky (then) we have to find a way to break them down. We need to keep our patience, our discipline, and hope someone shows a bit of quality to go and win the game.”

It has been positively Arctic in the Frozen North all of this week, but in the Soft South, it was an almost balmy four degrees centigrade during the day. The pitch at Home Park was covered by tent-like structures with heat blowers thawing the pitch which was passed fit for the game only shortly before kick-off by Referee Tom Reeves.

Within a minute of the beginning of the game, Morgan Whittaker drew a save from visiting goalkeeper Connor Ripley as the latter caught the ball confidently. Four minutes later, he tried his luck again after good approach play by the home side but hit the ball way over the bar from outside the penalty area. As a low, watery sun started to get in the away team’s eyes, Jensen Weir turned and attacked brilliantly from just over the half way line after nine minutes. He bore down on the Plymouth goal only for impressive custodian Michael Cooper to make a superb save low to his left at the cost of a corner which came to nothing. Shortly after this, an excellent block by Ryan Delaney denied Niall Ennis a shot on goal from close in. But the pattern of the first half had been set. Argyle played intelligent passes into space behind and amongst the Shrimps’ defenders and a lot of their success came on the left wing, where tricky winger Bali Mumba was a constant thorn in the side of the Morecambe defence. Twenty minutes were on the clock when Mumba – sweeping down the left wing from his point of view – found Whittaker unmarked in the middle of the penalty area. But Whittaker again fluffed his lines with a wild shot which didn’t test the visiting keeper. Five minutes later, Morecambe struggled to clear a corner and the ball fell to Pilgrim Skipper Joe Edwards on the right. His low shot was again well saved by Ripley. Edwards got away on the visitors’ left again after 27 minutes and worked his way into a central position but greedily tried to score when Mumba was far better placed to his left. The away stopper again did well to paw his attempt away to safety. Mumba was instrumental again as Macauley Gillesphey was set-up to take another shot which missed from just outside the penalty area with almost half an hour played. At this point, the Pilgrims were well in top with Morecambe hanging on Pilgrimly – sorry – grimly. The half hour arrived and Edwards again missed with a wild shot when well placed. But – in a rare foray forward – Morecambe had the next half-chance after 32 minutes. A misunderstanding between Cooper and one of his defenders almost allowed Cole Stockton in for an easy finish but the goalkeeper belatedly saved the day for Plymouth. Nigel Lonwijk’s wild effort was then struck way off target at the other end of the field with 33 minutes played. Sixty seconds later, Danny Mayor tested Ripley again with a instant shot from point blank range. But the Morecambe goalie saved it easily enough. Connor then excelled himself after 36 minutes as Mumba again got away on the Plymouth left whilst Ryan Cooney floundered in his wake and forced another fine save from the man in the all yellow strip. The visitors had the next chance, though.  38 minutes were up as Cole was played into space on the Shrimps’ left and fed the ball to Weir on the edge of the penalty area. He, in turn, flicked it to Liam Shaw whose instant shot was brilliantly saved by Cooper low to his left. But the green wave continued to pour forwards and after 41 minutes, Jacob Bedeau was adjudged by Referee Reeves to have fouled Edwards in the penalty area. He immediately pointed to the spot. But Connor Ripley continued to keep Morecambe in the match with a tremendous save low to his left from Whittaker’s decent strike. Wow – three penalty saves in a row for the big man. With three minutes left of the half, Weir took a free-kick from the Morecambe left which only needed a touch to go in as it eluded defenders and strikers alike and went out for a goal kick. But Jensen also had the last word of the half. His powerful shot – after being played-in by Stockton – was again well saved by Cooper in the home goal.

So the Shrimps went back to the Dressing Rooms having weathered a storm and ridden their luck against a slick, talented Plymouth side. But for the outstanding performance of their goalkeeper, they could have been behind by a cricket score. Having said that, though, they generally defended competently and looked potent on the break on a few occasions as well. But Derek Adams took off the struggling Cooney as well as Caleb Watts at the break and sent on Donald Love and Dylan Connolly to replace them.

The second half started with Plymouth straight back onto the front foot. Good approach play by the Pilgrims saw Ennis miss from a narrow angle within a minute of the restart. Two minutes later, a mistake in the middle of the park saw Ennis with a clear run on goal and Ripley came to the rescue again with another tremendous stop at the cost of a corner. Almost fifty minutes had been played when Whittaker went for a side-footed finish which only just missed to Ripley’s right following more excellent approach play by the men in the green strip. Argyle were well on top again at this point but substitute Connolly drew a foul just to the right of the home penalty area with 53 minutes played. Sadly, a clearly rehearsed free kick involving Weir and Adam Mayor came to nothing as Adam Randell managed to block it. Three minutes later, another effort by Mayor’s namesake Danny missed the target for Plymouth. Morecambe had a chance to take the lead with almost an hour on the clock but Connolly couldn’t sort his feet out as the ball was played to him in an excellent position and his weak shot was easily saved. The visitors were actually playing quite well at this time and pushing the Pilgrims ever further up the pitch. But all their good work came undone after 69 minutes when Anthony O’Connor made a mistake; sub Ryan Hardie set off on a run down the Argyle left and then slipped the ball to Ennis, who turned the ball home with a clever finish at the near post. Six minutes after they had gone behind, Kieran Phillips’ first touch of the ball led to Shaw bearing down on goal along the left side of the away penalty area and drawing an outstanding save from Cooper, who bravely dived at his feet to thwart him. But the ball was immediately played up the other end of the field and Hardie had a gold-plated chance to increase Plymouth’s lead. When unmarked with the goal at his mercy, though, he contrived to miss the target altogether with an awful shot which missed to a stranded Ripley’s right.  He had another effort easily saved by the visiting goalkeeper after 78 minutes but the Pilgrims went even further ahead with only six minutes still scheduled to play. Edwards worked his way in from the left, picked out Sam Cosgrove with a fine pass and saw the substitute taking one touch to control the ball before coolly slotting it past Connor to double his team’s lead.

But Morecambe heads didn’t drop. In injury time, O’Connor atoned for his earlier mistake in nosebleed territory for him right at the apex of the Morecambe team, showed skills worthy of a top striker and scored an excellent goal to give the visitors at least some hope in the last three minutes or so. They threw the kitchen sink at Plymouth, who suddenly looked shaky right across the pitch. But it wasn’t to be. And Plymouth had the final say in the game as a strike by Hardie was well-saved by Ripley at the cost of a corner right at the death.

So Morecambe’s pretty dire record against Derek Adams’ former club continued. The Shrimps obviously remained bottom of the table after this defeat. Elsewhere on the Debit side, rivals the Wimbledon impersonators won under new management 0-2 at Portsmouth. On the Credit side, though, FGR were hammered 4-0 at Derby and Burton lost at Barnsley 2-0. So Morecambe are now five points from safety, albeit with a game in hand over two of the clubs immediately above them. Plymouth, meanwhile, found themselves at the very pinnacle of League One after the game in first place.

I wonder what King Derek thinks about this in his private moments…

The man himself had this to say after the match:

“Over the afternoon, I’m very proud of our players because to come here – they have only lost once this season. And they are at the top of the league for a reason.”

Anyway, let’s end on a more jolly festive note. I woke up this morning – as they say in all the best Blues songs – with a Christmas cracker style joke fully formed in my head. This is it:

What do you call a Cephalopod with nine tentacles?”

An Octoplus.

Have a great Xmas everyone – just try and forget what is said about teams at the bottom of the league at this point of the season. King Derek saved Plymouth from an equally dire position only a few years ago. If anyone can do it again, the Morecambe Manager can.

Plymouth Argyle: 1 Michael Cooper; 3 Macauley Gillesphey; 6 Dan Scarr; 7 Matt Butcher (9 Ryan Hardie 60’); 8 Joe Edwards; 10 Danny Mayor; 11 Niall Ennis (5 James Wilson 74’); 17 Bali Mumba; 19 Morgan Whittaker; 20 Adam Randell (4 Jordan Houghton 66’); 21 Nigel Lonwijk (16 Sam Cosgrove 73’).

 Subs not used: 25 Callum Burton; 25 Callum Burton; 36 Finley Craske; 29 Caleb Roberts.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 6 Ryan Delaney (3 Max Melbourne 73’); 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir (7 Jake Taylor 66’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (11Dylan Connolly 45’); 20 Liam Shaw (Y); 21 Ryan Cooney (2 Donald Love 45’); 22 Anthony O’Connor; 25 Adam Mayor (23 Kieran Phillips 7’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 5 Farrend Rawson.

Ref: Tom Reeves.

Att: 14,368 (about 50 from Morecambe – well done one and all.)

LEAGUE ONE. MONDAY, 26th DECEMBER 2022.

Morecambe Fail at Vale

Morecambe travelled to the Midlands and Burslem today to face newly-promoted Port Vale for this first time in League One ever. In previous meetings in various competitions, they have played each other twenty times before. The Shrimps have won seven of these and lost nine. The Valiants were twelfth in the table, having won two and lost two of their last five League One matches. Away from their league campaign, Port were knocked-out of the Pizza trophy thing when they lost at Salford last Tuesday night 2-1. However, they won their last League One game at Plymouth 0-2, where the Shrimps were beaten by the odd goal in three last Saturday week.

Morecambe have now lost two of their last five league games and drawn the other three. They arrived at Vale Park right at the bottom of the table and a whole fourteen points behind the Port. They have lost ten games so far in their League One campaign – but Vale have lost only two fewer. The boss – Derek Adams – has insisted that the key to rescuing the team from north Lancashire for the second time in two seasons is to turn the many draws his men have been involved in so far into wins. Could they do so today? Before the game, King Derek  told us:

“I would say every game is key – from the start of the season to the end of the season. From our point of view, we are looking forward to this period; three games in a short space of time. That gives us the opportunity to get points on board.”

Asked if he thought it would be possible to repeat the miracle he performed at Plymouth several years ago when he led them steadily from the bottom of the table at Xmas to almost the Play-Off positions by the end of the campaign, he replied:

“It would be disrespectful to other teams to talk about it in that way. Every game gives you the opportunity to gain points. We’ve shown already in the home games that we’ve played (that) we’ve been able to compete against the ones at the top end of the table and we’ve got some of the ones at the end bottom of the table around the Christmas period – and the middle of the table as well.”

Opposite Number Darrell Clarke explained that his team faced

“Three important games in a short space of time, starting with Morecambe on Boxing Day. Nine points (are) up for grabs; the games will fly by with three in seven days – so we are looking forward to the challenges. Myself and the staff are busy preparing and keeping the focus on what it needs to be and making sure that we are as well conditioned and prepared as possible, but also putting behind us a couple of below par performances. Our last two performances haven’t hit the standards that we expect – and the group expects – so first and foremost it is trying to get back to a better performance, starting on Boxing Day.”

It was cold but sunny throughout the daylight hours as the match got under way on a really poor surface which started cutting-up right from the start of the game. Morecambe looked confident early doors and passed the ball quite well after winning the toss and playing towards their own supporters in the first half.

Visiting stopper Connor Ripley was never seriously tested during the opening half hour of a pretty dreary contest of few chances. After just over a half an hour, though, Malvind Benning broke down the Port left and centred only for Ellis Harrison’s weak effort to be comfortably saved by the away keeper. Four minutes later, Ben Garrity’s deflected effort was brilliantly pushed away by Ripley for Vale’s first corner – which came to nothing.

At the other end, though, Opposite Number Jack Stevens must have had his heart in his mouth after twenty minutes as Jensen Weir broke from midfield to the right of the penalty area from his point of view and slammed a tremendous shot just wide of the target into the side netting as the goalkeeper stood tall to protect his near post.

What I consider to be the key moment of the entire game arrived with 39 minutes on the clock. Good approach play saw a cross from the Shrimps’ left reaching full-back Max Melbourne close to the far post. He made a tremendous textbook header back to where it had come from and the ball beat Stevens only to agonisingly hit the inside of his left-hand post and bounce back into play. On another day – another season – it would have bounced into the net. But not today. If it had, well…

Football – as with life itself – has an awful lot to do with luck. This afternoon, Morecambe’s luck was out. From the rebound, the Valiants immediately counter-attacked on the break. The ball was fed up their left channel to Gavin Massey, who walloped a phenomenal shot past the despairing dive of Ripley to well and truly rub-in their own let-off at the other end of the pitch.

People talk about Lady Luck being absent when a team is in the mire and struggling to get out of it. I don’t buy that. Today, we could all see the difference between a team which has a chance of battling its way out of a doomed position and one that can’t. Vale scored because the Shrimps were too slow collectively to respond to the rebound of Melbourne’s header. End of story.

The second half was pretty dreadful as well. I thought that the visitors were marginally the more creative team in the first half. But in the second one, virtually all the game was played in the Morecambe half. Derek Adams’ men just didn’t compete. Worse still, Captain Donald Love was sent-off during injury time for a frankly stupid foul on the impressive Ademipo Odubeko.

Morecambe were an absolute shambles for half of the match today. Worryingly too, Port Vale looked distinctly average opposition particularly in the first half.  Unusually, a couple of members of the travelling support yelled abuse at the Manager as the match grew older but the team were roundly booed at the end of the game. 

Their frustration was understandable today although I don’t personally think that booing your team does any good in any circumstances. This was a performance – particularly in the second half – which would not be good enough to keep Morecambe in League Two, let alone the Division they are currently in. They are now a whole seven points from safety. The club which occupies the lowest non-doomed position in the Division – Twentieth – is all-time Morecambe Bogy Team Accrington Stanley, who also have a game in hand on us. And guess who are the Shrimps’ next opponents in League One next Thursday night?

With the off-field problems concerning finances, Derek Adams is stuck between a rock and a hard place. He can’t get rid of the dead wood bequeathed to him by former boss Stephen Robinson until it will be too late the save the club from its first relegation ever. I personally just hope that he doesn’t walk away from his latest challenge. Even if – as seems increasingly inevitable – we go down for the first time ever, King Derek will bring us back up again. He remained characteristically positive when he said after the game:

“We haven’t had much breaks this season so far. There was an incident in that where Max hits the post and they quickly go up the park and get a goal on the counter-attack and that’s been fortunate for them for that because from my point of view, they didn’t really create much, Port Vale, in the game.  We created some really good opportunities. We were unfortunate not to have drawn the game, never mind win the game.”

Port Vale: 25 Jack Stevens; 2 Lewis Cass (21 Ademipo Odubeko 69’); 3 Dan Jones; 6 Nathan Smith; 8 Ben Garrity; 10 Tom Conlon (Y) (9 James Wilson 87’); 11 Malvind Benning (Y); 17 Rory Holden (23 Tom Pett 57’); 19 Gavin Massey; 22 Ellis Harrison; 27 Sam Robinson ( 5 Connor Hall 45’).

Subs not used: 1 Aidan Stone; 5 Connor Hall; 14 Funso Ojo; 21 Ademipo Odubeko; 26 Daniel Butterworth.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (R); 3 Max Melbourne (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 15 Jensen Weir (9 Cole Stockton 732); 16 Jacob Bedeau (11Dylan Connolly 92’); 20 Liam Shaw; 23 Kieran Phillips (17 Caleb Watts 79’); 25 Adam Mayor.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Ref: Simon Mather.

Att: 7,867 (337 from Morecambe.)

LEAGUE ONE. THURSDAY, 29th DECEMBER 2022.

Accrington Beaten At Last At The Maz.

Accrington Stanley travelled from East Lancashire to the Irish Sea coast in the north of the county tonight to face bottom of the table Morecambe in League One. Stanley are without any doubt the Shrimps’ all-time Bogey Team. They have faced each other twenty-six times altogether in the EFL so far and Morecambe have only won a truly feeble two of these matches. Stanley have won an astonishing fifteen, most recently in the reverse fixture in October when they ran-out comfortable winners 3-1 against the Shrimps’ ten men (Arthur Gnahoua was sent-off just before half time for a stupid and unnecessary foul on Mitch Clark.) Last season, having raced into a 0-2 lead at the Crown Ground, Stephen Robinson’s team once again capitulated and conceded two goals to finally draw the game – a reflection of the earlier match at the Maz, which ended three goals each.

So if there has ever been a time when the Shrimps needed to reverse their fortunes against talismanic former Morecambe striker John Coleman’ s men, today was it. Derek Adams’ side has lost its last two league games and three out of five altogether in recent times; the other two ending in draws. On Boxing Day, against a pretty mediocre Port Vale team, they contrived not only to lose 1-0 but look more like a non-league team in the second half in particular than one with whatever is needed to reverse their fortunes of recent times. The fear is that they are simply not good enough – individually or collectively – to avoid relegation for the first time in their history. 

Accrington, meanwhile, have serious worries of their own this season. They arrived at the Maz in twentieth position in League One; just one point clear of the relegation zone. Having said that, Accy have not lost in their last five away games. On Boxing Day, they needed a penalty to equalise against high-flying Barnsley in a game that ended 1-1 at the Crown. But Stanley have won only one of their last five league games and drawn three of them. So they were also in need of a few points to stop them falling into the mire at the bottom of League One. Morecambe’s pretty dire position at quarter to eight this evening was underlined by the fact that they were already adrift of their visitors by seven points and have also played a game more.

John Coleman had this to say before the match:

“This is probably the biggest derby game I have been involved in because the stakes are so high. If you look at Morecambe, this season (they only) lose by the odd goal. They’ve been unlucky. I expect them to come at us head-on. So we have to try and do exactly the same. They’re generally good games against Morecambe, they’re generally entertaining games. I’ve got a lot of affection for Morecambe from my playing days there. I like Derek. He’s a footy nut. I like people who are like that; who are obsessed with football. He’s a good guy. I know myself from when resources are limited here that you get grief from all angles and people don’t really realise what you’re going through unless you’re in the thick of it.”

For Morecambe, King Derek was facing Accrington for the first time ever at home. He said this prior to kick-off:

“We’re always looking forward to being at home. They’re always good games and I think the supporters look forward to it. It’s a derby match; a night-time game will draw-in a big crowd and the atmosphere will be very good.”

He confirmed that Jake Taylor would be missing for the next four to five weeks with a thigh strain and also said two unspecified players were carrying knocks after the Port Vale clash and might miss the match along with Donald Love, who was sent off last Monday.

It has been wet in north Lancashire for the last few days. Today, it was mercifully dry albeit murky and cold with it. The visitors – playing in a white strip with black shorts – kicked-off and went straight onto the attack towards their own fans and won a corner kick within sixty seconds which the home team cleared. After five minutes, Liam Gibson’s shot in the away penalty area was blocked only for Stanley to launch a lightning-fast counter-attack which petered-out as they reached the home danger area. With twelve minutes played, the visitors won a corner kick on their left. The ball was hit long and Ryan Astley’s looping header cleared Connor Ripley in the home goal only to be headed clear by Cole Stockton, who was standing on the goal-line. Another chance for Stanley was then prevented by a perfect sliding tackle by Farrend Rawson in his own penalty area a couple of minutes later. At the other end, Accrington lost possession immediately after this and the Shrimps hit them on a rapid counter-attack which led to a corner, which was wasted. Kieran Phillips then set-up Ryan Cooney to motor up the Morecambe right and force another corner. Toby Savin in the away goal flapped at this and was lucky that his weak clearance was booted away by his own defenders. In the twenty-fourth minute, the impressive Rosaire Longelo attacked down the Stanley left and sent over a cross which Connor punched away. A couple of minutes later, the always busy Joe Pritchard set-up Tommy Leigh for a long-range shot which went over the bar. With almost half an hour played, Longelo went on a mazy run on his left and – as Morecambe players stood-off him – unleashed a shot which drew an excellent stop from Ripley which Ryan Delaney swept away for a corner. Then Longelo got the better of Cooney on the Accrington left again and lobbed over a cross which Max Melbourne completely sliced high and wide for a corner to the visitors. Just after this – on 33 minutes – Jensen Weir broke from his own half on the right and found Cole Stockton on the left further up the field with an excellent long ball.  Cole held it up brilliantly and played a killer pass into space on the Shrimps’ right which Liam Shaw ran into, took on a Stanley defender and then somehow squeezed the ball home past Toby Savin from close range at a very acute angle high to the goalkeeper’s right to open the scoring. Two minutes later, Pritchard’s effort was deflected to Ripley’s right for a corner. Melbourne had to leave the field with an injury after forty minutes but Derek Adams’ attacking intentions were shown when he replaced him with young forward Adam Mayor, who then proceeded to give a Master Class in the art of defending for the rest of the game. Two minutes after this, Cole was again instrumental as he held the ball up on the left and this time found Cooney on the right. Ryan then showed commendable determination to get the better of not just one but two defenders. He slid the ball across the penalty area to Jensen who smashed it home to give Morecambe the largest league lead they have enjoyed so far this season.

So the home team retired to the Dressing Rooms in a very unusual position these days. In the lead by not just one but two goals – and against their bitterest of all rivals into the bargain.

A third goal would obviously be pivotal in this contest. If Accrington got it, it would be Match On. If Morecambe scored it, it would be Match Over. In a scrappy second half littered with fouls, though, the visitors never managed to generate a head of steam. Any onslaught which was expected from Stanley failed to materialise. In fact, Morecambe went straight onto the attack right from kick-off. After 56 minutes, Pritchard crudely brought-down Mayor near the half-way line. Adam was about to break away and the Accrington player seemed lucky only to get a yellow card. This is ironic because if he had been sent-off, he wouldn’t have slipped and clearly seriously injured himself in the eighty-fifth minute. In tears, he was carried off on a stretcher. In the meantime, Ripley made routine saves from the unlucky Stanley man after 51 minutes and 67 minutes respectively. But the visitors never really seriously tested the Morecambe rearguard this evening. The nearest they came to reducing the arrears was when substitute Leslie Adekoya headed wide when it seemed easier to find the back of the net after seventy-nine minutes. Fellow-sub Josh Woods also took a weak shot at goal with 83 minutes played which Ripley easily dealt with. But Stanley’s lacklustre performance was probably summed-up by Ethan Hamilton’s shot after 75 minutes which went straight over the stand roof and then when a cross from the Accrington right a minute later flew straight into the home fans. How we jeered…

At the other end, Cooney’s low cross from the Morecambe right was intercepted just in time by Savin before Cole the Goal got there with only two minutes of the re-start played. After 66 minutes, Mayor’s fierce shot seemed to have the sting taken out of it by an Accrington foot and Savin was able to hold onto it quite easily. In the final minute, Stockton again held the ball up well but his pass to Weir was blocked by the away defence. In the final minute of injury time, Mayor then set-up our Number Nine for another attempt which Savin did well to keep out.

So that was it – job done. Morecambe were the better team tonight and John Coleman was probably the most concerned of the two Managers involved at the end of the game. Accrington fell into the relegation mix in 21^st place in League One as a result of tonight’s defeat. Elsewhere,  Burton – Morecambe’s next opponents at home on New Year’s Day – won 1-2 at Forest Green Rovers in a crunch relegation battle. So FGR are just two points ahead of the Shrimps, who have a game in hand over them as well. The non-Wombles lost at Peterborough, 2-0 and are just three points better off than Morecambe tonight. So the pack at the bottom of League One was well and truly shuffled this evening. Derek Adams’ team remain bottom but are now just four points shy of safety. But three points are three points and a clean sheet into the bargain must have made him a happy man this evening. Derek had this to say after the match:

“I just thought over the night it was a fabulous performance from the players.  Five games at home now undefeated. It was just a terrific display of how to play football. The goals were absolutely out of this world. Overall, a really top performance tonight.”

Happy New Year to everyone involved. Fingers Crossed that this is the start of a more positive 2023 – at least as far as the football is concerned…

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 3 Max Melbourne (25 Adam Mayor 40’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (17 Caleb Watts 79’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney 23 Kieran Phillips (14 Arthur Gnahoua 71’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 8 Ousmane Fané; 11 Dylan Connolly; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Accrington Stanley: 40 Toby Savin; 2 Mitchell Clark; 4 Ethan Hamilton; 5 Ryan Astley (Y) (42 Leslie Adekoya 62’); 6 Liam Coyle (22 Dan Martin 87’); 7 Shaun Whalley (39 Josh Woods 62’); 8 Tommy Leigh; 10 Joe Pritchard; 14 Rosaire Longelo (11 Sean McConvill 72’); 16 Harvey Rodgers (Y); 28 Seamus Conneely (C).

.Subs not used:  1 Lukas Jensen; 17 Jack Nolan; 21 Harry Perritt.

Ref: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Att: 4,191(500 from Accrington.)

LEAGUE ONE. SUNDAY, 1st JANUARY 2023.

Brewers’ Droop at Morecambe.

Morecambe faced their second home League One game in a week at the Maz today against one of their key relegation rivals. Burton Albion have improved marginally since Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was replaced by current Manager and ex-Stevenage and Oldham boss Dino Maamria during September last. They won a crucial drop-zone battle at Forest Green Rovers by the odd goal in three last Monday as the Shrimps were beating old adversaries Accrington Stanley 2-0 here by the Irish Sea – sorry – Morecambe Bay coast. They also won their previous match before that and have lost one and drawn two of their last five league games altogether. Importantly though, the two results on Monday night combined to push the Brewers out of the Dead Zone in League One into the lowest league position (twentieth) above the relegation quagmire which Stanley had occupied earlier in the evening.

Back in nonleague days, Morecambe beat Burton Albion for fun – they never lost to them. But the EFL has changed the course of this particular history. The Brewers’ very first game in the EFL was against the Shrimps at the Pirelli Stadium in 2009. They won by five goals to two. Since then, Burton have encountered the Shrimps another fifteen times in Football League fixtures and won seven of them and lost five. Last season, they lost at tonight’s venue in League One by three goals to nil. They had already beaten Stephen Robinson’s men in the reverse fixture, coming from behind to eventually win 3-2. In the most recent fixture at the Pirelli last October, Morecambe also came from behind to draw one goal each in a game played in a thunderstorm. Derek Adams’ recollection of this game was as follows:

“It was a difficult afternoon. The rain was coming down in its bucket-loads and it was difficult for both teams to pass the ball. But for us, we know that we are coming up against a team that are in form in this Division. The five games we’ve had here undefeated is great for the supporters. They came here in the numbers and it’s fantastic to see us competing in League One. It’s a tough league.”

King Derek’s men started today’s match just four points behind the opposition and with a game in hand over them into the bargain.

So the incentive was well and truly on the Shrimps to win this afternoon and narrow this gap.

But the Brewers would also be motivated to take maximum points in order to put a little daylight between themselves and the legion of the dead at the bottom of the Division. For what it’s worth – which isn’t a lot in all truth – the EFL voted Dino Maamria Manager of the week in the final vote of 2022 and also included their centre-back Sam Hughes and Scotland-born Welsh international midfielder Terry Taylor in their fantasy team. And to add a bit of Xmas Trivia – if the Burton Physio runs onto the field at any time today, would you be able to recognise him? (Answer at the end of the report.)

One New Year Resolution we do not have to make is to get a better ground staff. Pitch Perfect means something else but – particularly given the state of Pork Vale’s ploughed field last Monday – I doubt that the playing surface could have been any better this afternoon. So well done to everyone concerned. The weather in north Lancashire has been variable recently and today, the match was played in sunshine and then greyness with just a hint of rain in the air in the first half. Then the heavens opened – not in the Biblical proportions it had in Burton in October – but bad enough all the same.

There was a minute’s applause to remember all the people who have died this year with links to Morecambe Football Club. A special mention was made of Lance Millard, our literally larger-than-life goalkeeper back in the late 1960s – an unforgettable figure for all of us lucky enough to have seen him play. We were all asked to remember perhaps the greatest footballer ever have graced the beautiful game as well – in the shape of the incomparable Brazilian Edson Arantes do Nascimento, otherwise known as Pelé.

The match was quite scrappy at times and for the first half an hour, chances were at a premium. Adam Mayor got away on the left after seven minutes but his cross was too close to visiting goalkeeper Ben Garratt, who caught it without too much trouble. With old foe Ben Hamer launching his bazookas of throw-ins at every possible opportunity, Burton had the next half-chance. Davis Keillor-Dunn took a weak shot well wide of Connor Ripley’s goal with ten minutes played.  Three minutes later, Morecambe could well have taken the lead when Ryan Cooney passed to Liam Shaw to make rapid progress down the Shrimps’ right. He found Cole Stockton at the far post and his tremendous header beat Garratt only to be brilliantly cleared off the goal-line by Brewers’ Skipper John Brayford before a combination of goalkeeper and defender blocked his follow-up effort for a corner.

The visitors played for about a quarter of an hour with just ten men. Victor Adeboyejo had to leave the field to have a nasty cut on his chin attended to. While he was absent, Cooney took a shot from just outside the penalty area which was turned away by another Burton body for a further corner. There was a bit of controversy as Albion had a shout for a penalty after about half an hour when Jacob Bedeau made a tackle on Bobby Kamwa in his own area. Referee Anthony Backhouse was unmoved. Manager Maamria was then booked for the fuss he made about this decision from the touch line. After half an hour – with Adeboyejo back on the pitch – a throw-in by Cooney on the Morecambe right was headed away for a corner which Garratt struggled to punch clear. On 31 minutes, a long ball by Ripley to Stockton was brilliantly controlled by our rejuvenated centre forward. He was dispossessed but the Brewers couldn’t clear their lines; Jensen Weir took a shot at the open goal and it hit Phillips’ heels and tricked over the line to put the Shrimps one goal to the good. On 36 minutes, Hamer took a speculative shot from the Burton left but it drifted harmlessly wide of Connor’s left-hand post. With thirty-seven minutes on the clock, Morecambe broke away from their own half in the shape of Phillips again. He ran almost the length of the pitch only to see his shot well held by the away goalkeeper. But the nearest Albion came to scoring all afternoon arrived in the fortieth minute.  Brayford, er, brayed the ball at goal only to see his superb shot hit the bar with Ripley beaten and then swerve wildly upwards and out of the ground. With two minutes scheduled to play, the Ripley/Stockton combination worked well again and Cole’s looping effort went just wide of the target to Garratt’s left. Phillips then got away again only to be stopped by a tremendous tackle by the Brewers’ Skipper. But the long ball routine paid dividends again during injury time. The goalkeeper found Cole, whose run towards the danger area was again blocked by Garratt but the loose ball was smashed home by Weir to double the Shrimps’ advantage right on the cusp of half time. But the action wasn’t over yet. In the second minute of added-on time, Adrian Mariappa received the ball from the Albion’s right unmarked in the centre of the opposition penalty area. And then fluffed his lines by missing the target altogether. Straight after that, the away goalkeeper had to leave his area to head a dangerous ball away. It fell straight to Phillips but the desperate stopper was saved from further embarrassment by his defence’s last-gasp block of Kieran’s attempt. So that was it – two-nil up again and by far the more accomplished team at half time. Could it get any better in the second half?

It could. After just three minutes of the re-start, Phillips’ header to substitute Caleb Watts resulted in a shot which only just missed the target. In the fiftieth minute. Weir’s excellent shot from a free-kick in a good position was pushed over the bar by Garratt at the cost of another corner. As the heavens well and truly opened, Albion struggled to clear their lines in a goal-mouth scramble after 51 minutes and Caleb took the opportunity to open his account for Morecambe with his first goal. It was a scruffy effort – but they all count. After 54 minutes, Phillips got away on the left once more, drew the away stopper and coolly lobbed the ball over him to make it four-nil to the Shrimps. With exactly an hour gone, Adeboyejo tried a flick from the left hand edge of the Morecambe penalty area from his point of view – and only just missed the far post. Six minutes later, the away goalkeeper was again only just in time when he left his penalty area to intercept another long punt forwards towards Kieran Phillips with his defence yet again Missing In Action. He did well a few moments later to save a shot from Watts as the Shrimps’ forward yet again got away from the Albion back line. But the diminutive Australian was not going to be denied much longer. Eighty-two minutes were on the clock when he received a killer pass from the right and coolly slotted the ball home to make it a quite astonishing five goals to nil on the day. He could have scored again at the end when he skied an effort over the bar after good work on the right flank by substitute Arthur Gnahoua.

Who would have thought it before the game? Five goals scored and another clean sheet. They now have the best record of any club in League One this year…

Seriously though folks, Morecambe now have a better goal difference than any of the teams around them at the bottom of League One. FGR contrived to lose 1-3 at home to Port Vale after initially taking the lead and are now rock bottom of the table. The Milton Keynes Bandits were walloped 3-1 at Plymouth to also slip beneath Morecambe in the mire. Burton are now a single point and a single place above Derek Adams’ men following today’s thrashing. Next Saturday’s visitors to the Maz – Cheltenham Town – are almost within their sights, too. The Robins lost 2-1 in Bristol today but are still six points better off than the Shrimps. So let’s all hope for a similarly emphatic performance from the men in the red shirts then.

King Derek was understandably euphoric after today’s win. He said:

“We’ve got six unbeaten at home. It’s not easy in this league. Today, I though the way that they played; their game management; their tactical nous in the game; the running-in behind; the chances we did take –the chances we didn’t take as well – we could have scored a lot more goals today.”

Finally – did you recognise the Burton Physio? It is the one and only Nick Fenton, who I thought was tremendous in his long(ish) spell with us after we first moved from Christie Park.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney; 9 Cole Stockton (17 Caleb Watts 45’); 15 Jensen Weir (2 Donald Love) 79’; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney 23 Kieran Phillips (14 Arthur Gnahoua 74’); 25 Adam Mayor; (11 Dylan Connolly 83’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 8 Ousmane Fané; 22 Anthony O’Connor.

Burton Albion: 1 Ben Garratt; 2 John Brayford (C); 3 Cameron Borthwick-Jackson; 4 Deji Oshilaja; 8 Adrian Mariappa (45 Joseph Dodoo 76’); 12 Tyler Onyango (21 Mustapha Carayol 56’); 14 Victor Adeboyejo; 15 Corrie Ndaba (11 Jonny Smith 45’); 23 Terry Taylor (Y); 37 Tom Hamer; 39 Bobby Kamwa (10 Davis Keillor-Dunn 68’).

Subs Not Used: 24 Viljami Sinisalo; 7 Joe Powell; 38 Michael Mancienne.

Ref: Anthony Backhouse.

Att: 3,972 (218 from Burton.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 7th JANUARY 2023.

Alfie May – But He Really Shouldn’t…

Cheltenham Town travelled from Gloucestershire today to complete a fixture originally scheduled to be played later in the year. Both clubs chose to move the match forward as each has been eliminated from the FA Cup and also wanted to avoid potential fixture pile-ups towards the end of the season. Cheltenham did this to face a team against which they have a hundred percent record in League One so far. Town were victorious in both fixtures against the Shrimps last season by three goals to one. Last October in the reverse fixture, they won again at Whaddon Road by the only goal of the game. Overall, they have beaten Morecambe thirteen times in all competitions; lost seven and drawn seven. The Robins were eighteenth in the table prior to kick-off, having won two of their last five league matches and lost three; most recently when they went down 2-1 at Bristol Rovers last Sunday.

Morecambe started the game this afternoon in twenty-second place in the table, seven points behind the Robins and having played a game more. This would be the Shrimps’ third home game in a row at the Mazuma Stadium and presented them with the opportunity to add to their haul of six points collected; seven goals scored and none conceded during this time. Victory this afternoon for Derek Adams’ men could take them out of the Drop Zone altogether as heavy defeats for rivals for relegation have ensued since Sunday’s tremendous 5-0 thrashing of Burton Albion.  Cambridge United lost by the same score to Sheffield Wednesday and Accrington Stanley were also mauled 4-0 at Derby. That has evened-out some discrepancies in the number of games played so far by all clubs but more importantly, it also gave Morecambe a superior goal difference to all the teams around them. King Derek summed-up his view of the significance of these developments thus:

“It’s really tight in the bottom half of the table now – probably all the way up to Charlton who are on 28 points. We always believed the league table would become a lot closer and tighten up, and that has proved to be the case. The players have done incredibly well over the past two matches to close that gap, but there’s still a long way to go this season. We’re back at home again on Saturday against Cheltenham, and it’s a match the players are all really looking forward to.”

In a week which saw Ousmane Fané’s Morecambe contract cancelled by mutual consent, there were concerns about our star striker. Cole Stockton has been key to the Shrimps’ upturn in form in recent games. Not so much by the goals he has scored but by his brilliant hold-up play and even better choice of a killer pass such as the one that Jensen Weir struck home to score our second against Accrington Stanley on Boxing Day. Cole was injured against Burton Albion last Monday and had to come off with a thigh strain at half time. Since then, the rumour mill – with the Transfer Window now open – has been grinding with speculation that he will be sold to clubs as varied as Forest Green Rovers to Fleetwood to Rotherham. Will he though? Only time will tell but he was not in the squad today.

Meanwhile, 20-year-old central Southampton defender Dynel Simeu had his loan-spell with Tranmere ended earlier this week and he has joined club-mate Caleb Watts on-loan with Morecambe until the end of the season. He went straight onto the bench today.

Off the field, there have been so-far unconfirmed off-stage whisperings that the club is about to be taken-over which have reached such a volume that the Morecambe Board offered a `no comment’ on its website last Wednesday to a report in the Daily Mail that it is about to be bought by an Indian `tycoon’. In its inimitable way, the rag has portrayed this apparent development as a power struggle between this individual – 20 year-old Sarbjot Johal – and Tyson Fury, even though there has never been any solid evidence I am aware of that Tyson has ever been truly interested in buying the club. Again, time will tell what comes of all this speculation but not everybody in the media welcomes it and a cautionary note is struck by one Martin Calladine, author of a book called The Ugly Game: How Football Lost its Magic and what it could learn from the NFL. I don’t endorse what Martin has written; nor do I suggest he has got his facts wrong: – I simply don’t know enough about it. But his views are certainly worth considering; particularly considering Morecambe’s unenviable record of repeatedly attracting the attention of Wide Boys and Dodgy Dealers from near and far in recent years:

That article also references the purchase of a company called Lovely Drinks, which was founded in 2007. However, it doesn't appear to be a beverage behemoth, judging by its balance sheet and employee count. pic.twitter.com/cBbOjDnvaP

— Martin Calladine (@uglygame) January 4, 2023

Anyway… Back to the action, the Morecambe Manager had this to say before today’s game:

“It’s an opportunity for us to try and close the gap between ourselves and them. They’ve done well so far. We all know it’s a long season and they have come off a number of really positive results.”

For Cheltenham, Wing-Back Will Ferry has been recovering from serious injury for the last two months. He was included in the squad which travelled to north Lancashire from Gloucestershire yesterday, though and played today from the off. These are his thoughts about the opposition:

“I think they’ve had a bit of an upturn in form. They’re at home. They’re obviously in a similar area to us in the league so it’s going to be a big game. They’re going to battle. We’ve just got to match them and hopefully come out on top. I think any game, you’ve just got to give one hundred percent – they’re going to give one hundred percent. You’ve basically – it sounds clichéd – but you have to win the battle before you try and play your own game. So I think they’ll be looking to do the same and hopefully, we just come out on top. I think the overnight (stay) will help. We just have to hope we come out on top. The journey up – the traffic might be difficult to deal with. We might go on the old scenic route rather than on the motorways. You should be able to deal with the journey – whether it is on the day or overnight.”

His Manager, Wade Elliot, added the following about today’s opponents:

“They’re going into it really confident. They’re six unbeaten at home, I think their last two at home, they’ve beat Accy two-nil and Burton five-nil. I’m sure that will have looked at the week; Accy, Burton and ourselves, and they’ll expect to win the game, I’m sure. Us and Morecambe have travelled a similar sort of journey over the last couple of years: we are similar clubs. I certainly have a bit of empathy with them. I think the Manager in there has done a brilliant job. We’re really similar. I understand the constraints he is under and the resources that he has, to do the job that he has done has been remarkable. He’s built a really good team there. They’re scrapping; they’re fighting; you can see in their last couple of results, they’re in a good moment. We will look to go on the front foot and we’ll look to try and win the game. We do believe that if we present the best version of ourselves, no matter who we play or where we go, we’ve got a chance of getting a result.”

It was dry in north Lancashire yesterday. But Normal Service for this time of year – wet and windy – was resumed overnight and this morning although it was like Spring by lunchtime.  It was dry as the match started but heavy rain swept across the pitch in the second half before allowing us all to trail away from the game in the darkness but staying dry.

The teams changed ends for the third home game in a row at the start and Morecambe played against the massed ranks of their own fans during the first half. With a lot of spaces given free to local junior football clubs, the area usually occupied by away fans was also heavily populated by Shrimps’ supporters today.

Welshman Ryan Broom had the first strike on goal of the match after five minutes but his shot from a long way out was well off target. Three minutes later, Liam Shaw also put a shot for the home team into the stands. With twenty minutes played, Town were on the attack. But Morecambe caught them rapidly on the counter and good interplay between Kieran Phillips and Jensen Weir presented the latter with an opportunity which he swept past Luke Southwood in the away goal to put the Shrimps one-up. Eight minutes later, the visiting goalkeeper made a tremendous save from a Farrend Rawson header. It wouldn’t have counted as things turned-out because the central defender was offside. Southwood made another tremendous reaction save six minutes later from Phillips’ superb instinctive bicycle-kick as a cross by Ryan Delaney came over from the Morecambe right. The match had been fairly even by this stage but already, Referee Martin Woods had made a number of inexplicable decisions. Caleb Watts was flattened off the ball; Ryan Jackson clearly controlled the ball at least twice with his arm and then Caleb was clearly pushed from behind as he made progress into the visitors’ penalty area after about thirty-eight minutes. Anywhere else on the field, it would have a free-kick. But on every occasion just mentioned, Mr Woods waved play-on. So – once Watts had been pushed over – the ball fell to Will Ferry, who fed Liam Sercombe who in turn played a sublime pass just beyond the home defence for little Alfie May to run onto, outpace his markers and score emphatically with a really assured finish to put the Robins’ level. It was a great goal – but a better Referee would have stopped the move before it started.

This was as good as it got for both Cheltenham and Mr May though – and the little man’s performance from then on was an embarrassment both to himself and his team. However, the hissy-fit that Daniel N’Lundulu threw just before half-time was almost as impressive in the Spoilt Brat Stakes when he was penalised for an obvious foul and clearly didn’t agree with the decision.

The teams went in level at half time. Cheltenham probably had marginally more of the possession but Morecambe had by far the better chances.

Once the second half started, the Shrimps wasted no time in going ahead again almost immediately. Again, they hit on the break after a Cheltenham throw and Ryan Cooney found Phillips with a tremendous ball into the box – and Kieran did the rest, slotting the ball past Southwood into the corner of the net. He tried his luck again after 53 minutes but the away stopper was equal to it on this occasion.

At the other end, Alfie May decided to take exception to something that happened about an hour into the game I think. It was like watching a little boy throw all his toys out of the pram. He yelled at the Referee; he yelled at Morecambe players and even made the mistake of yelling at Shrimps Skipper Connor Ripley, who is almost literally twice his size. It was actually funny to see Connor lift May off the ground and hold him as if he was a naughty infant. In doing this, our Captain probably saved little Alfie from an early bath. Instead, Referee Woods seemed so astonished that an apparently grown man could behave in this way that he didn’t even book the silly little fellow. At the end of the game, Alfie was still carrying-on, refusing to shake hands even with his own team-mates and pushing his own Manager away as he tried to exert some sort of control over probably the worst tantrum I have previously witnessed at a football ground ever.

Between the histrionics, Broom took a long shot after eighty minutes which again missed the target and substitute Ash Hunter attacked up the Morecambe right and drew a good save from Southwood only for Phillips to follow-up to have his effort brilliantly blocked by a combination of sub Taylor Perry and the post. And that was basically it. Cheltenham huffed and puffed at times but the fact of the matter is that the Shrimps’ goalkeeper didn’t have a single save to make in the second period. It was a well-merited win for the home team played in a fantastic atmosphere at the Maz. All the home fans went home with a feeling of euphoria which has been sadly missing for much of the season so far at this venue.

So Morecambe have now won three games in a row. The victory pushed them into nineteenth position in League One tonight. They are just one place but four points behind today’s visitors, who also still have a game in hand. Because of the FA Cup Third Round, only Cambridge United of the teams around them also played in the league today. They lost at home 1-2 to Bristol Rovers. So United slip below Morecambe in the pack, level on points but behind on goal difference with the same number of games played. And guess who their next opponents at the Abbey Stadium are next Saturday? King Derek was clearly elated by today’s display and his team’s escape from the trapdoor into League Two this evening. After the game he said:

“It’s nothing more than we deserved. Our performances before this run was very good and we should have won more games than we have done. We’ve drawn a number of games when we should have won. We could have had a penalty kick with Caleb Watts through on goal – probably should have been a penalty and a sending-off from where I was. They scored against the run of play. Over the afternoon, the three points were deserved.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (2 Donald Love 67’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 17 Caleb Watts (10 Ash Hunter 80’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney 23 Kieran Phillips (14 Arthur Gnahoua 90’); 25 Adam Mayor (Y).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 11 Dylan Connolly; 22 Anthony O’Connor; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Cheltenham Town: 1 Luke Southwood; (30 Christian Norton 57’); 2 Sean Long; 4 Tom Bradbury (4 Taylor Perry 61’); 8 Liam Sercombe; 9 Daniel N’Lundulu (7 Charlie Brown 60’); 10 Alfie May; 14 Caleb Taylor (Y); 15 Will Ferry (3 Ben Williams 78’); 22 Ryan Jackson (36 James Olayinka 84’); 23 Elliot Bonds (30 Christian Norton 61’); 32 Ryan Broom.

Subs not used:  20 Shaun MacDonald:26 Dylan Barkers.

Ref: Martin Woods.

Att: 4,677 (180 from Cheltenham).

New Faces at Morecambe as Cambridge match is called-off.

The Shrimps’ visit to Cambridge United scheduled for today was called-off yesterday due to wind damage to the Main Stand at the Abbey Stadium which has rendered it structurally unsafe. Here is a photo of the apparently catastrophic damage which has led to this decision, which some cynics suggest has more to do with damage to Amber Army players and a chance for them to recuperate, rather than the stadium itself:

Be that as it may, there is plenty to report on this week, though, as far as comings and goings at the Mazuma Stadium are concerned.

During the week, Dylan Connolly had his contract with Morecambe cancelled by mutual consent. Dylan looked like a man possessed last season once King Derek returned to the club and played a key role in keeping it in the division. Since then, though, he has been at best a peripheral figure and resumed the form he showed after Stephen Robinson initially signed him – running around like a headless chicken on the few occasions he was introduced as a substitute in recent times. Let’s hope the Irishman can rediscover his undoubted talent somewhere else, for his sake at least.

In his place, another `DC’ – 26-year-old Daniel Crowley – has returned from a sojourn in Holland with upper tier club Willem II to sign for the club. The ex-Barnsley, Birmingham City and Cheltenham midfielder has had two spells with the Dutch club. He has also been on-loan at Hull City and Oxford United in the past and has played at Youth level for both England and the Republic of Ireland. Much is expected of him by Manager Derek Adams:

“Daniel is a really talented player, and is someone we are really pleased to have here. He can play as a number ten, a midfield player or out wide, and he brings a real ability to open up defences and create assists and score goals from various positions. He’s played in the Championship here in England and played in the top division in Holland, so between now and the end of the season, he’s going to be a really good signing for us.”

Anthony O’Connor also moved from the club this week. The Irish central defender has signed for League Two Harrogate Town having also agreed to have his contract at Morecambe torn-up. I personally think he was the most improved player from the bunch that rotten old Robbo brought to the squad last season. His goal to put the team in front against Spurs on their own patch last season has already gone down in the annals of club history. As Skipper, he was possibly unfairly criticised for not being sufficiently vocal but I thought his performances as last season wore on improved tremendously and nobody who saw him after the tremendous win at Fleetwood following Cole Stockton’s wonder goal could doubt his commitment to the cause. I thought he looked pretty good in nearly all his appearances for the Shrimps earlier this term. So good luck to him on the other side of the Pennines. They might do worse than to play him up-front. The finish he came up with to reduce the arrears against Plymouth last month was out of this world and one any top quality striker would be really proud of.

In a recent interview, King Derek promised another signing either next week or the week after. So the enforced lay-off tomorrow may give him the chance to integrate Daniel Crowley and Dynel Simeu – the central defender in his second week with the Shrimps – into a new-look line-up to continue Derek’s latest crusade to keep his club in League One.

Port Vale Match Frozen-off at Morecambe.

For the second Saturday in a row, Morecambe’s scheduled League One fixture has been postponed. Last week, it was due to Mother Nature blowing part of the Main Stand roof off at the Abbey Stadium in Cambridge. This time, She has stuck her long, white ice-cold fingers into the playing surface at the Mazuma Stadium and frozen it.

Tomorrow, Vale would have brought over one thousand fans with them from Burslem. Their Stadium Manager, Steve Brown, concocted the Playlist shown here for them to listen to on their way. Ignoring the fact that there’s actually an `i’ in `Plaice’, can you see the link in either the song titles or performers?

Our dedicated radio reporter Dave Salmon would be tickled pink by them. (Sorry Dave…) Any further offerings? Let’s Twist Again by Chubb-y Checker or anything by Dr Hook or Feargal Sharkey are my offerings. Send yours to Steve Brown at Vale Park, not me please.

We all learnt this week that Morecambe’s leading scorer Kieran Phillips has had to return to his parent club Huddersfield Town. Kieran has suffered what has been termed `a long-term injury’ which has put an end to his Shrimps career prematurely. This is a shame – this lad has loads of potential promise. He said of this development:

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here. I’m absolutely gutted to be leaving.”

I’m sure we all wish him well with his recovery and his future prospects. I, for one, would like to see him re-signed in the future but whatever happens to him from here on in will hopefully be successful for the young man.

However, as one door closes, another one opens. 19-year-old forward Michael Mellon has arrived from Burnley on-loan until the end of the season. Michael is the junior version of his dad `Micky’ Mellon – the current boss at Tranmere Rovers – and is a Scottish Youth international. It’s likely he could have been named in the squad which Derek Adams would have named for tomorrow’s match at the Mazuma Stadium. King Derek clearly also expects a lot from the young lad:

“We’ve taken in another striker after Kieran Phillips went back to Huddersfield, and we’re really pleased to welcome Michael here. He’s done really well at youth team level with Burnley, and with a number of clubs interested in him, we’re delighted he’s decided to come to Morecambe. He scores goals, links-up play and runs in behind and it’s a move that can hopefully work well for all parties.”

LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, 24th JANUARY 2023.

Imperious Ipswich – Shrimperilous Morecambe.

Morecambe made the long journey to East Anglia today to face third-placed League One club Ipswich Town. The Tractor Boys won at the Maz last October in the reverse fixture 1-2 in a game where controversial and useless Referee Thomas Kirk spoilt the game. He awarded Town a penalty which should have never been given and followed this up with a number of other bizarre decisions such as booking six Shrimps’ players but only one from the visiting team in a game which was played in a good spirit. Luckily, this incompetent wasn’t in charge again tonight – David Rock was and he put in a really impressive performance.

In the EFL, Town and Morecambe met as equals for the first time ever last season in League One. Both games ended in draws. In their only other meetings, Ipswich dumped the Shrimps out of the FA Cup home and away in both their previous meetings when Morecambe were a non-league club but the Tractor Boys were still one of the bigger names in English football. In these less exalted times, Ipswich’s last victory in League One was five games ago. Since then, they have drawn three matches and lost their latest one – in thick fog – at Oxford last Saturday, where they went down 2-1. Morecambe, on the other hand, haven’t played at all for almost two weeks. Due to postponements, they found themselves slipping back into the highest of the relegation positions – twenty-first – in League One on Saturday evening. But their recent record is not only better than Ipswich’s – it is the best in the entire EFL and probably England; Britain and the known universe as well: three wins out of three since 2023 began.

Morecambe Manager Derek Adams expressed his understanding of the enormity of the task facing his men prior to the match tonight thus:

“We understand how difficult a game it can be because Ipswich haven’t lost at home this season and I think that shows how good a team they are in this division. Their budget in total is five times the budget that we have. They are one of the superpowers in this division. They’ve strengthened their squad in this transfer window already. We’ve got great confidence because we’ve won three games on the trot and we’ve scored goals. We can open up defences when given that opportunity; we’ve got players to do that. The beauty of going there is that, with Ipswich, we all know the pressure they are under to get out of the division and we are going there, tying to – obviously – get the win to move us further up the league. (Ipswich) are a superpower that has fallen away down the divisions over the years but for Morecambe football club – from where they have come from; going in the opposite direction – and (with) upward momentum, we’re delighted to be in this division and playing against one of the biggest teams in English Football.”

Opposite Number Kieran McKenna had this to say yesterday:

“When you have a disappointing result you want the next game quickly and we’ve got that with the visit of Morecambe tomorrow night. We have lots of players fighting for the shirt and ready to compete for us. Everyone is pushing and all eyes are on tomorrow evening. Morecambe’s situation shows how quickly you can gather or lose momentum in the league. They were bottom but have won three games in a row. It’s strange that they haven’t played in two and a half weeks but the focus is on us. They’re fighting for points for one reason and we’re fighting for them for another reason. Every game brings a challenge and we’ll need to be ready for one tomorrow night. In a 46-game season momentum is important but the main thing is to stay focused, keep working and keep doing the right things. We know that once we win a game or two the narrative and situation can look very different. It’s very important to keep perspective but we know we need to get points on the board. We know we’re not far away and we have quality and spirit in the group.”

It was cold, dry but noisy as the game kicked-off in front of a bumper crowd. Right from the off, the Tractor Boys went straight onto the front foot and ripped into Morecambe, who seemed powerless to respond from there on in. Within thirty seconds, Ipswich won a corner on their right. Morecambe Academy graduate Leif Davis took it: Farrend Rawson headed the ball into the ground from where it spun its way towards Freddie Ladapo, who swept it home from point-blank range to put the team in the blue strip one goal to the good. The visitors responded with virtually their only meaningful move of the first half.  They worked the ball forward intelligently and it fell to Caleb Watts on the right of the home penalty area from his point of view. His shot was brilliantly blocked by a combination of two Town defenders who slid in together to deflect the ball away from goal. In the fourth minute, Morecambe were attacking again but lost position for Davis to hare away up the Ipswich left only for the ball to fall to Ladapo once more. He turned Jacob Bedeau as if he wasn’t there and slid a pass straight across the goal mouth. Fortunately for the visitors, there was nobody in a blue shirt to connect with it. In the fourth minute, Captain Connor Ripley was forced into action as he did well to dive low to his right to keep out a powerful strike from Nathan Broadhead. It was still a blue tide pouring forwards as Welsh international Lee Evans hit Ripley’s right-hand post with the goalkeeper beaten from all of twenty-five yards with a fine shot. Barely ten minutes had been played when Liam Gibson made a tremendous blocking tackle to stop yet another chance for the home team. But the dam burst again after sixteen minutes when Ladapo benefited from good work on the Ipswich right by Broadhead after Gibbo had lost the ball and swept the resulting cross right across Connor to hit his far post and bounce over the line to deservedly put the Tractor Boys two goals up. Arsenal loanee Harry Clark then had a shot deflected for a corner with seventeen minutes on the clock. In a rare foray into the home half, there was ping-pong in the Town penalty area after half an hour as the home team struggled to clear but Adam Mayor was caught in possession and Ipswich were rapidly on the counter-attack before young Adam caught-up and atoned for his mistake. I thought he was playing better than any of his team-mates until he was moved from a roving role in midfield into attack as the half grew older – and as the game was being played almost exclusively at the other end of the field, it was hardly surprising that he had little impact after this positional change. Ripley fielded an in-swinging corner kick well after 35 minutes but Ipswich looked dangerous every time they moved forward, particularly down their right. Two minutes later, Wes Burns made good progress along this flank, looked up and played an inch-perfect pass to an unmarked Connor Chaplin on the closest edge of the away penalty area to him. The impressive Chaplin wasted no time picking a spot low to his namesake in the Morecambe goal’s right to score a far too easy third goal for the Suffolk side.  Forty minutes had been played when Clark left Gibson for dead on the Ipswich right again and slung over another dangerous cross which came to nothing. And from then until the end of the half, it was like a practice match for the home team. They pinged the ball around between themselves at will as the visitors tried and failed to get at least a touch of it but ended-up chasing shadows more often than not. And just to rub it in, Town scorned an excellent chance when George Edmundson headed Davis’ corner over the bar when he could and should have hit the net after 43 minutes.  Sixty seconds later, Broadbent could have opened his account for the Tractor Boys following another attack down the right only to be foiled by Ripley. Rawson had to be at his best to get his head to another cross from the Town right to stop Ladapo scoring a hat trick as the game entered injury time. But the away team conceded again during the fifty-first minute when they fell for exactly the same combination that had led to their third goal – Burns found Chaplin from the right; Chaplin found the net again.

So Morecambe retreated to the Dressing Rooms well and truly beaten. They were second best in everything they had done during the first half; could have conceded more than the four goals; didn’t win a single corner and didn’t even really look like troubling Christian Walton in the home goal at any point.

King Derek  made four changes at half time. Off came the ineffectual Watts – beaten for pace throughout the first period. Off too, came Mayor – perhaps harshly. Ryan Cooney was also withdrawn but blaming him alone for the joy Ipswich had enjoyed down their right would be unfair as I thought that Gibbo had a really poor half by his own usually tremendous standards. Ryan Delaney was also taken off but I suspect this had more to do with an injury he suffered rather than his performance. In his place, Dynel Simeu made his debut for the club. He slotted-in at centre half and had an increasingly impressive game, reminding me – at least –of Yann Songo’o. Michael Mellon was Mayor’s replacement. He ran about a lot but – without wishing to rush to judgement on the young lad – didn’t contribute much. The third Morecambe debutant was Daniel Crowley and he really caught the eye with a pretty good midfield performance in the place of Caleb Watts but did manage to get booked. Club Captain Donald Love was Rooney’s replacement. Did he lead by example? Was he a better fit in the left back berth than Ryan had been? Not in my opinion: he’s too slow in thought and movement most of the time and I thought he was at best average tonight.

The second half was a bit of a non-event. Ipswich took their foot off the gas; their Head Coach gave their better players a rest by replacing five of them with the game already obviously won. They still had the better chances though and Ripley was far busier than his opposite number, who again had absolutely nothing to do. Morecambe actually forced their only corner of the night in the seventieth minute but overall, this was a mauling this evening. Tractor Boys? Tractor Men against boys was more like it, particularly in the first half.

The four goals conceded obviously don’t do the Shrimps’ Goal Difference any favours. But results elsewhere could have been worse for Derek Adams and his men. Milton Keynes Muppets lost at home to Shrewsbury 0-1 and remain a single point above Morecambe, having played a game more. Forest Green also lost again at the appalling Ian Evatt’s Bolton and remain rock bottom of League One; three points worse off than the Shrimps but having played two games more. Ipswich, meanwhile, consolidated their position in third place in League One. Although it couldn’t have been much worse on the field for Morecambe this evening – it could have been much worse off it. As always, the King looked for the positives from this car-crash of a result:

“Second half, we worked really hard to keep the scoreline down and we’ve got no complaints. It was never going to be easy. We made four substitutions at half time. That was to give players game time. We were out of the game; the game was finished. We were never going to draw it; we were never going to win it. We tried to stay in the game as long as we could. Ipswich shouldn’t be in this division but we’ve got to try and compete with them.”

Ipswich Town: 1 Christian Walton; 2 Richard Keogh; 3 Leif Davis; 4 George Edmundson; 5 Sam Morsy (C) (30 Cameron Humphreys 62’); 7 Wes Burns (19 Kayden Jackson 45’); 8 Lee Evans; 9 Freddie Ladapo (27 George Hirst 62’); 10 Connor Chaplin (Y) (11 Marcus Harness 72’); 33 Nathan Broadhead (29 Kyle Edwards 62’) 34 Harry Clark.

Subs not used: 31 Václav Hladky; 44 Janoi Donacien.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C) first 45’; 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (29 Dynel Simeu 45’); 9 Cole Stockton (10 Ash Hunter 82’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (Y); 17 Caleb Watts (8 Daniel Crowley (Y) 45’); 20 Liam Shaw; 21 Ryan Cooney (2 Donald Love (C) last 45’); 25 Adam Mayor (11 Michael Mellon 45’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua.

Ref: David Rock.

Att: 21,948 (102 from Morecambe. Well done each and every one of them.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 28th JANUARY 2023.

Pirates Run Out of Gaz at the Maz.

Following their 4-0 humiliation at Ipswich last Tuesday night, Morecambe sought to get their League One campaign back on track today against Bristol Rovers at the Mazuma Stadium. Historically, they have a poor record against The Gas: only two wins in nine previous meetings but five defeats. Last September, they managed a 2-2 draw at the Memorial Stadium against a Joey Barton team which was struggling at the time. Today, Rovers arrived in north Lancashire with a record of two wins and three losses in their last five League One games. They lost the latest of these not too far away in East Lancashire against Accrington last Saturday by two goals to nil. As Shrimps’ fans, we would all have wanted the Pirates to win at the Crown Ground – particularly as Stanley are struggling themselves currently – but this disappointing result saw the Gas drop into eleventh place in the table.

Morecambe’s loss at Portman Road earlier in the week saw their sparkling 100% 2023 record from their three prior games go up in smoke as they stayed in the dreaded Drop Zone of League One in twenty-first place. So they have now lost two but won three of their last five league matches. But a win today – depending on results elsewhere – could see them escape from the dead hand of relegation altogether.

Morecambe’s outstanding defender Jacob Bedeau has this to say before the game:

“The support we get here is top notch. The fans always get behind us and it obviously always helps. Even last year, some of the games here, they were behind us then and they’re still behind us now. It’s massive for us. If you’re (winning) 2-1 like we were against Cheltenham, it’s almost like they’re blowing the ball away from our goal when we’re defending that side, so it’s always really helpful. We’ve got to think this is our fortress and we can beat anyone here. They’ve had a good season, their first season back in League One, so they’re going to be a tough test. But we have to come through these tests to stay in this league and that’s what we want to do. They’re a good team; they’ve got really good players so it’s going to be a tough one. But we’d like to think (that) at home, that’s where we’re going to make it count.”

Rovers’ new signings goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe and defender Jarell Quansah started for the Pirates and their third new face – Grant Ward – was introduced with just over an hour played.

It would be easy – given Manager Joey Barton’s generally unsavoury reputation – to assume that the appearance of himself and his team reflects his own skinhead-like persona. Not so. The squad and their Manager all had their heads shaved on 16^th January as a tribute to – and to show support for – team-mate Nick Anderton. The unlucky young man – who played against us at Bristol last September – has been diagnosed with bone cancer at the tender age of 26 and will be involuntarily losing his own hair as a result of the chemotherapy he is currently enduring. Good luck to the lad; let’s hope he’s able to fight this affliction off – for his own sake obviously but also for that of the people who care about him as well. One of these is Morecambe goalkeeper Connor Ripley, who wore a shirt with his friend’s name on the back and also shaved his head especially for the occasion.

The Gas have also pioneered an admirable development off the field this week. Their website tells us:

“Bristol Rovers is the first UK football club to support the Plastic Free Pint campaign, spearheaded by A Plastic Planet, and is calling for a ban on plastic cups at all grounds.

We estimate this swap will mean over a tonne of plastic waste will be saved from being sent to landfills every season. Commenting on the campaign, Head of Catering Iain Paterson said: “We are delighted to be working with A Plastic Planet and leading the way in working towards a plastic ban in sports stadia. Bristol is renowned for being a green city and was the UK’s first-ever Green Capital in 2015.”

(Why is one of Rovers’ nicknames `The Gas’? They used to play at a decrepit old Greyhound track at Eastleigh, next door to some Gasometers. If you don’t know what a Gasometer is, ask one of your parents or an older person. Do not ask Energy Secretary Grant Shapps because he apparently doesn’t know either…)

For Morecambe, Shane McLoughlin signed for Salford City on an 18 month deal this week. I’m sure we all wish him well too – I thought he was a better player than some who have featured for us in the last two seasons – but what do I know? Today, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams shook-up the formation which started so poorly against Ipswich earlier in the week. He dropped Ryan Cooney and Adam Mayor to the bench and Caleb Watts altogether. Dynel Simeu, Michael Mellon and Daniel Crowley were put straight into the starting eleven in their places.

It had been drizzly in north west Lancashire prior to the game and the mist thickened as time went by and it was pretty wet by the end of the contest. The first thing that struck you about the Gas was how physically large so many of their players are. I was personally expecting them to lump things forward for Aaron Collins and the giant Josh Coburn to compete for. But they didn’t. They enjoyed a lot of possession – particularly during the second half – but it was frankly difficult to work out how they actually intended to play because their control of things seemed to simply stop in midfield more often than not as they appeared to simply run out of ideas and options. Morecambe played nearly all the football early doors and newcomer and finally Man of the Match Daniel Crowley caught the eye right from the start.

Michael Mellon was denied a first goal for the Shrimps after nine minutes by a tremendous block by James Connolly. Jason Weir then put a shot out of the ground two minutes later as the home team continued to ask most of the questions. Cole Stockton then had a decent chance but fired narrowly wide with a quarter of an hour played. Twenty minutes were on the clock when the hosts took the lead. Daniel Crowley ran purposefully from deep towards the away goal and unleashed a peach of a shot from a long way out which beat debutant Ellery Balcombe all ends up as it bounced in front of him and flew low into the net. It was a really tremendous strike but the goalkeeper will probably be disappointed that he didn’t make a better attempt to keep it out. Four minutes later, the new Gas goalie was forced to make a brave save at Cole the Goal’s feet to stop another Shrimps’ goal. All Pirates hearts must have been in their mouths after 32 minutes too, when the player they call `Beefy’ – James Connolly – could have given away two penalties in the space of a few seconds. First of all, he performed what looked to me like a scissors tackle on Stockton and then – from the ground – seemed to clearly trip Mellon as he went for the loose ball. But Referee Will Finney wasn’t impressed and that’s all that matters after all.

Rovers huffed and puffed but by about half an hour in, all they had to show for it were over-hit dead ball kicks and shots which went way off target. This all changed in the fortieth minute though. For the first time, they actually showed some real bite when Antony Evans’ strike from the edge of the penalty area towards his own fans was brilliantly saved by a Connor Ripley leap high to his right. At the other end, it seemed certain that the Shrimps had extended their lead two minutes later. Crowley’s pass into the away danger area seemed to be heading for the net as a wall of red descended on it but the ball hit Balcombe’s right-hand post from Mellon’s head with the goalkeeper a mere spectator and somehow or other bounced away into safety from Rovers’ point of view. The play quickly swept to the other end of the field and Morecambe again had their goalkeeper to thank as Connor pushed Shrimps’ Old Boy Aaron Collins‘s phenomenal strike up and onto the bar and over for Bristol’s first corner of the match.

That was just about it for the first period. I thought that Morecambe were the better team at half time – but there wasn’t a lot in it and nothing to indicate what was about to happen in the second part of the match.

The unchanged Morecambe team poured forward right from the first moment and were three goals to nil up within four minutes of the restart. First, the Gas conceded a free-kick on the Morecambe right and Mellon was the quickest to react as the ball fell to him in the away penalty area from this although his shot was actually deflected by Connolly on its way into the Rovers’ net. Then Crowley found Donald Love a couple of minutes later with a superb pass to allow the team Captain to score his first goal for the club in the 49^th minute with a fierce strike. Crowley then tried his own luck after 54 minutes but his attempt went over the crossbar. With an hour played, the visitors squandered a decent chance as substitute Harry Anderson rose highest to get his head to a corner but completely mis-directed his effort well away from the target right in front of him. The visitors must have regretted this as Morecambe caught them on the break after 61 minutes and Crowley again put a sublime pass on a plate to Cole, who confidently netted his second league goal of the season and the fourth for Morecambe of the afternoon.  

Almost immediately after this, though, Bristol should have reduced the arrears. The challenge on Josh Coburn didn’t look any more like a penalty to me than Beefy Connolly’s had been in the first half but the Referee again took a different view. Scott Sinclair stepped forward to take the resultant spot-kick and placed his shot high to Ripley’s right. But the Morecambe stopper – for the fourth time in a row – was equal to it and Connor saved it with a phenomenal leap to claw it away.

I think this summed-up Rovers’ afternoon.

In the eightieth minute, Ripley confounded the Gas striker again with a strong hand to repel a tremendous shot from Sinclair. But it got even worse for the Pirates. During the 85^th minute, substitute Adam Mayor’s cross into the box was cleared by a fantastic last-ditch clearance by James Gibbons. But three minutes later, the hosts had a fifth. Young Adam got away for a clear run on goal on the Shrimps’ left; took the ball on and ever on and then slipped it cleverly past the away goalkeeper. Ellery Balcombe must have wished he’d stayed in Bristol today: letting-in five goals on your debut for anyone can’t be a good feeling. But as Morecambe collectively were still celebrating at least in their heads, Collins managed to reduce the arrears and ruin the home side’s Clean Sheet with an excellent strike just before the end of play.

It was scant consolation. The defeat saw Bristol drop to twelfth in League One. Elsewhere, Accrington were being dumped out of the FA Cup at home by Leeds United, 1-3. The Plastic People from Milton Keynes lost again too, this time 0-2 at home to Exeter but remain one place below the Shrimps in twentieth position, just above the Drop Zone. Forest Green had Duncan `Disorderly’ Ferguson at the helm today for the first time. They were winning away from home at Shrewsbury by the only goal of the game in the ninetieth minute. But then they contrived to ship two more during injury time and lose to remain rock bottom of the table, four points from safety and having played more matches than any other club in the division.

I don’t know what Gasheads’ boss Joey Barton said before the game but he did put this slant on the fixture before disappearing at speed into the wet darkness in his great big car shortly afterwards – and whilst his team were still warming-down within the Stadium:

“Probably the worst 60-70-minute performance, if not 90-minute performance, since I’ve been here. It was really poor and I can only apologise to the fans who have paid their hard-earned cash and given up their time on Saturday to follow us here. If anyone was in any doubt, today has been another rude awakening about the standard of where our group’s at and if we don’t improve it we’ll no longer be able to keep pace with the teams that are chasing promotion. I wouldn’t pay you if you turned up and did a job in my house to the standard some of our boys did today. I’d be chucking you out of the house and never allowing you back in. That is not acceptable and all you can do is apologise to them. It was embarrassing, actually.”

King Derek didn’t throw his toys out of his pram – he never does. But he did look very pleased with himself – as well he might be – after the match. He said:

“It was a great win for us today. Overall, it was a fabulous performance from us to beat a team who are 11th in the league 5-1 at home. The way we scored, the way we took them, it was a great day for the players and the staff.”

MAN-OF-THE-MATCH DANIEL CROWLEY AND KING DEREK FACE THE MEDIA

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson (Y) (21 Ryan Cooney 88’); 5 Farrend Rawson (6 Ryan Delaney 64’); 8 Daniel Crowley (10 Ash Hunter 72’); 9 Cole Stockton; 11 Michael Mellon (Y) (25 Adam Mayor 72’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 19 Jon Obika.

Bristol Rovers: 35 Ellery Balcombe; 2 James Connolly (Y); 5 Jarell Quansah; 6 Sam Finley (23 Luke McCormick 68’); 7 Scott Sinclair; 10 Aaron Collins; 15 Paul Coutts (C) (8 Grant Ward 67’); 21 Antony Evans; 28 James Gibbons; 30 Luca Hoole (19 Harry Anderson 67’); 40 Josh Coburn (9 John Marquis 68’).

Subs not used:  1 James Belshaw; 25 Glenn Whelan.

Ref: Will Finney.

Att: 4,259 (612 Gasheads. They loudly supported their team even in adversity and are a credit to their club.)

LEAGUE ONE, SATURDAY, 4th FEBRUARY 2023

Morecambe Properly Rammed by Derby.

Morecambe travelled to Derbyshire today to play at a venue occupied by Derby County football club for the very first time in the Shrimps’ one hundred years-plus history. The last time today’s hosts played at this venue was last Monday night against West Ham United in the FA Cup. They lost 0-2. Worse still, former Morecambe favourite Tom Barkhuizen was substituted during the second half. In truth, the Rams were never a match for the Irons and despite creditable performances from both Lewis Dobbin and Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, there was a gulf in class between the two sides which was obvious for anyone to see.

However, County started today’s match in fourth place in League One, having accrued almost twice as many points (fifty) as the Shrimps (in 21^st position) have, with just twenty-seven after the same number of games played. Impressively, though, County have been victorious in all of their last five League games, most recently at Port Vale, where they won 1-2 on January 24^th. In their only ever previous encounter with the Shrimps, they drew 1-1 at the Maz last November in a game which saw home custodian Connor Ripley save not just one, but two penalties.

During the week, Derek Adams was finally able to unload some more of the Dead Wood bequeathed to him by former boss Stephen Robinson.  Jon Obika has signed for Motherwell, North of the Border. Sadly, Jon won’t be missed. He was seriously injured shortly after arriving in north Lancashire last year but his very few performances since recovery have been way below par for a League One player. Let’s hope he has a more productive time for his new employer. As he left, Morecambe’s connections with Huddersfield Town have paid-off again as midfielder Josh Austerfield arrived on loan for the rest of the season. He had been playing with Harrogate Town in League Two until now but he has signed on the dotted line at the Maz until the end of the season. The fact that he is highly rated by the Terriers is shown by the fact that last Summer, they offered the 21-year-old a contract until 2026. If he turns out to be even half as impressive as team-mate Kieran Phillips was before injury earlier in the season, he will be a significant addition to the squad. Today, King Derek put Josh straight onto the bench and he managed to pick-up a Yellow Card during the brief period he was on the field late on into the game.

Mr Adams had this to say prior to the Derby game in an interview at the Maz:

“We go to a team that – before the game against West Ham – went nineteen games unbeaten. We understand the size of the football club. We did ever so well here in the first game to get a draw. But we go there off of a five-one win.  We know we can create chances. Yes we’ll have to be defensively good on the day because they are very strong in that area. We have players that can hurt them but we’ll have to be excellent on the day.”

Opposite Number Paul Warne (does he sleep with a bobble hat on? – he never seems to take the awful things off…) said the following:

“In fairness to Morecambe they’ve won four out of five and are in good form. We’re on a good run but we’ve got to get back to it now after the FA Cup tie on Monday. We’ve just got to try and chase the third spot; let’s chase that. The lads are in a good place, they are desperate for success – which is priceless – and they are well prepared for the match on Saturday so we’ll just have to be at our best to win. Morecambe frustrated us back in November as we played out a 1-1 draw, but they did cause us problems as well. They’ve scored a lot of good counter-attacking goals recently and are good on set-pieces. They are going to come here on a really good run with a bit of positivity so this game is no easier or harder than someone like Sheffield Wednesday at home. They are just going to come here and pose different questions.”

Harvey White – newly-signed on-loan from Spurs – went onto the subs’ bench today as a replacement for the injured Rams midfielder Max Bird. David McGoldrick – lucky not be sent-off in November’s clash in Lancashire – returned to the first team squad after recent injury.

It was grey but dry throughout proceedings at Pride Park today. So what can we say about what happened in this David vs Goliath meeting once the game kicked-off?

I think all travelling supporters were surprised to see Arthur Gnahoua named in the starting eleven by King Derek today. He is a shadow of the man who helped turn the team’s fortunes around last year when Derek first returned to the Mazuma Stadium. So why was he on from the start? Equally, why had one of our more cultured defenders – Jacob Bedeau – been relegated to the bench?

Whatever, Morecambe played reasonably well for the first 44 minutes – all things considered. They took the game to County at the start and played on the front foot more often than not and occasionally surprised the home team with their approach. For example, promising teenager Adam Mayor not only robbed a home defender of the ball after forty minutes on the Shrimps’ extreme left, he took it around him, motored into the Derby penalty area and slipped a cross to the far post which was cleared for a corner. Excellent stuff indeed – even if against the run of play in all honesty. Most of the serious action was happening at the other end of the field.

For the hosts, Korey Smith set-up Nathaniel Mendez-Laing for a shot which Connor Ripley did well to save after twelve minutes. Then, David McGoldrick forced the second of a number of good saves from the away goalkeeper with just over twenty minutes played. Although they failed to really stretch home custodian Joe Wildsmith at any time, the visitors were still well in the game with forty-four minutes played. Then it all started to fall apart.

Dynel Simeu was adjudged to have fouled Haydon Roberts left of centre just outside the Shrimps’ penalty area from the home team’s point of view. The men in red did not set themselves up to defend this properly. Conor Hourihane slipped the resulting free-kick to McGoldrick and his low, swerving shot beat the Morecambe wall and a helpless Connor low to his left as well.

Just before half time is always a crucial time to score: it can motivate the scorers and deflate the opposition in equal measure.

And so it proved.

It’s definitely the hope that kills you – which is not an original thought. As – in our little corner of a packed stadium – we Shrimps fans were hoping for better things in the second half, I – for one – belatedly realised why Derek had chosen to play Uncle Arthur from the start.

He had provided one moment of pure magic in the first half when he actually beat an opponent on the Morecambe right and slung over a decent cross from close to the goal-line – but had done little else other than whip a hopeful, shot well off target after about a quarter of an hour. Today, though, his task was obviously to provide support for weak Skipper Donald Love on our right flank.

Regrettably, though – he didn’t.

Almost from kick-off in the second half, the ball arrived in the danger area on the Derby left adjacent to the corner flag which our intrepid duo were supposed to be patrolling. But – perhaps too polite to interfere in the other one’s duties; bamboozled by what their Gaffer had told them to do in the first place or simply unable to communicate between themselves, Donald left it to Arthur – and Arthur left it to Donald.

You can’t do this against a team like Derby and get away with it. Haydon Roberts nipped in and sent over a cross which was deflected by a despairing Simeu’s foot to be headed back by Mendez-Laing at the far stick for McGoldrick to score an oh-too-easy unmarked second goal on the day.

Two minutes later, the Shrimps were three-nil down. Weak referee Craig Hicks adjudged Simeu to have fouled James Collins in the box on the County right and McGoldrick scored emphatically to bury memories of his penalty being saved by Ripley at Morecambe last year.

So, in a period of just five minutes on both sides of the break, the game was well and truly lost. The Ref then gifted the home side another penalty with just over an hour played which Collins himself buried – to also atone for the save Connor had made against him in the reverse fixture.

By this time, Morecambe had been run ragged. Derby scored another goal in the sixty-ninth minute when Skipper Craig Forsyth played a killer pass centrally into the feet of Jason Knight, who turned brilliantly and found the back of the net with a sublime strike. It was too easy by this stage of proceedings – and it could have been more. During the second half, Morecambe offered nothing going forward – and not a lot as they back-pedalled more often than not either.

One of the few things I would say in mitigation for Morecambe today is that the Referee didn’t do them any favours. The first `penalty’ was doubtful. The second one shouldn’t have been given: Farrend Rawson won the ball fair and square. But the Ref was on the other side of the alleged offence as was his linesman on the far rather than the near side of the field from where we Shrimps supporters saw what actually happened. From their angle, this would have looked like a foul – but it wasn’t. So why did they collectively give a penalty?

It’s too simple to say they both guessed. They undoubtedly did – but in front of a loud crowd of over 20,000 souls baying for a penalty, it was hardly a surprise that this decision was made.

Equally, County players were responsible for some bad fouls today. Morecambe committed more –there’s no dispute about that. But how can it be right that four of our men were booked today – but nobody from the home side received even a single yellow card?

I posed the question back in November in the opposite fixture as to whether or not EFL officials are objectively truly unbiased. McGoldrick should have been sent off then for an appalling foul on Ryan Cooney. Other County players got away with other offences – repeatedly kicking the ball away when penalised, for instance – without any sanction at all. Derby surely have enough advantages already – in terms of talent, support and revenue – without the officials helping them out into the bargain.

Don’t get me wrong: the Rams didn’t need any help today. To recap what was stated about the West Ham game earlier: in truth, the Shrimps were never a match for County this afternoon and there was a gulf in class between the two sides which was obvious for anyone to see.

King Derek, of course, would not express this so negatively. At the end of proceedings, he announced:

“Our first half performance was very good, the second half we couldn’t do much about it. We were three-nil down quite quickly into that second half. Derby – at that stage – their tails were up. They’re at home; the home crowd are with them.  We had moments in the first half where we got into their final third with Adam Mayor, Arthur Gnahoua, Crowley and Stockton. But we just weren’t able to get the better of them today.”

Morecambe fell into the highest of the relegation positions as a result: fourth from bottom. Derby, conversely – ended-up fourth from the top. Elsewhere, Accrington Stanley lost at home 0-3 to Lincoln and Forest Green also lost at home 0-2 to Peterborough. The team who pretend to be Wimbledon won at apparently useless (according to their Manager last week at the Maz) Bristol Rovers by the same score. Burton Albion (for whom ex-Shrimps Skipper Sam Lavelle will feature in future games) won at Fleetwood 2-3 to push Derek Adams’ men back into the mire. They will thus do themselves a massive favour if they manage to beat the only Vegan club on the planet next Saturday at the Maz…

Derby County: 1 Joe Wildsmith; 3 Craig Forsyth (C); 4 Conor Hourihane (16 Liam Thompson 73’); 6 Eiran Cashin; 9 James Collins: 10 David McGoldrick  (23 Harvey White 67’); 11 Nathaniel Mendez-Laing (7 Tom Barkhuizen 67’); 12 Korey Smith; 15 Haydon Roberts (17 Louie Sibley 74’); 18 Lewis Dobbin; 38 Jason Knight (22 Tony Springett 74’) .

Subs not used:  32 Luke McGee; 33 Curtis Davies.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 9 Cole Stockton; 11 Michael Mellon; 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (22 Josh Austerfield (Y) 79’); 29 Dynel Simeu (Y) (6 Ryan Delaney 79’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 10 Ash Hunter; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 21 Ryan Cooney; 25 Adam Mayor;.

Ref: Craig Hicks.

Att: 26,035 (over 800 from Morecambe)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 11th FEBRUARY 2023

FGR – Ferguson’s Great Result.

Think about all the things we were threatened with if we misbehaved when we were young: The Bogey Man; Lucifer; Sandman; The Hobyahs….

All really terrifying concepts for very small children; maybe too terrifying in fact because The Hobyahs still freak me out even now – and I’m 68….

But when my own kids were very young, I told them that they would get a visit from someone slightly less scary but very, very real if they didn’t behave.

No, not Margaret Thatcher – I wanted to shock the little devils a bit, not damage them for life.  But…

The Hobyahs chanted the following rhyme – according to my apparently abusively insane parents – when they came to put you in their smelly Hobyah sack and drag you away to be made into a casserole later on:

“Hobyah! Hobyah! Hobyah! Know what we’ll do? We’ll tear down your house; eat up your folks and carry you off to make stew!”

I thought this was a bit extreme to inflict on my own children, personally.  So I used the following alternative – but suitably less Post Traumatic Stress Disorder-inducing rhyme on them instead. Then I encouraged both to stay up late to watch Match of the Day to see the personification of this if they ever doubted it. And failed. Because, as an Everton player, the subject of this rhyme was actually in Glasgow’s Barlinnie Prison at the time for head-butting an opponent during his Scottish football career. But here’s a nice little ditty (preferably accompanied by bagpipes) about this very scary creature:

“From Sterling; that club to Aberdeen; From Sterling; the best we’ve ever seen; From Sterling; he brought a big, big heart to Goodison – where do we even start? Duncan, Duncan Ferguson; Duncan, Duncan Ferguson; Duncan, Duncan Ferguson”(etc ad nauseum). 

Not as good a rhyme as The Hobyahs admittedly – but you get the idea. It has to be said, however, that Duncan `Disorderly’ has not always been on the wrong side of the law. Scottish newspaper The Herald told us in 2001, for example:

“Inspector Steve Sansbury said officers attended a report of a burglary near Ormskirk at about 1.05am and found one alleged offender still on the premises, having been detained by the householder. He said: ”One of the alleged offenders was taken to hospital for treatment to injuries sustained in a scuffle with the householder. Another alleged offender fled the scene. Police inquiries are continuing to trace him.” He added: ”We are satisfied that the homeowner, who was also injured in the incident, acted both bravely and responsibly when encountering these intruders in his home.” Mr Sansbury said a 21-year-old man was arrested and has been detained at Ormskirk General District Hospital.”

(Seems a bit mean to me for the copper to say ”We are satisfied that the homeowner was also injured in the incident” – maybe he was a Liverpool supporter.)

But whose house had these idiots chosen to break into? One that a sign on the gate warns miscreants: “Forget about the effin’ dog – Beware of Big Dunc!”

Today, Duncan Ferguson brought his Forest Green Rovers team to the Mazuma Stadium to try and reverse the fortunes they have endured since he took over as Manager last month. In the two games they have played since, FGR lost 2-1 at Shrewsbury in injury time two weeks ago, having led for an hour and a half. Last Saturday, Rovers lost again at home – this time 0-2 to Peterborough. This meant that they have taken just one point from their last five games, having been defeated in all of the last four of them. So Forest Green remained seemingly marooned at the bottom of League One with just twenty-one points accrued from thirty games so far before kick-off this afternoon. They were thus six points behind their hosts, having played two games more. It doesn’t look good for the only Vegan football club on the planet: their first ever stint in League One could easily prove to be their last for a while at least.

As for Morecambe – well, let’s forget about what’s happened off the field recently as a flashy Sikh with a Rolls Royce and a bit of money is apparently about the buy the club. “A `bit’ of money” being, apparently `BitCoin’ money to be more accurate. Or maybe not. Who really knows? As ghosts of other recent `saviours’ hover in the background – Brazilian Diego Lamos and Italian Joseph Cala for example – you can’t help wondering if this latest development will further add to the farce which has been associated with ownership of the club far too often in recent times. Shall we move quickly on? I think we should…

Morecambe won the last meeting with FGR in Gloucestershire during September by two goals to one. This has been their only ever clash in League One until today. Previous meetings in the EFL (two wins out of seven; three losses) and the old Conference (seven wins; five defeats; three draws – plus a 0-3 away victory for the Shrimps in the FA Cup during 2000) thus became irrelevant as far as their latest clash is concerned.

This afternoon, Morecambe went into the game on the back of four wins in a row at the Mazuma Stadium. During 2023, they have won the maximum nine points available at this venue and scored twelve goals and conceded just two in doing so. This is the form of Champions. (Let’s just conveniently forget Derek Adams’ men’s dismal away record altogether…)

Since their September defeat to the north Lancashire club, FGR’s team has radically changed. Goalkeeper on the day – Luke McGee – was warming the Derby County bench last Saturday as the Rams hammered the Shrimps by five goals to nil. Regan Hendry has also departed – for Tranmere Rovers. Injured Christian Fernandes-Marques has returned to his parent club, Wolverhampton Wanderers. Connor Wickham has packed-up playing altogether.

So what did Forest Green’s new Head Coach have to say about today’s match? Speaking earlier in the week, Mr Ferguson explained how he personally deals with his club’s parlous position in League One:

“I don’t even look at the league (table); that is the absolute truth. We’ve just got to concentrate on the next game and there’s no point in looking at the league. We are where we are. I knew the job that I was coming into; I knew it was going to be incredibly difficult. But I’ve enjoyed it believe it or not because I think we’ve had two good performances. We’ve always been in the game, particularly last week with Shrewsbury. This week we were always in the game – it was never a two-nil game. We want to pick up a point, don’t we? We’re desperate for the lads to get a point. We’ll just keep on working, keep in good shape, keep getting into attacking thirds and score some goals and hopefully we can get a good result. This one’s going to be a big match for us. But they’re all big matches for us – we’re at the bottom of the league, aren’t we? So at the end of the day, every team above us is better than us. So we’re going to have to close that gap and we’ve got a chance on Saturday to do that. We’ve worked really hard this week and we’re looking forward to the match.”

King Derek’s pre-match thoughts were these:

“We have to take our home form on board. We’ve gone eight games undefeated at home and we’ve been able to score a lot of goals. We’ve got players that are in form and we want to take that into this game and try and do the same on Saturday.”

The day was dry with watery sunshine in north Lancashire before and throughout the match. Everyone in the stadium stood for a perfectly respected one minute’s silence to commemorate all the thousands of poor souls who have suffered and died in the recent earthquake which has devastated Syria and parts of Turkey.

Then the game started.

Right from the off, it was obvious what Forest Green hoped for – the single point their Manager had talked about during the week. They set up to press and play on the break. Their message to Morecambe – loud and clear – was:

Go on then – break us down!

And Morecambe basically couldn’t. The ball was constantly passed across the back line of the men in the red strip but all the way through a truly soporific match, they were unable to prise apart the massed ranks of green in front of them; attack down the flanks or offer any threat at all more often than not. It was dire to watch and the atmosphere in the ground – silence most of the time – perfectly reflected this. It seemed to me that – as was the case earlier in the season before he was injured – Ash Hunter was given the role of playmaker. It didn’t work. However, he produced the only shot on goal for the home side during the first half after two minutes. This barely troubled visiting goalkeeper Ross Doohan – who had nothing else to do for the rest of the period. At the other end, Tyler Onyango hit the side netting with a strike after almost twenty minutes. He had broken from his own half and run over half the length of the field only to catch his studs in the turf as he took his shot – and missed. He was clearly in distress after this and had to leave the field injured as a result. After forty minutes, Rovers were awarded a free-kick in a threatening position just outside the penalty area. From this, Corey O’Keeffe put in a tremendous shot which home custodian Connor Ripley did really well to push away from his top corner with a full-stretch save to his right, in which he, too injured himself. And that was basically the sum total of the first half’s action. It was dreadful fare. But FGR were undoubtedly the better, seemingly more motivated team and – but for Connor’s reflexes late on – they could have gone back to the Dressing Rooms in a winning position.

The second period followed a similar pattern. Forest Green used all the tricks in the book to save time and weak referee Martin Coy basically indulged them. Every corner they were awarded took at least three minutes to take and Captain Dylan McGeouch should have been booked for the delaying tactics he deliberately and apparently unashamedly indulged in time after time when this happened.

And still Morecambe were unable to break-down a well-organised unit which resolutely pursued their Manager’s overall ambition: to escape with a point. Their hearts would have been in their mouths after an hour, when Doohan could not hold on to Liam Shaw’s long-range strike. Cole Stockton slammed home the loose ball – but was immediately flagged by the linesman for being in an off-side position. So the dreary spectacle seemed to be drifting inevitably for the bore draw which Mr Disorderly had clearly set-up for. With only ten minutes scheduled to play, though, Dominic Bernard received the ball centrally quite a long way out from the home goal after an FGR corner and chipped a delightful pass over the Shrimps defence to Brandon Cooper in a clearly off-side position. He headed the ball across goal to unmarked substitute Jahmari Clarke – and he turned the ball home perfectly with his head to put the away side into the lead

Virtually the entire visiting team celebrated in the left-hand corner from their point of view right in front of the home fans after they had scored. They might as well have taken a table and chairs out so they could have a proper party as Referee Coy again indulged them in this shameless display of time-wasting. Four minutes this time – perhaps longer? You can’t blame FGR for trying it on but the man in charge simply shouldn’t have allowed them to.

That looked like it was going to be it – not just a first point for Duncan Ferguson but all three of them. However – in a rare moment of genuine quality in a truly dreadful game – Cole Stockton smashed home a tremendous shot with only one minute left when the ball was cleverly played into his path by substitute Michael Mellon following a long clearance from the home goalkeeper. Belatedly, the men in red came out of their collective stupor.  Mellon hit a shot agonisingly wide of the target in the first minute of injury time and if Mr Coy had added-on even half the amount of time he had allowed the visitors to waste during the second half, who knows what might have happened as FGR’s fragile confidence might well have unravelled again. But the Man in Black stopped the game after precisely four minutes of extra time.

WHY??? Does his watch not work? Is he unable to count? Was his post-match tea going cold in the Dressing Rooms?…

To be fair though, Forest Green departed with exactly what they had come for today: one very precious point. I think they were actually the better team today into the bargain. Morecambe were hopeless and just didn’t seem to know what to do with the ball most of the time. Rovers, on the other hand, arrived with a plan – and stuck to it. They had a lot of luck – their goal should not have been allowed, for a start – but nobody can begrudge them their determination to carry-out the plan their boss had clearly worked out for them before the game. The best thing we can say about Morecambe tonight is – at least they didn’t lose.

As far as the league table is concerned, the single point each didn’t really help either of the protagonists today. Forest Green remain rock bottom of League One; seven points from safety and with more games played than nearly all the other clubs in the division. Cambridge lost 2-0 at Barnsley; the team from Milton Keynes drew at home against Oxford, 1-1; Cheltenham and Accrington were involved in a goal-less draw but Burton beat Exeter 1-0. So the Shrimps remain in twenty-first position. It could have been worse. Alarmingly, though – it might well be a lot worse at the end of Tuesday night next week. Morecambe travel to high-flying Sheffield Wednesday – a club which has already beaten then twice this season so far, home and away with no goals scored by Derek Adams’ men and five conceded.

But let’s not give into pessimism and despondency. King Derek never does. He was booked again for remonstrating with the man with the golden whistle when youngster Mellon was wiped-out by the visiting defence during injury time and the only person who didn’t see it in the entire ground was the Referee.

The boss’ verdict at the end of today’s draw was typically succinct and honest:

“Credit to them. I thought their shape was very good. The structure that they played to frustrated us.”

P.S. Hobyah HQ issued this Press Release earlier in the week:

“Inspired by Duncan Ferguson and his commitment to become Vegan as a result of taking the helm at Forest Green Rovers, we have decided to follow his example and do the same thing. Grown humans thus have no fear anymore of being eaten alive by us. Small children – from this day forth – will no longer be made into stew. Instead, they will both be subjected to repeated readings from the shortest book ever written: `The Collected Wisdom of Liz Truss’. That, we have decided, is punishment enough for anybody.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (21 Ryan Cooney 20’; 25 Adam Mayor 45’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 9 Cole Stockton; 10 Ash Hunter (22 Josh Austerfield); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (11 Michael Mellon 73’); 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney; 14 Arthur Gnahoua.

Forest Green Rovers: 31 Ross Doohan; 2 Corey O’Keeffe (17 Kyle McCallister 58’); 3 Dominic Bernard; 4 Dylan McGeouch (C); 5 Oliver Casey; 11 Jordon Garrick (30 Tyrese Omotoye (Y) 67’); 12 Jamie Robson; 21 Amadou Bakayoko (39 Jahmari Clarke 67’); 23 Brandon Cooper; 25 Myles Peart-Harris; 33 Tyler Onyango (7 Ben Stevenson 20’).

Subs not used: 24 Lewis Thomas; 6 Baily Cargill; 14 Charlie McCann.

Ref: Martin Coy.

Att: 4,563  (211 Forest Green fans).

LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, 14th FEBRUARY 2023.

No Third Time Lucky at Sheffield Wednesday for Morecambe.

Yes – once again, it’s Sheffield Wednesday on a Tuesday night. Morecambe travelled across the Pennines today to face a team which found itself second in the League One table prior to this evening’s kick-off. With a game in hand over Plymouth – who are two points ahead of them having played a game more – Wednesday would be looking to both continue their excellent form in league games recently as well as to improve yet further on their 100% record over the Shrimps this term. In September, the South Yorkshire side won far too easily at the Mazuma Stadium by three goals to nil. They followed this by knocking the Shrimps out of the FA Cup by two goals to nil last November. So that’s four wins out of five altogether and a single loss in historical ties between the two clubs. 

The Owls went into tonight’s match on the back of four wins and a single draw in their last five league games. They were actually unbeaten in seventeen league games prior to tonight’s clash, which is pretty impressive in itself. Their latest match – against Ipswich in Suffolk on Saturday – ended in a 2-2 draw after Wednesday had led 0-2 at half time. The result saw Sheffield slip from the very peak of the table to second place. Morecambe, on the other hand, arrived at Hillsborough tonight in the highest of the relegation positions in League One: twenty-first. They have won two and lost two of their last five league games and on Saturday were a bit fortunate to claw-back a point against bottom of the table Forest Green Rovers. 

With both Shrimps’ Right Backs – Skipper Donald Love and Ryan Cooney – injured last Saturday, Derek Adams was forced to ask Dynel Simeau to step into the breach again as he did throughout the second half against FGR.

King Derek said of the forthcoming challenge:

“As a team, we’ve got to go there and try and cause an upset. We go to Ipswich; we go to Derby and we go to Sheffield Wednesday – three teams who have got the biggest budgets in the league. Three teams that have not only got Championship football behind them but have got Premier League football behind them as well. That’s a challenge in itself. We go to Sheffield Wednesday – a club that have done exceptionally well again this season. We go there and try to take a draw or a win from the game. When you play against a team like Sheffield Wednesday, the abundance of talent they have throughout the team is never easy. Player for player, it doesn’t equate because the Balance Sheet will tell you that. What we try and do is look at their strengths; try and deal with the strengths that they have and then, every team in this league has a weakness and can we get the better of their weakness and do better than them on the night with the strengths that they have?” 

Opposite Number Darren Moore said that he had been thinking about tonight’s match from as long ago as Saturday evening:

“We keep marching on and I’ve said that to the boys. In the Changing Rooms at Ipswich, I told them we turn this page now and get ready for Tuesday. We have two home games coming up but I am looking no further than Tuesday night. I got back on the bus at Ipswich, lap-top straight open and started looking at Morecambe for Tuesday night. We’ll assess the group when they come in on Monday, hopefully all of them unscathed from the weekend and ready to go again.”

Wednesday went again on a poor surface under dry skies and scored almost immediately. The ball was played down the Owls’ right flank; two passes saw it played into the away penalty area; the low cross missed the first attacking player only for an unmarked Barry Bannon to sweep it home for a far too easy goal. As the half wore on, it was clear that Darren Moore had identified weaknesses on the Morecambe left as most of the Wednesday traffic was directed that way.  We might have expected the home threat to be concentrated on inexperienced Dynel Simeu on the other wing but that rarely happened. Just four minutes were on the clock when the hosts were marauding down the right again – this time, another dangerous cross into the area was well-blocked by Simeu. But the emergency Right Back was caught out on the half way line after just eight minutes when he pulled back Marvin Johnson by the shirt when the Wednesday forward had got on the wrong side of him and was rightly booked. It’s a hell of a long time to play with a Yellow Card already on the slate.

The Owls were asking most of the questions and Connor Ripley made a good save after nineteen minutes from Josh Windass’ powerful strike from about thirty yards out. This happened after Maestro Bannon had cleverly slipped the ball to him from midfield following a misunderstanding between Jason Weir and Daniel Crowley in the middle of the park. 

A minute later, Cole Stockton attempted to fashion a lob from virtually the half way line in the way he did successfully against Wimbledon and – even more memorably – against Fleetwood last season. To no avail this time, sadly.

In the twenty-first minute, though, the men in the blue and white stripes went further ahead. Bannon played another killer pass which dissected the away defence and reached Johnson to the left of centre from his point of view. He played another tremendous pass right into the danger area and it seemed that Windass had the final touch as two Sheffield forwards competed for the ball just to the right of Connor and far too close for comfort. 

Morecambe fashioned a proper chance straight from kick-off as the ball was worked up the left flank to Michael Mellon, whose shot was blocked by home custodian Cameron Dawson’s legs. But this was the nearest the visitors got to scoring all evening. After 35 minutes, Liam Shaw went on a tremendous run from his own half into the heart of the Wednesday defence only to be thwarted by a cynical foul by Bannon, for which Sheffield’s playmaker this evening received the inevitable yellow card. 

So the home team retreated to the Dressing Rooms at half time comfortably on the way to an eighteenth unbeaten game in League One in a row. The second half was a mostly  muted affair as the home side understandably took their feet off the gas and Morecambe had a lot more of the play. To look on the bright side, you could see a skeleton of a typical Derek Adams team emerging as this happened. The outstanding Farrend Rawson and impressive Ryan Delaney and Jacob Bedeau looked pretty solid at the back; blocking efforts when they had to and using the ball positively more often than not. Simeu did well in an unfamiliar position. In the middle, little Daniel Crowley tried his best as tonight’s playmaker for the Shrimps and the difference between him this evening and Ash Hunter last Saturday was that he kept the ball well against superior opponents and I don’t think he gave it away even once. The home crowd had fallen silent as the game became far less of a contest before the 86^th minute. Then, Wednesday awoke from their slumbers as substitute Fisayo Dele-Bashiru received the ball in the centre of the field, accelerated down the Sheffield left and passed Simeu as if he wasn’t there and laid the ball on a plate for Windass to score his second of the evening with an assured header.

So that was that. It was hardly a surprise that Wednesday added to their record against Morecambe a third clean sheet this season and three further goals in the plus column. With Plymouth winning 1-3 at Oxford tonight, The Owls remained second in League One.

However, the Shrimps weren’t totally outclassed tonight. Elsewhere, results also largely went in their favour. Recently improved Burton lost 1-0 at Portsmouth. Forest Green lost at home by the same score to Charlton. MK Nobodies were hammered 5-0 at Bolton. Cambridge lost at home to Cheltenham 1-2. Accrington also lost at home – 0-2 to Wycombe. Further up the table, Bristol Rovers stopped their recent slide with a 0-0 home draw against Ipswich but this club remain my own Dark Horses for relegation with only a single point from their last four matches and a Manager who slags his players off in public.  

The Shrimps thus remained precisely where they were before the game at Hillsborough at the end of it: twenty-first in League One. They still have a (marginally) better goal difference than the five teams around them and a game in hand over the frauds from Milton Keynes, who remain just one point above them.

As always, King Derek accentuated the positives after another defeat against League One’s Big Boys:

“It was always going to be a difficult night. But to lose a goal so quickly made it even more difficult. We limited Sheffield Wednesday to very few opportunities on target.  I know that we haven’t done much going the other way. We played with two strikers tonight but it didn’t really work for us. To be fair to the players, they stuck in there and showed very good character. I would say that we had some good moments in the game. I thought there were some decent bits of play. And there was a resilience there as well.”

Sheffield Wednesday:  25 Cameron Dawson; 2 Liam Palmer; 4 Will Vaulks; 8 Dennis Adeniran; 10 Barry Bannan (C) (Y) (19 Tyreeq Bakinson 76’); 11 Josh Windass; 14 George Byers (17 Fisayo Dele-Bashiru 45’); 15 Akin Famewo; 18 Marvin Johnson; 24 Michael Smith (22 Rio Shipston 91’); 44 Aden Flint.

Subs not used: 31 David Stockdale; 3 Jaden Brown; 33 Reece James; 37 Adam Alimi-Adetoro.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson (Y); 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (21 Ryan Cooney 76’); 8 Daniel Crowley (7 Jake Taylor 77’); 9 Cole Stockton (10 Ash Hunter 87’); 11 Michael Mellon (25 Adam Mayor 45’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (22 Josh Austerfield 76’); 29 Dynel Simeu (Y).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua.

Ref: Robert Lewis.

Att: 21,330 (about 200 from Morecambe.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY 18th FEBRUARY 2023.

Bish, Bash Posh – Again.

A second football manager in a row called Ferguson brought his team to the Mazuma Stadium for a League One encounter today. Last time, Big Dunc brought his bottom-of-the-table Forest Green team to frustrate Morecambe for ninety minutes and leave with a well-earned point. Today, Fergie Junior in the shape of Darren Ferguson arrived in search of a first win in three games. Darren has been Manager of Posh more times than even he can probably remember. He took up the mantle for a fourth time after Grant McCann was sacked by the club last month in a situation where United were ninth in League One (the same position they occupied before today’s match) but had only won one league game in their previous seven. Since then, Mr Ferguson oversaw three wins in his first three matches. But the wheels well and truly fell off as Bolton visited Cambridgeshire a week ago: the appalling Ian Evatt’s men won by five goals to nil. Last Tuesday, Posh lost again by the only goal of the game just down the road at Fleetwood. So the new Manager would be looking for a change in fortunes today. History would be no guide as to what was likely to happen this afternoon: in three past encounters with the Shrimps, Peterborough have won one; drawn one and lost one. But their only win was last August at London Road in the reverse fixture, where Grant McCann’s team won easily by three goals to nil.

Prior to kick-off, Duncan Ferguson had the following to say about today’s opponents:

“It’s strange the way their results have gone. Their home form has been really strong, probably one of the strongest in the league. It’s going to be another tough game, we know that. Morecambe’s home form has been very good this season and they have had three or four away games against some of the top sides in this division in recent weeks. We know it will be tough. For us, we were really good on Tuesday night up until the final third. It is about being ruthless in both boxes. We have been working a lot on that this week.” 

Morecambe started the game in twenty-first place in League One. They have lost three of their last five League One matches and won only one. Before the game, King Derek said this about today’s opposition:

“Darren Ferguson has taken over. I went to watch his first game away to Port Vale where they did very well and won. They recruit well; they spend money but they recruit players from lower divisions. They analyse them and then sell them on for a higher margin. But they not only do that, they actually get themselves good players that will take them to the Championship or into the Play-Offs this season: that’s what they’re hoping to do. That’s why Darren’s there.”

It has been wet in north Lancashire for the last few days. Today, the floodlights were on early at the Mazuma Stadium and the match was played under leaden skies as thin rain fell sporadically from the greyness above. Morecambe put in a performance right from the off which perfectly complemented the weather: grim. Derek Adams chose a surprising line-up today. Dynel Simeu lost his place in the first team but Arthur Gnahoua was on right from the start of the game. Why? Having Arthur in the team is the equivalent of playing with only ten men – he was hopeless again today. But he wasn’t alone – far from it…

Posh took control right from kick-off and had forced about five corners (to the Shrimps’ none) before they were awarded a free-kick in the ninth minute which Jonson Clarke-Harris struck into the defensive wall. The visitors then took the lead in the twelfth minute. Josh Taylor picked-up the ball about thirty yards from goal and took a speculative shot which struck the unfortunate Farrend Rawson’s head and was deflected past a flat-footed Connor Ripley in the home goal. Ten minutes later, Referee Darren Handley awarded a harsh free-kick on the left hand edge of the Morecambe penalty area from United’s point of view. Joe Ward took it and struck a weakish shot straight at the home goalkeeper. But – somehow or other – Connor allowed the ball to go right through him and Posh were two goals to the good. With just twenty-eight minutes on the clock, United were three-up. This time, Kwame Poku tried his luck with a shot which was also deflected – this time by Jacob Bedeau past a wrong-footed goalkeeper.

Deflections and deflations so far – with less than half an hour played, Peterborough were already three goals up in front of a crowd which was as silent as the grave.

The mood never lifted. There’s not a lot to add to what happened during the last hour of the game. Posh took their collective foot off the gas with a job already clearly Well Done. Rawson headed against Will Norris’ right hand post almost at ground level with the away goalkeeper a bystander just before the end of the first half. Straight after this, Norris did well to push a fierce strike from Liam Shaw over the bar for a corner. And that was as near as Morecambe came to scoring all afternoon.

During the second half, Ripley redeemed himself to some extent with tremendous saves from Taylor after 63 minutes and Nathanael Ogbeta with only five minutes still scheduled to play. At the other end, Shaw headed Adam Mayor’s corner over the bar when it seemed easier to score after almost an hour. Then an unmarked Rawson wasted a similarly good chance when he also contrived to miss the target from close-in with a header after 65 minutes had been played. And that was your lot: the visiting goalkeeper didn’t actually have even one effort on goal to deal with throughout the second period.

Morecambe were hopeless today and United went home with a double over them without really ever having to get out of first gear. Despite the three points, Posh remained ninth in League One at the end of proceedings this afternoon. For Morecambe, things went from bad to worse off the field.  Cambridge United beat Oxford United 1-0 at the Abbey Stadium; Burton won 1-2 at rapidly faltering Bristol Rovers and Accrington Stan beat Shrewsbury 1-0. So Morecambe slumped to next to bottom of the table as a result. If they continue to play like they did today, they will stay there. The only good news from elsewhere was that the Plastic People from Milton Keynes were soundly beaten 5-2 by Sheffield Wednesday; FGR were annihilated at Ipswich, 4-0 and Cheltenham lost by the same score at home against Barnsley.

As always, Derek Adams accentuated what few positives there were in his appraisal of today’s lacklustre performance after the game:

“They’ve had a bit of a break of the ball three times today and they’ve got three goals. And we haven’t had a break this afternoon.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 9 Cole Stockton; 14 Arthur Gnahoua (11 Michael Mellon 71’); 15 Jensen Weir (7 Jake Taylor; 72’) 16 Jacob Bedeau (Y); 20 Liam Shaw (22 Josh Austerfield 72’); 21 Ryan Cooney; 25 Adam Mayor.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 2 Donald Love; 6 Ryan Delaney; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Peterborough United: 1 Will Norris; 4 Ronnie Edwards; 5 Josh Knight; 8 Jack Taylor; 9 Jonson Clarke-Harris (C); 10 Ephron Mason-Clark; 11 Kwame Poku (24 Ben Thompson 61’); 15 Nathanael Ogbeta; 16 Harrison Burrows (3 Dan Butler 75’); 22 Hector Kyprianou (Y) (7 Jeando Fuchs; 45’); 23 Joe Ward.

Subs not used: 6 Frankie Kent; 26 Joel Randall; 28 Will Blackmore; 39 Kabongo Tshimanga.

Ref: Darren Handley.

Att: 4,172 (458 from Peterborough).

LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, 21st FEBRUARY 3023.

Port Vale Spanwanned at Morecambe.

Port Vale arrived at the Mazuma Stadium this evening to complete the second ever fixture played between themselves and the Shrimps in League One. This match should have been played on Saturday, January 21^st 2023 but was postponed due to a frozen pitch at the Maz. This is what I had written prior to postponement of that game:

During previous incarnations, the two clubs have met each other twenty-one times before in various competitions. The Shrimps have won seven of these and lost ten, most recently in a truly shambolic performance in Burslem last Boxing Day. Morecambe’s Manager was singled-out for abuse by some people amongst us in the away crowd on that occasion and even more of us roundly booed the team at the end of a one-nil defeat against what was clearly a very poor side.

I understand why people shout abuse and jeer but I equally don’t see what good it does in terms of motivating anybody. However, I shared my fellow fans dismay and came away from the Potteries thinking that relegation was a far more likely outcome to this season than a continuation of life in the rarefied atmosphere of League One.

Which probably shows why I am a humble amateur hack and people like Derek Adams are in charge of our team. Since then, his men have been motivated to achieve three wins on the spin during which they have scored nine goals and conceded just one. At the end of the match on Boxing Day, Morecambe were rock bottom of League One. Today, they have the best record of any EFL club during 2023 and find themselves out of the relegation zone altogether. What a transformation…

The Port would have arrived in January sitting pretty in eleventh position in the table. They had won two of their last five league games then (including the one against Morecambe) but lost three, most recently 0-2 at home to Peterborough on the Monday night preceding the original fixture. Then, the Valiants were nine points ahead of today’s opponents in the league standings but had lost only one game less (ten) than had the Shrimps so far this term. Tonight, the visitors found themselves in twelfth position, having lost three of their last five League One games and wining only once – last Saturday at home against Exeter by the only goal of the game.

Morecambe had an identical record to Vale before kick-off: three losses and just one win in their last five. The tremendous form of last month is becoming a distant memory as even their superior goal difference has been seriously eroded by shipping nine goals and only scoring once in their last three matches. Tonight, they started the game just one place above Forest Green Rovers, who prop-up the entire rest of the division.

As far as January’s game was concerned, King Derek said on the eve of the postponed fixture:

“We are hopeful that we can get another three points. I went to watch Port Vale against Peterborough on Monday night and (it was) a very competitive game. Peterborough edged them out with a bit of quality in the final third but Port Vale have done well this season. Financially, they are well-equipped. They’ve got – I think – it’s like twenty-five to thirty thousand a week extra to spend (more) than we have. It’s a lot of money in anybody’s terms. They have done well since getting promoted. But we’ve been very competitive as well and we have won the last three games and we’ve got the confidence of that.”

Last Saturday, Peterborough rather more than edged the Shrimps out of the contest when they found themselves 0-3 up within half an hour at the Maz and were able to coast through the rest of the fixture. Before tonight’s match, King Derek added:

“We’ve got to be on the front foot. We’ve got to get at them and create openings which we can do: we’ve shown that at home. The players have got good belief because we’ve been on a run which has enabled us to get more points on the table.”

A month ago, it was suggested to Opposition Manager Darrell Clarke in a filmed interview by a reporter with a very strong Potteries accent that the game against Morecambe could be regarded as a `Gimme’ (as in rhyming with ‘Jimmy’.)

What does that mean? (And if you get spanwanned at this time of year – do you end up being neshed?)

(Dr Google doesn’t tell me what `gimme’ means but he does explain that in local Potteries parlance, spanwanned is being stuck half-way over a wall and nesh is becoming cold.)

Having been assured by his interviewer that the Morecambe game was definitely not a gimme, Mr Clarke summed-up the tasks facing himself and his team thus:

“It’s not long ago since we played them (and won) one-nil. It was a very, very tight game and then they go and win the next three games. Everyone is wondering why we are not beating Morecambe three; four nil and then they go and win the next three football matches after that. So that just shows you what the game of football is and how momentum can swing. By all accounts (they’ve) nowhere near the biggest budget in the league. They’re always fighting to stay in the league. Derek’s a talented manager who is doing his best and got some good results. It’s going to be a tough ask – it always is, Morecambe away. But we’re looking forward to it.”

It was dry and not too cold as the game kicked-off under the lights near the sea in north Lancashire tonight. The first half was a pretty forgettable affair. For Morecambe, Michael Mellon ballooned the ball out of the ground after eleven minutes with a wild attempt on goal. Then Official and deserved Man of the Match Adam Mayor walloped the ball over the bar with twenty-five minutes played. Cole Stockton then had to leave the field after just over half an hour with what looked like it could be hamstring trouble. Arthur Gnahoua came on to replace him. Right at the end of the half, the Shrimps came closest to opening the scoring when Mayor’s powerful shot went just too high to hit the target.

Vale’s Tom Conlon also headed the ball just too high over the target after twenty-seven minutes although it seemed more likely that the home custodian actually pushed it over his bar. Port had a lot of the play and sent the ball into dangerous areas a couple of times but there was never anybody there in a black and white strip to connect with it.

And that was about it.

The second half was a much better spectacle to watch. Morecambe went onto the front foot for a while. The hosts fashioned a cast iron chance to open the scoring after four minutes of the restart when excellent work by Skipper Donald Love on the right found an unmarked Michael Mellon plumb in the middle of the penalty area and very close to the target. It just needed a touch for an almost certain goal but the young Tranmere loanee totally fluffed his lines and the opportunity was lost. The key moment of the contest arrived after 52 minutes, though. Mayor picked-up the ball, made good progress up the Morecambe left flank and let fly just outside the penalty area with a tremendous shot which beat away custodian Aidan Stone all ends up to put the Shrimps into the lead.

A couple of minutes later, home fans’ hearts were in their mouths as a Conlon shot only just missed the target. The visitors came even closer after almost seventy minutes. A free-kick taken by Matty Taylor fell to Tom Pett, whose tremendous instant shot hit the Morecambe bar and bounced back into the grateful hands of Connor Ripley in the home goal.

This was a let-off and Vale could have equalised with 76 minutes on the clock but for a really good save by Connor from Taylor after substitute Daniel Butterworth had set him up.

Ten minutes later, I – at least – feared that the Valiants had equalised. The ball ended-up in the Morecambe net but Taylor was flagged off-side and we all breathed again as ninety became ninety-four minutes before the final whistle was eventually blown.

The Shrimps rode their luck and got over the line tonight in a key victory which saw them move out of the relegation zone altogether into nineteenth place in League One. This situation was helped by the fact that – in the only other match played in the Division tonight, Cambridge United lost by the only goal of the contest just down the Irish Sea coast at Fleetwood. Fleetwood away is the Shrimps’ next game on Saturday.

Vale remained in twelfth place despite the loss.

Derek Adams was understandably very happy after the game. He said:

“It was a good advert for League One football. We eventually were able to get the breakthrough with Adam Mayor. It was a fantastic strike – he’s capable of it: for an eighteen-year-old he’s strong; he’s competitive. I was just delighted for the players tonight because they deserved that – they have come through a difficult time at stages and not got the break. Tonight, we just went at it and got the win.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (7 Jake Taylor 70’); 9 Cole Stockton (14 Arthur Gnahoua 34’); 11 Michael Mellon; 15 Jensen Weir (29 Dynel Simeu 78’); 16 Jacob Bedeau (Y); 20 Liam Shaw; 25 Adam Mayor.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 10 Ash Hunter; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield.

Port Vale:  1 Aidan Stone (C); 5 Aaron Donnelly; 6 Nathan Smith; 7 David Worrall; 8 Ben Garrity; 10 Tom Conlon (26 Daniel Butterworth 62’); 15 William Forrester; 19 Gavin Massey (22 Ellis Harrison 62’); 20 Matty Taylor; 23 Tom Pett; 27 Sam Robinson (Y).

Subs not used: 25 Jack Stevens; 11 Malvind Benning; 13 Jamie Proctor; 17 Rory Holden; 25 Jack Stevens.

Ref: Ross Joyce.

Att: 4, 360 (857 from the Potteries.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 25th FEBRUARY 2023.

Cods Bite – Shrimps don’t…

Morecambe have played various incarnations of Fleetwood Town millions – nay, billions – of times over the years in leagues such as the Lancashire Combination and the Northern Premier for instance. Since they have both become EFL clubs, though, they have met fourteen times in Football League and Johnstones Paint Trophy competitions. The Shrimps have won just three of these; the Cod Army four. In their three previous meetings in League One, Fleetwood came from behind to draw 1-1 at the Mazuma Stadium last August after a goal-less draw at the same venue last season. Then they lost 1-2 at Highbury to a wonder goal by Cole Stockton right at the end of the reverse fixture last November.

Morecambe travelled the short distance southwards along the Irish Sea coast today to renew an acquaintance with a team which won 1-0 at home against Cambridge United last Tuesday night. This win put them into lucky thirteenth position in the table. In their last five League One matches, Scott Brown’s team has lost only once but have won three and drawn one of their last four fixtures. Derek Adams’ men, on the other hand, have an exactly opposite record: only winning one of their last five league games and losing three of them. Their victory over Port Vale at home last Tuesday propelled them out of the relegation zone but their parlous position out of the mire could change with another loss – and potentially even a draw – this afternoon.

After the win against Port Vale at the Maz last Tuesday, Derek Adams had this to say about Fleetwood:

“We know what they’re about. We’ll have to rest and get ready for the game because it will be high tempo.  I watched them against Sheffield Wednesday and they should have been four-nil up that night early in the game. They are very energetic and have done well this season.”

Since then, he has added:

“It will create a very good atmosphere. It’s a tight ground like our own and the atmosphere -when it’s packed – is very good. We’ve got a huge support with us – we’ve sold out our allocation. We look forward to the game. The supporters were very vocal the other night and that really does help the players.  It’s going to be a frantic game because we understand the way that Fleetwood start their games: it’s a hundred mile an hour. So we will have to be ready for that.”

Opposite Number and former Celtic Skipper Scott Brown had this to say about a man who once wore the red of Aberdeen as an opponent on the pitch not so very long ago:

“Derek has done a very good job at Morecambe and has made them very hard to beat. They’ve jumped into a couple of different formations recently, so we just need to wait to see how they play. In the last few games, they’ve had more possession of the ball and have some very good lads in the middle of the park who can get on the ball and play. Everybody knows how good of a player is Cole Stockton. He came off the other day so we aren’t sure if he’s going to be available, but we will wait and see how they shape up and go from there. Derek is a great person and spoke really well after the game when I went to speak to him last time we met, and that’s what us Scottish lads do. It’s like the Goalkeepers’ Union, we just stick together.”

As far as the match itself is concerned, he added:

“It will be a good derby. Everybody in the town and the players are looking forward to it because we all know how important the game is. For us, we need to make sure we are organised, we are setup and rested. It will be a chilled day and we need to make sure we are on our A game.”

With Cole Stockton unavailable because of an injury which saw him leave the field early last Tuesday, Arthur Gnahoua was again named in the starting line-up for the Shrimps this afternoon. Leading the line for the Shrimps, though, was young Burnley loanee Michael Mellon. In doing so, he would have been back on familiar territory –  his father Mickey managed Fleetwood not all that long ago.

So far as the opponents were concerned, all away fans would be hoping that former hero Carlos Mendes-Gomes would have a quiet game today.

The day had been quite cold with grey skies above prior to kick-off and this hadn’t changed by the time three o’clock arrived.

Morecambe opened brightly enough and had the first attempt on goal – Jensen Weir’s shot from a long way out went over the bar after five minutes. With Arthur Gnahoua getting the better of Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu early doors, Derek Adams made his feelings known to the Cod Army man after he had craftily shoved Arthur into the advertising hoardings after eight minutes but wasn’t penalised for doing so.

With their first decent move of the game, however, the hosts scored. Carlos Mendes-Gomes came back to haunt his former employers when he tapped home a cross from Shaun Rooney out on the right wing to put Fleetwood ahead far too easily from close range.

In response, Uncle Arthur then passed the ball to Daniel Crowley on the left after 21 minutes. Morecambe’s diminutive midfielder took the ball down the wing before floating over a lovely cross which Michael Mellon headed against the crossbar with home keeper Jay Lynch beaten.

The visitors continued to press and won a couple of corners by the twenty-fifth minute.

Carlos had missed for the hosts with a wayward shot after 22 minutes and visiting Skipper Donald Love also missed from the Morecambe right seven minutes later with another shot which had come a bit closer.

With the Shrimps continuing to ask most of the questions, Fleetwood may have felt aggrieved with forty minutes on the clock when Rooney took a shot which may have hit Farrend Rawson’s arm on the away goal-line to keep it out. Referee Andy Davies wasn’t impressed though so the score stayed just as it had been.

So Morecambe went back to the Dressing Rooms in arrears. They had played quite well, though and must have had high hopes for the second period. With results elsewhere going their way, they were still out of the relegation zone too – albeit by a goal-difference of just one.

Fleetwood had the first chance of the second half with five minutes played. Connor Ripley made a good low save at the cost of a corner after Carlos’ substitute Scott Robertson fed Rooney for a decent shot as the home team played on the counter-attack. Morecambe won another corner as Arthur combined brilliantly with Crowley and then Adam Mayor who cut the ball back to Weir after 57 minutes. His shot was brilliantly deflected away from goal by a tremendous block by Harrison Holgate.

At the other end, Harvey Macadam left Jacob Bedeau for dead and ran quite some distance before attempting – and failing – to lob the away goalkeeper just two minutes later. Ash Hunter replaced Mellon after almost an hour to face his former club as Arthur was pushed into the centre forward position to take Michael’s place. Ash forced a save from Lynch almost immediately as the home goalkeeper managed to dive low to his right to hold onto his shot from some distance. King Derek shook things up a little bit more by bringing Jake Taylor on for the last quarter of an hour but the changes didn’t reverse the visitors’ main problem this afternoon – actually finishing the decent approach play they constructed at times as well as the chances they were occasionally creating.

Macadam walloped a poor shot wide for the hosts after 59 minutes. Then Jayden Stockley missed shortly afterwards from close–in but was flagged for off-side anyway. Down the other end, Mayor’s cross seemed to be blocked by Rooney’s arm in the final few minutes as he turned his back but the Ref again wasn’t impressed. As the hosts were guilty of committing a few poor tackles in the dying embers of the game, Morecambe won a couple of free-kicks and two corners as well. But none of these resulted in home custodian Lynch being forced into action and the truth is that the game petered-out into another very disappointing loss.  

The hosts could have rubbed salt into the wounds when Rooney was denied by poor decision-making and another good save by Ripley in the last minute of injury time but the Cods did just enough to win it this afternoon.

So Fleetwood completed a run of six games unbeaten. The win pushed them up to eleventh place in League One. Despite losing yet another three points away from home, Morecambe were still just out of the relegation positions at the end of the match. This is because elsewhere, Burton and Accrington couldn’t manage a goal between them at the Pirelli. FGR drew at home 1-1 against Lincoln City but remained marooned at the bottom of the division, nine points adrift Morecambe with one more game played. Cambridge lost 2-0 at Exeter and the MK frauds lost at home again, this time 0-1 to Ipswich.

If only the season ended tonight…

Characteristically though, Derek Adams looked for the positives he could identify in today’s display. He said:

“We lost a goal though our own fault – we make probably three mistakes in it which could have been dealt with a lot better. That was their first attack in the game. We had dominated the game from there but it’s about taking chances and that’s what they’ve done better today.  I would have thought that we deserved a draw in the game – we had really good moments in the match.”

Fleetwood Town: 13 Jay Lynch; 4 Brendan Sarpong-Wiredu (3 Danny Andrew (Y) 45’); 7 Carlos Mendes-Gomes (10 Scott Robertson 45’); 8 Josh Vela (C); 9 Jayden Stockley (14 Jack Marriot 85’); 16 Lewis Warrington;18 Harrison Holgate; 22 Aristote Nsiala; 23 Phoenix Patterson (21 Cian Hayes (Y) 68’); 26 Shaun Rooney; 27 Harvey Macadam.

Subs not used:  50 Stephen McMullan; 17 Callum Dolan; 32 Joshua Earl.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (Y); 4 Liam Gibson (3 Max Melbourne (Y) 59’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 11 Michael Mellon (10 Ash Hunter 59’); 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 15 Jensen Weir (Y) (29 Dynel Simeu 85’); 16 Jacob Bedeau (7 Jake Taylor 74’); 20 Liam Shaw (Y); 25 Adam Mayor.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield.

Ref: Andy Davies.

Att: 4,550 (1100 from Morecambe.)

A TRIP TO FORTRESS FLEETWOOD

Fleetwood versus Morecambe is a local League One derby – the towns, on the edge of the Irish Sea, are close enough for many stalwarts, such as the good people pictured here to have walked the 20.4 miles between our ground and theirs earlier in the day when they met on Saturday, 25^th February 2023.

God bless them. (You can donate at https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/veterans-walk-for-wellbeing )

I’ve personally visited Highbury – the destination these selfless people were headed for – a number of times before. Back in the day, my home town team played the Cod Army here in all its incarnations (Fleetwood have continued to play at Highbury even after going bust financially on at least one occasion in the past) probably more times than we can all collectively remember.

The ground in itself reflects the fortunes of the town over the years. On the positive side, the magnificent Main Parkside Stand has few equals in the entire EFL.

But across from it is the sort of typical 1960s Bungalow you might expect to see in suburbia all over the country at the time it was built.

What’s that all about?

Hidden a long way behind it is one of the wooden Grandstands which was built eons ago when Greyhound and – latterly – Speedway racing was pursued at this venue.

Greyhound and Speedway racing – from Walthamstow to Belle Vue in Manchester  and Ashfield Park in Glasgow – are marks of a truly Working Class community.

But Fleetwood was never supposed to be a place inhabited by common fishermen; labourers or other practitioners of the blue collar trades when it was first founded.

The town was first conceived of by – according to the fount of all knowledge Thickypedia – Peter Hesketh.

Who?

This gentleman – who I suspect was not Working Class (but I could be mistaken) `was born in 1801 at Wennington Hall in Wennington, near Lancaster.’ He had a Knighthood under his belt to add to the Baronet’s title he was born with. Oh – and he was also a Member of Parliament at a time when only property-owning men could actually vote. Tough gig for the lad, eh?…

But – tired of yelling abuse at the Dolly Blues at Giant Axe as a Lancaster City Town supporter, he finally decided to have a completely new coastal resort built in order to spawn a football club he could actually have faith in.

And let’s face it folks – who amongst us hasn’t? Be honest now…

So Baronet/High Sherriff (take your pick) Sir Peter Hesketh employed  another absolutely ordinary chap with the even more unremarkable name – the architect Decimus Burton FRS FRSA FSA FRIBA – to build this.

(I don’t know what the long list of letters after his name actually mean but I must quash recent social media rumours that the first one means `Fleetwood Really Sucks’.)

It most definitely doesn’t.

Fleetwood is a place I have cycled to; driven to; crossed the River Wyre on the ferry from Knott End to more times than I would like to recall. Freeport there has supplied almost all of the shoes I have worn for the last decade or so. My daughter and I once sailed across a very stormy Irish Sea on an Isle of Man Packet ship from there to Dublin – and back again. Partner Annie and I once marvelled at the treasure swept ashore when the regular Fleetwood to Northern Ireland ferry Riverdance ran aground just offshore in 2008.

SEA-SALTED BISCUIT, ANYONE?

Last year, on a scorchingly hot summer day, we had lunch at a pub by the river. And were served by celebrities – Sid Little and his very charming Missis. Does this happen all the time in Fleetwood?

I love the place. It is a poor town these days. Fisherman’s Friends (which are manufactured here) have not entirely usurped the real fishermen who once populated the place. These men risked life, limb and livelihood by going out into the unforgiving North Atlantic Ocean to catch fish against all odds; all weathers and with the constant fear of their trawlers being so top-heavy with the ice that constantly formed on all superstructure that only the weight of fish in the hold stopped them capsizing.

Fleetwood is a place – in my experience at least – full of exactly the same sort of genuine, decent Northern people who also support Morecambe FC as well. When I once drove a big yellow truck for what was known as The Fourth Emergency Services at the time, I was given a significant discount without asking for it in a chip shop in Fleetwood just because I was an AA man. This says a lot about Fleetwood – it never happened anywhere else throughout my career.

Last season, my partner Annie and I made our way to Highbury to watch Stephen Robinson’s Morecambe side take the lead. Even when they conceded an equaliser, the fantastic Captain Pugwash theme they loudly broadcast as a man with a Cod’s head did a little dance on a giant screen was worth the entrance fee on its own.  On the day, something even more amazing usurped it.  Our own Goal Machine of the time – Cole Stockton – scored perhaps the most spectacular goal I have ever witnessed in real life. He won a long clearance in his own half from a Fleetwood defender and then lobbed the ball over half the length of the field to beat a despairing home goalkeeper in the shape of Alex Cairns all ends up to win the Shrimps the match.

For me at least, it was the highlight of the entire season.

But Anne wasn’t sure if she wanted to repeat this never-to-be-forgotten moment. She prefers rugby to soccer and told me ages ago that she would not come with me to Fleetwood because her beloved Wales faced England in the Six Nations on the same day. Fair enough. But then, there was a possibility that the game would not go ahead because Welsh players were threatening to go on strike. (Given what happened, she tells me that she wished they had…) So I waited until the Union in Cardiff finally settled with its own men – and the game got the Green Light to go ahead. By this time, however, all the approximately 1100 tickets provided by Fleetwood for away supporters had been sold. I rang the club shop to be told by a delightful lady that she would put my name down on a list if any ticket returns were made. “Don’t hold your breath” she told me. “We haven’t got any so far – and we don’t expect to receive any.”

So what should I do?

I breathed deeply and decided to turn-up on the day; buy a ticket at the ground – and go in with the home supporters. All I needed to do was remove any form of identification from my clothing; take my Morecambe Season Ticket and Shrimps Trust card – prominent in my wallet – out of it in case anybody saw them as I looked for my debit card or cash – and remember to basically keep quiet as I sat or stood among the opposition ranks.

So I checked the Cod Army website to make sure that tickets were still available. Which is when I saw this – capital letters and red writing included:

*PLEASE NOTE THESE TICKETS ARE FOR HOME SUPPORTERS ONLY. ALL ORDERS WILL BE MATCHED WITH MORECAMBES FCs DATABASE AND ANY AWAY FANS WILL HAVE THEIR TICKETS CANCELLED AND NO REFUND WILL BE ISSUED***

To purchase tickets in person or over the phone you will require to have previous purchase history and also proof of a local postcode. 

If you have any issues or queries please contact the club shop on 01253 775080.”

My name is on the Morecambe FC Database. I don’t have proof of a local Fylde Coast postcode or any previous purchase history of buying tickets from Fleetwood FC either.

So what could I do?

I know – I could send them an email portraying myself as a neutral supporter just wanting to watch a game of League One football. Yes – that should do it!

What could possibly go wrong?

This is what I intended to send them; sufficiently nerdy not to ring any alarm bells although I’m still not sure I should have mentioned `Eric’:

Good morning.

I’m visiting my son Eric (who I can assure you was not named after anyone associated with Morecambe or its football club )- who lives and teaches in Blackpool – this weekend from Penrith in Cumbria. Eric is a Carlisle United supporter but I don’t really support anybody – where I grew-up (in North Yorkshire), I played Rugby when I was younger and there were no local soccer teams to get attached to. I’ve always liked football though and – over the years – I have tried to see as many teams as is possible at their home grounds. League or non-league: I’m not fussy. Eric and I went to Bloomfield Road last year after he first took up the teaching job at Blackpool but we have never been to Highbury. I’d like to visit on Saturday although he wouldn’t – he tells me that the kids he teaches would never let him forget it if he did. Would it be possible for me to buy a Senior Citizen ticket on the day? I’ve been on your website and it seems that without some sort of proof of local residency or having been to watch Fleetwood previously, I won’t be welcome at your ground as a neutral.

I’ve never come across this before. I can bring one of Eric’s Utility bills with me if this would help.

Thanks in advance.

F. Wood.

I knew – even as I wrote this pack of lies – that my carefully-laid plans would all come unstuck if they replied – as I would have – to say that I would need to pay by Debit Card only on the day.

That way, they would immediately rumble, first of all, that I was not the F Wood I purported to be but was very much someone listed on the Morecambe FC website. End of cunning plan. Plus what is effectively a Big Fine in the shape of the cancelled ticket plus all the diesel I had bought to get myself there in the first place.

So I scrapped the idea and tore the email up. Instead, I rang one of my pals – shall we call him Mr John Smith? I asked him – as someone who has no interest in football whatever and thus no association with Morecambe FC at all – if he would buy me a ticket over the phone. I’d repay him the money next time I saw him. So he did. Well – he tried to. But they told him he must turn-up on the day and produce a Utility Bill with his name on it and proof of residency in the FY postcode area before they would sell him a ticket.

Here’s a little suggestion to whoever has designed this dastardly system:

Have you ever thought of working for our wonderful Home Secretary, Suella Braverman?

With you at the helm, all the problems we have had with small boats in recent times and the human misery they bring with them would be at an end immediately. If getting a ticket for a plane flying to Rwanda was even half as hard as it is to get a ticket for a Fleetwood Town home match, the Asylum/immigration problem that Ms Braverman clearly does not have the intellectual capacity to deal with would be solved overnight!

I begged Mr Smith to lend me his Debit Card for the afternoon. And he did – the fool. And no – I didn’t threaten to tell his Missis the thing I knew about what happened at the Golf Club Xmas Party with the lovely Social Secretary, `Hole in One’ Helen… (Well – I did, actually, but I didn’t really mean it – even when he initially baulked at telling me his four-digit key thing for the card in case a contactless payment didn’t work at the Fleetwood Ticket Office…)

So I spent Friday night doctoring my own genuine United Utilities bill and by Saturday, having printed this masterpiece of forgery off, I was John Smith of Cartmel Avenue, Cleveleys.

Why did I choose that address? I wanted to choose something vaguely clever – such as Adams Avenue – Stockton Street would have done. But neither place exists in the FY postcode. So I chose this address literally at random. And at about ten to three last Saturday afternoon, began to regret it…

I should have remembered Sod’s Law before embarking on this entirely dodgy enterprise. We all know what it is, don’t we?:

If something can go wrong… it inevitably will do.

And it started to once I plucked-up the courage to approach the Home Ticket Office just off Park  Avenue to collect the magic piece of paper which would gain me access to the ground behind it. I explained to the older man in the booth who I was (Mr Smith) and handed over the Utility Bill I told him I had been instructed to bring with me as proof of local residency. I hoped he would just give it a cursory glance. But he didn’t. He looked at it carefully; turned it over; looked at the other side – and then held it up to the light.

“Welcome, neighbour!” he said, handing me the card reader and allowing me to pay my nineteen quid to purchase a seated Senior ticket in Parkside Stand E – a position I hoped would be as close to the Morecambe fans as I could get. But he didn’t hand the ticket over even after it had printed on a machine next to him.

“Neighbour?” I wondered as the ticket printed. Does everyone in Fleetwood call each other `neighbour’; just as men in Sheffield call other blokes `Love’?

No they don’t:

“Well – would you believe it?” he asked. “I live on Cartmel Avenue. Right next door to the Co-Op.”

My heart literally skipped a beat and I had this strange sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach when he said this. But I tried to smile as some sort of acknowledgement that I knew where the Co-Op on Cartmel Avenue is.

“Funny I’ve not seen you here before! Funny I’ve not seen you on the street either – don’t you think?” he continued.

Was this a loaded question – or was I becoming paranoid? “Keep calm!” I told myself. “Don’t just say the first thing that comes into your head.”

“I – I’ve only just moved in!” I lied, saying the second thing that came into my head instead.

“Really?” he said. “How long ago?”

“Er – well; em… I suppose it must be about three months ago.”

“That’s odd, Mr Smith. This Utility Bill is dated last July. That’s – let me see – that must be over six months ago, mustn’t it?”

“Oh bugger!” I thought to myself. “This impersonating somebody else lark is not as simple as I thought!”

There was a queue starting to form behind me by now. Before I could burble some sort of further half-baked response, he indicated to me to stand aside.

“Wait there a moment, please Mr Smith. I’ll just deal with these folks first.”

And he did. But he also mumbled something into the headset he had been wearing throughout our exchange so far. And next thing I knew, a big bloke with tattoos and a huge ginger beard appeared from nowhere. He was wearing a reflective yellow jacket with `SECURITY’ written on the back of it. It wasn’t my heart which was suddenly troubling me now. I suddenly realised that I could really do with a trip to the toilet – quite urgently, in fact.

“Are you Mr Smith?” he asked and when I dumbly nodded that I was, he added: “Would you like to come along with me, Sir?”

It wasn’t a request – it was an order. I meekly obeyed it. He unlocked a door into the back of the stand and motioned me to go through it. Then, without a word, he guided me into a small office and motioned me into a chair. Then he eased his enormous bulk into another chair facing me across a desk and fixed me with what I can only describe as a pretty intimidating expression.

“So you’re Mr John Smith of Cartmel Avenue in Cleveleys are you sir? The one with the Co-Op store on it?”

Fearing a trap, I didn’t answer. I just stared dumbly back at him.

“Funny thing is, Mr Smith – there isn’t a Co-Op on Cartmel Avenue. The nearest one is round the corner on Larkholme Parade. In fact, there aren’t any shops at all on Cartmel Avenue.”

He sat back and allowed this unwelcome information to sink in.

“Can I have a look at your Driving License?” he asked. Well – more of demanded, in all truth…

“I – I don’t have it on me” I said. This was true – I’d removed any incriminating hints towards my real identity before I left home.

“So can I have a look at your wallet, then?” He was still looking at me in a fairly menacing way. But, clearly sensing that I was beginning to feel a little less – shall we say compliant as time moved on, he added, reaching towards a Walkie Talkie whose antenna was sticking out of his yellow jacket, “Or would you like me to get a Policeman to ask you the same question?”

“No!” I said – probably a bit too quickly – and tamely handed my wallet over. He examined its contents carefully, making what appeared to be small-talk as he did so.

“So what do you think the score will be today?” “Who’s your favourite player?” (I had a ready answer for this – Carlos Mendes-Gomes.) “Do you think Cairns has any chance of reclaiming his spot?” (This was a trick question. Even I knew that the Cod Army’s former regular goalkeeper has been loaned to a League Two club.) “It’s a long way to come from Salford, don’t you think?” I replied.

He looked up at me when I said this and continued to stare right into my eyes in a very unnerving sort of way for a while before turning back to my wallet.

“Read a lot, do you?” he asked.

Was this another trap? Without waiting for my answer, he took my Lancashire Library Services membership card out of my wallet. I had left this in because it only had my Membership Number on it – not my name. But there was something else I hadn’t noticed – but he had:

“Long way to travel to Carnforth to borrow a book, isn’t it? Even further than Salford, possibly. But not too far from – to choose a town at random – Morecambe, for instance – don’t you think?…”

If there was any mockery in the way he repeated the words I had used myself only a moment earlier, it didn’t show. He let this remark hang in the air for a moment. Then he shoved the card back into my wallet and tossed this onto the desk in front of me.

“You and me need to have a little talk” he said eventually.

And we did. That is – he did most of the talking. I did almost all of the listening.

Quite some time later, we were outside again and he had escorted me back onto Park Avenue. He pointed away from the football ground.

“Town Centre’s that way!” he said. Then he came much closer to me than he had at any time previously – blimey, he was big! As he towered over me, he hissed:

“If I catch you trying to pull a stunt like this again, I will hand you over to the police. What you have tried to do is technically illegal. Using fraudulent documents and a false identity to do so is actually a criminal offence, Mr so-called bloody Smith. Oh – and if you want to start a new career in forgery – remember to use paper that doesn’t have a Tesco watermark on it next time, you moron! I hope Morecambe get relegated if only because it means that I won’t have to worry about Numpties like you next season! Someone your age should know better! Your ticket’s cancelled. There are no refunds! Now…”

He added a common Anglo-Saxon expletive suggesting both that our interaction was at an end and – giving me a slight shove in the back to emphasise this – that I should make myself scarce. Pronto….

The game had actually started by this time: I could hear both sets of fans chanting and yelling from the stands at Highbury. So, as I hung my head and slunk away towards where I had parked my van, I felt well and truly not just rumbled, but actually humiliated

What hurt most of all as it kept going round and around my head were his words “Someone your age should know better!”

Too true.

And just to rub things in, there was a sudden loud cheer followed by a loud rendition of Captain Pugwash from within the impenetrable walls of Highbury as I walked sadly away from the ground with my tail between my legs.

Carlos – how could you?

And in case any policemen or general busybodies are reading this: I want to make a plea in mitigation. Please don’t prosecute me – I blame it all on one Mr F Wood whose son Eric lives in Blackpool at an address I am well and truly prepared to provide to the Police in order to save my own skin. It’s all his fault, honestly it is…

—————————————————————————————————————————

In truth, I didn’t go to Fleetwood this time. I genuinely couldn’t get a ticket and I also genuinely thought about buying a Home one and trying to keep my mouth shut, surrounded by Cod Army stalwarts. And thought better of it. I’m sure that a scenario such as the one I have just described would have unfolded if I had done. I’ve no doubt that it would have been illegal into the bargain. But the one Law I absolutely respect in all circumstances is the one invented by Professor Sod…

Instead, I listened to Dave Salmon’s excellent commentary on the game via the Morecambe club website; read the Twitter feeds of both clubs and then relied on Radio Lanky-Shite updates on the match – including our very own Derek Quinn’s inputs. Then I wrote my match report. Later, I watched the highlights on the telly to see if what I had come up with even vaguely matched what had actually happened.

You can read it here:

Poor Away Form Continues…

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 4th MARCH 2023.

Cheats DON’T prosper at Morecambe – for once…

Well – where do we start with Bolton Wanderers? I’m tempted to begin what could easily become a rant with the bald statement that I hate them.

But this isn’t true.

To say that their supporters are a throw-back to the violence and tribalism of the 1980s is something I can justify with some evidence. We need to look no further than what happened at the Mazuma Stadium when they last visited. Pitch invasion. Objects thrown from the visiting crowd at Morecambe goalkeeper Adam Smith.  People randomly attacked by Trotter’s yobs on the streets near the ground – including a disabled supporter who was pushed from his Mobility Scooter.

Or we could look closer to home – their home.

https://www.bwfc.co.uk/news/2023/january/club-statement-fan-behaviour/

Which other club in any league in Britain has had to issue a plea to its own supporters to behave themselves? Even Millwall don’t do this, do they? Part of this statement – issued less than five weeks ago – reads:

“Unfortunately, as a consequence of ongoing disorder from a small minority of fans when visiting opposition grounds this season, the club has now been warned and sanctioned by the FA as part of their new measures to tackle anti-social behaviour. This is costing the club both financially and reputationally and is incredibly disappointing when so much is being done by so many to ensure Bolton Wanderers is a stable and sustainable football club, continuing its positive journey forwards.”

The key word in this sentence is `a small minority of fans’.

I’ve met perfectly decent people who support Bolton. They are probably as embarrassed by the behaviour of a minority as I personally was when I (and other Morecambe supporters) were replacing the traffic cones which a minority of our number – all clearly drunk – had shoved into the middle of the road after the game at Wigan last season.

I’m ashamed of these morons – I wish they would either grow-up very quickly – or go and support someone else altogether.

But the fact remains that a cloud hangs over the reputation of the Trotters and this has had regrettable knock-on effects.

Today’s game, for example, kicked-off at half past midday: two and a half hours earlier than originally planned.

Why?

To give visiting thugs less time to fill up with the alcohol they can’t hold which they use as an excuse for their mindless behaviour.

Something’s not right here. Decent law-abiding people who routinely work Saturday mornings would miss the start of the game – or possibly all of it if they were travelling from the Horwich area – because of the potential behaviour of a minority of idiots.

Why should they?

The local press told us, furthermore:

“A joint statement by Lancashire Police and Morecambe Football Club says:

“We are supporting this Saturday’s match with a joint operation between Morecambe FC and Lancashire Constabulary. We’ve worked closely in the planning of this weekend’s game and our aim is to keep people safe as well as getting people to and from the ground efficiently. Officers and stewards will be on hand to assist supporters attending the match, with an appropriate policing response in place.””

However, having said all that, it would be all too easy to claim ‘I hate Bolton Wanderers’.

I have fewer reservations about expressing negative thoughts about their Manager, though.

What can you say about this person? I’m going to repeat what I wrote before the game between Wanderers and Morecambe at their place last August:

Then, I described the individual at the helm of the Trotters’ team as a

`threatening lump of a man otherwise known as Bolton Boss Ian Evatt. Evatt is a bully who is prepared to stoop to any level – however despicable – to gain an advantage for his team. Last season at Morecambe, the Bolton Manager was responsible for two innocent members of the home crowd being thrown out of the ground on totally baseless allegations made against them by himself. He then went on to complain of a `barrage’ of racist abuse being directed at his players by other Morecambe supporters. Curiously, though, a police investigation of the claims Evatt made at the time has produced no evidence of any such behaviour.

Last March, the Bolton Boss claimed that Derek Adams had entered the field of play to push one of his own players. As a result, Referee Sarginson booked our Manager. But video footage proved not only that Derek was actually innocent but clearly showed him being manhandled by his much larger Opposite Number. So what Ian Evatt had suggested had happened wasn’t true.

But that’s what this man does. And he gets away with it – nearly always. Last Saturday at Vale Park, though, he came across a referee in the shape of Ross Joyce who was not going to put up with the blatant gamesmanship and constant cheating that the Bolton Manager wears as badges of pride – and sent him off at the end of the first half.’

You wonder if his team is built in the Manager’s image. Earlier this week, midfielder Kyle Dempsey was found guilty of assaulting a Doorman at Maryport Labour Club last July and faces a potential custodial sentence as a result. This thug was in the team today and Morecambe fans weren’t slow to remind him of his impending doom.

Yesterday, The Bolton News told us:

“WANDERERS go into a potentially explosive game at Morecambe tomorrow with instructions to let their football do the talking. Though kick-off has been moved to lunchtime to try and diffuse some of the emotions which ran high in last season’s meeting at the Mazuma Stadium, Ian Evatt is expecting another hostile reception.

Last February Lancashire Police opened an investigation against claims of racist abuse aimed towards players in the Bolton dugout, which had prompted Evatt to take his players off the pitch for 10 minutes.

No charges were brought in the end, with the investigation closed nine months later.

Five Bolton supporters were arrested and the club was fined for behaviour in the away end, including a pitch invasion after Amadou Bakayoko grabbed an injury time equaliser.

Faced with a potentially incendiary atmosphere, Evatt said he and his players would look to make their point on the pitch.

“Sometimes in the face of adversity you need to show the best version of yourself,” he told The Bolton News. “What happened has happened. We are at peace with it now. We know what happened but we have moved on.””

So that’s all that matters isn’t it? As long as the delightful Mr Evatt is `at peace’ with the controversy which he single-handedly created last year, nothing else – and clearly far more importantly in his view – nobody else matters…

But let’s move away from this cesspit of a team and the charlatan in charge of it.

The Trotters arrived today in fourth position in League One. They have won three of their previous five League One games and lost two – most recently when they were beaten by three goals to one by Portsmouth at Fratton Park last Tuesday. Morecambe, on the other hand, have only won one of their last five league games and lost three of them. They were just above the Dead Zone in League One prior to the game – twentieth place. The Shrimps have never beaten Wanderers in five previous attempts to do so; drawing three and losing two of these.

Morecambe Manager Derek Adams said this before the game:

“It’s an early kick-off because of the crowd trouble last season. We’re hopeful that won’t happen again. The police will be here in their numbers to stop that.  The atmosphere will be electric. The players have responded to that. Our home record has been excellent and we want to continue that form.”

He magnanimously paid tribute to Bolton’s undoubted achievement to be in contention for promotion this season. But – as far as his own players are concerned – he added that Michael Mellon was injured at Fleetwood and wasn’t in contention today. However, iconic striker Cole Stockton – who hasn’t played for more than the last one and a half games – was fit and would start.

And what did the delightful and articulate Mr Evatt have to say? Who knows? Who cares? I don’t for a start. The Bolton media entourage never ask this gentleman difficult questions. And I’d bet none of them have had the guts to ask the big oik how he justifies the allegations he made against two Morecambe fans in particular and the club in general last time we met at this venue. Maybe they’re afraid of him. Maybe they have good reason to be so…

It was grey but dry as the game kicked-off ridiculously early in north Lancashire – the only game in League One to do so. Bolton Took the Knee but only a couple of the Morecambe players did so too. I wonder if the Trotters usually do this – or was this another statement by their Manager to emphasise the perception he has single-handedly generated about our club? (I say `single-handedly’; that’s not true – as the visiting hordes chanted `We know what you are – racists!”; my mind went back to Professor Clinton Morrison and his in-depth analysis on the telly of a game he hadn’t attended last season. They should team-up as a Double Act – if they pool their brain cells, they might almost manage a handful…)

Morecambe pushed the visitors back into their own half for almost the entire first half. But the visitors had the first chance of the afternoon. After seven minutes, Aaron Morley found Conor Bradley who played a clever ball forwards to Shola Shoretire, who forced a good save from home custodian Connor Ripley. Fourteen minutes had been played when Farrend Rawson put in a towering header from Ash Hunter’s cross but directed the ball well over the bar when well placed. Eoin Toal then missed with another header for the visitors – this time after twenty-five minutes. With just over half an hour played, Farrend headed a free kick down to Cole Stockton in the Bolton box but Cole’s shot was just wide of James Trafford’s post. Liam Shaw then missed with another header from the busy Hunter as he sent an excellent cross over from the Morecambe right after 36 minutes. The visitors had the last word of the half though, as Connor again did well to save a deflected shot from Dion Charles right at the death.

In my admittedly totally biased view, though, Morecambe had the better of things generally for nearly all of the first period.

Things were very different at the start of the second period, though. Bolton moved the ball quicker than they had done in the first half and it was Backs to the Wall for the Shrimps for the first ten minutes or so. Wanderers forced a succession of corners during this time and Liam Gibson did well to block a shot from Shoretire with seven minutes of the restart played. But the home side weathered a storm during which their goalkeeper was never asked any difficult questions. Hunter totally wasted a free-kick from a promising position with just over an hour played. His shot cleared the Bolton wall but was an easy take for visiting stopper Trafford.  With about twenty minutes left, the away keeper did well to block a fierce strike from Jensen Weir from the left of the Trotters’ penalty area from Jensen’s point of view.

The save of the afternoon happened at the other end of the field just over a minute later. The ball found its way to Josh Sheehan and his low shot to Ripley’s right from the edge of the area was brilliantly held by the home goalkeeper, who got down to it really quickly for such a big man. With seventy-six minutes on the clock, Wanderers’ substitute Daniel N’Lundulu forced Connor into an easier save from a narrow angle. And that was basically the end of the action.

I’ve moaned before that Referees seem to give `Bigger Clubs’ the benefit of the doubt when there are fifty-fifty decisions to be made. This afternoon, Oliver Langford didn’t deviate from this script. He gave Bolton several free-kicks they shouldn’t have had and didn’t book N’Lundulu for a succession of dives  – one of which was almost comical, so exaggerated was it. There was a bit of argy-bargy at one time for which both sides were probably equally culpable. But at the end of the game, the only caution of the entire 95 minutes was issued to a Morecambe player. When Evatt predictably threw his toys out of the pram at one point in the second half, the Ref neither told the big man to calm down or proffered the yellow Card which our Manager has been shown this season for much lesser offences. Referees need to take a firmer hand with this serial cheat – and the tactics which his players unashamedly constantly get away with.

But at the end of the day, a draw against one of the favourites for promotion this season is no bad thing. Later, FGR lost 2-1 at Accrington, having led early doors and then seeing a man sent off. This makes their position at the bottom of the division even more dire but the three points propelled John Coleman’s team out of the relegation zone at Morecambe’s expense. However, the Plastic MK People lost at Port Vale 1-0; Burton lost 4-0 at Ipswich and the Shrimps’ next opponents – Cambridge United – lost at home 0-1 to Portsmouth. So things could have turned-out a lot worse for the Shrimps. King Derek had this to say after the contest:

“Over the afternoon, it’s a pleasing point for us because of the opposition we were playing against. We did try to get the three points. But a point and a clean sheet you would take.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne; 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson (29 Dynel Simeu 77’); 8 Daniel Crowley (25 Adam Mayor 84’); 9 Cole Stockton; 10 Ash Hunter (14 Arthur Gnahoua 84’); 15 Jensen Weir (17 Caleb Watts 90’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 20 Liam Shaw (Y).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield.

Bolton Wanderers: 19 James Trafford; 3 Declan John (27 Randell Williams 80’); 5 Ricardo Almeida Santos (C); 10 Dion Charles; 16 Aaron Morley; 8 Josh Sheehan (11 Daniel N’Lundulu 72’); 17 Shola Shoretire (24 Elias Kachunga 64’); 18 Eoin Toal; 21 Conor Bradley; 22 Kyle Dempsey;  28 Luke Mbete.

Subs not used:  12 Joel Dixon; 2 Gethin Jones; 20 Keiran Lee; 25 George Thomason.

Ref: Oliver Langford.

Att: 5,211 (1,626 from Bolton.)

LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, 7th MARCH 2023.

Things could have been much worse at Cambridge

Morecambe should have travelled the two hundred miles or so to Cambridgeshire in January for what would have been the most significant game of the year – and perhaps the season – at that date. But storm damage to the main stand roof at the Abbey Stadium meant that the tie was postponed. So tonight, they belatedly faced Cambridge United for the second time this term in League One. Last September, the U’s had just slipped out of the Play-Off positions into ninth place in League One. They deservedly won 1-2 at the Maz to push themselves back into seventh and contention for promotion once again.

But since then, the Cambridge wheels have well and truly come off and even in January, they would have faced an opponent one place above them in the table. Then, Morecambe were nineteenth before kick-off; level on points (24) and games played (25) with United but with a Plus Ten superior goal difference. Tonight, just over seven weeks later, the situation is as follows: Morecambe are two places above the `U’s’ in the Dead Zone of the League One table: twenty-first. They have a Plus Nine goal difference over Mark Bonner’s club. Having played the same number of league games – 34 – they were just three points ahead of United prior to kick-off.

The Shrimps have lost three of their last five league fixtures; drawn one and obviously won a single game as well. Cambridge, though, have also won only one game from their last five but lost all the rest, including three defeats in a row culminating with a home 0-1 reverse to Portsmouth last Saturday.

But Morecambe have a poor record against the Amber Army. Many of us remember the Shrimps – as a non-league club – beating EFL Cambridge 2-1 during 2000 in the FA Cup at Christie Park. But United also inflicted Morecambe’s record EFL defeat – seven-nil – on them in the Football League at this venue during 2016. In League One specifically, Stephen Robinson’s Shrimps lost to the Amber Army last season at home 0-2. Once the Ulsterman had abandoned the club to its apparently inevitable fate, Morecambe lost again in the Fens, being beaten 2-1 in one of Shrimps’ Redeemer Derek Adams’ early attempts to rescue the team from seemingly certain doom. So the Shrimps have not only never beaten Cambridge in League One, they’ve lost all three games so far. Altogether, Morecambe have only drawn one and lost six of their seven previous matches against today’s opponents. In all competitions, they have won six; lost nine and drawn three previous fixtures against the U’s. So a reversal of recent form was sorely needed tonight. The Shrimps have only won a single game away from home this season – at seemingly doomed Forest Green Rovers last year. They are yet to score away from the Maz this year as well. The Abbey Stadium would thus be a really good place to try and improve on this pretty dire record.

As far as tonight’s game is concerned, King Derek’s thoughts about the upcoming clash were:

“We’ve had a lot of difficult games recently away from home: Ipswich; Derby; Sheffield Wednesday. They have never been easy games for anyone. We go to Cambridge, a team around about us in the table. There’s only twelve games to go in the season. A lot of points still to be played for. But we will be going there to try to get the win. They are a similar club from the point of view that they are in and around us in the table. We’ve got to a point in the season where we know what to do to stay in this division. It’s a difficult venue to go to. But we’ve got a lot of talented players in our squad.”

Derek bemoaned the fact that Morecambe have not been awarded even one penalty this season. He explained why he thinks this is:

“The referees haven’t got the correct decision. We’ve had apologies from the Association a number of times this season. The decisions haven’t been correct. These big decisions don’t go for you a lot of the time because you are the smaller club.”

Amen to that. Derek was unable to name Jacob Bedeau for tonight’s game due to illness. Dynel Simeu replaced him this evening. Courtney Duffus also made a return to the bench after a long recovery from a serious knee injury.

For the opposition, a particularly nicely-written article on their website ended with the following words last January:

“Although fortunes have changed since then, the head-to-head continues to look extremely pleasing. On Saturday, United look to make it a sixth consecutive success against the Shrimps and extend the unbeaten run to eight. Before that, the group from Lancashire were seen as a bogey team, with the U’s unable to overcome them on six separate occasions, scoring just twice in that time.”

Earlier this week – in an equally well-written and interesting take on other club’s perceptions of our own – the same site added the following:

“Efficient in the loan market and in crafting more of a no-nonsense side, Adams has ensured the 2022/23 version of Morecambe suit his 3-5-2, and most recently 4-2-3-1, system to a tee. Penalty king Connor Ripley has already established himself as a fan favourite between the sticks, whilst Farrend Rawson and Jacob Bedeau are complimenting each other well of late, keeping two clean sheets in three. In the centre of the park, mainstay Liam Gibson has been joined by promising loanee Liam Shaw, who plug away to provide for former U Jensen Weir, who has popped up with an impressive nine strikes– the trio are energetic and work in unison to break up play and spearhead attacks. January signing Daniel Crowley has excited the Shrimps’ faithful, his creativity could be crucial in the run-in, as could the goals of last season’s hero Cole Stockton, the focal point who will want to add to his three strikes in 2022/23.”

Under pressure U’s Head Coach Mark Bonner said this before the match:

“This is a big occasion and we have to turn up for it; relish it and look forward to it, despite the fact that we’re in a situation that we’re in. We have to remember that the other teams are in that situation too. The pressure is the same for everybody. We need to make sure that pressure brings out the best of us.”

It was dry but very cold as the match kicked-off in the Cambridge darkness. Morecambe lined-up in the unusual combination of blue shirts with white shorts and socks. The home team went straight on to the front foot and for the first half an hour or so, they were the better side. They were more assertive; quicker to the ball and seemingly more revved-up than their opponents throughout this time. In the first minute, Jack Lankester squandered a cast-iron chance when he headed over the bar when unmarked right in the middle of the away penalty area. With thirteen minutes played, Max Melbourne was then caught in possession in an advanced position on the Shrimps’ left. United immediately broke in the shape of the impressive James Brophy as he drove forward towards the U’s left. He found a centrally-placed Paul Digby in the centre of the field just outside the away penalty area. The Cambridge Skipper kept feinting to play the ball one way and then the other before sliding a killer pass forwards to Lankester who lost his marker and then made no mistake this time with a shot which went under Connor Ripley’s body.

This was Cambridge’s first goal in the last four games and they continued to dominate possession for about the next fifteen minutes.

With nineteen minutes played, central defender Lloyd Jones let fly from the edge of the Morecambe box straight at the away stopper. Then, after more good approach play by the hosts, Michael Morrison warmed Connor’s hands with another shot after 22 minutes. Two minutes later, Conor McGrandles’ wild shot didn’t trouble the Morecambe goalkeeper. At the other end, in a rare foray forward, Daniel Crowley played-in Jensen Weir with a brilliant pass and Dimitar Mitov in the home goal did really well to keep his shot out of the net by diving low to his right and pushing the ball away for a corner. This was after twenty-five minutes. But less than sixty seconds later, Ripley made a save from Lankester that he didn’t know a lot about as The U’s struck on the break. The Shrimps were still looking shaky particularly on their left flank until Melbourne went down off the ball seemingly suffering from a hamstring injury with almost half an hour played. On came Adam Mayor to replace him – and the game totally changed with his introduction.

Young Adam defended properly but also took every opportunity to drive forwards with the ball. The momentum in the match thus totally changed for the last quarter of an hour. Cambridge Skipper Digby had to leave the field briefly with a blood injury with 37 minutes played. The visitors took full advantage, playing the ball into the home penalty area and seeing the men in yellow struggling to clear their lines for the first time in the game. But Liam Bennett had another decent chance for the hosts when he struck the ball just over the bar with a powerful strike after being picked-out on the United left by Brophy with forty minutes on the clock. Despite the visitors having most of the play, Weir’s sliced attempted clearance on the right edge of the Morecambe penalty are fell perfectly for Joe Ironside, whose instant shot went just wide of the target. This was right on half-time. But the visitors hit back immediately on the break. Mayor took the ball up the Morecambe left flank; played it to Ash Hunter, who’s deep cross was headed away by Ryan Bennett only as far as Weir on the edge of the home penalty area. Jensen walloped it but Cole Stockton added the subtlest of touches to turn the ball past a helpless Mitov with his head almost at ground level to tie the match on the night. It could have got even better for the visitors during injury time. Morecambe broke down their left again following a Cambridge corner; Mayor found Weir whose cross went right across the United goal-mouth as Hunter only just failed to connect with the ball as he slid-in with the goal gaping.

So that was it for the first half. The second started with the visitors still in the ascendency but then changed again as Mark Bonner shuffled his pack with three changes after about 65 minutes.

Stockton played Hunter in with a fabulous pass from the Morecambe left with only two minutes of the re-start played and Ash forced an excellent save from Mitov. A minute later, Crowley found Captain Donald Love in the away penalty area and he seemed to be fouled. But Morecambe have not been awarded a penalty so far this season and Referee Paul Howard wasn’t about to change the script. (To be fair, though, he had a really good game tonight.) As the home crowd expressed their displeasure with their side at times, Sam Smith and Morrison both missed with weak headers just before the hour. Just after it, the home stopper collected Weir’s deflected shot without too much trouble. Sixty-four minutes had been played when a poor pass by the hosts saw Hunter free to attack up the Morecambe left but his shot at the end of it was way off target. After the Cambridge changes, however, Cole the Goal fouled Morrison centrally about thirty yards from the visitors’ goal. Substitute Steve Seddon took the free-kick – and was denied only by a stupendous save by Connor high to his left: tremendous efforts by both men. The U’s forced a sequence of corner kicks after this and Ripley again did well to save a Lankester shot after about seventy minutes. Lloyd Jones then dived in the Morecambe penalty area – and the Referee rightly booked him for diving. Having said that, I can think of officials I have seen this season who would have awarded United a penalty…

Eight minutes later, Weir walloped another shot over the bar from the edge of the Cambridge penalty area. With ten minutes left, United counter-attacked down their right through sub Shilow Tracey but the shot he set-up for Smith was easily saved by the big man between the Shrimps’ sticks. Virtually the last action of the game was when Seddon missed with a poor shot from a long way out in the eighty-seventh minute.

So the game ended all-square. A point each doesn’t really help either team but at least neither lost. That can’t be said for some of their rivals this evening. Accrington Stanley lost 3-0 at Ipswich and relegation out-riders Fleetwood lost 2-0 at Wycombe. So the Shrimps and the U’s ended-up in exactly the same place at the end of the game as they were before it: 21^st and 23^rd respectively. Accrington remain just one point and one place better off than Morecambe and Burton a single point and single place ahead of them. But both clubs – worryingly – have played two games fewer than both teams who met at the Abbey tonight.

This was Derek Adams’ verdict on tonight’s draw:

“We could’ve got three points, so could Cambridge, so I think a draw at the end of the night is fair. I thought Cambridge started the better side. They came out very well and created a number of good opportunities. They got the goal with their pressure and deserved to get that goal. We changed shape, grew into the game and we were able to get the goal to make it one-one.  Just before half-time, we could’ve made it two-one with a great opportunity. The ascendency changed from Cambridge being the dominant team in that first period to us being the dominant team. I think, over the night: yes we’ll take a point.”

Cambridge United: 1 Dimitar Mitov; 4 Paul Digby (C); 6 Lloyd Jones (Y); 7 James Brophy (42 Steve Seddon 65’); 9 Joe Ironside (18 Shilow Tracey 64’); 10 Sam Smith; 14 Jack Lankester (35 Kai Yearn 81’); 21 Ryan Bennett; 23 Michael Morrison; 24 Conor McGrandles (Y) (8 Liam O’Neil 64’); 28 Liam Bennett.

Subs not used:  25 William Mannion; 2 George Williams; 27 Ben Worman.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 3 Max Melbourne (25 Adam Mayor 29’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (17 Caleb Watts 73’); 9 Cole Stockton(24 Courtney Duffus 90’);10 Ash Hunter (22 Josh Austerfield 90’); 15 Jensen Weir; 20 Liam Shaw; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney; 21 Ryan Cooney.

Ref: Paul Howard.

Att: 5,225 (122 from Morecambe. Well done everybody – it’s a hell of a long way back on a freezing Tuesday night…)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 11th MARCH 3023.

Too Easy for Shrewsbury Town.

It was Armed Forces Day in Shrewsbury today. As part of the event, astronaut Tim Peake arrived by helicopter at the New Meadow Stadium to deliver the match ball fifteen minutes before kick-off between the town club and Morecambe. Would his appearance help the Shrews to enter the rarefied atmosphere near the top of League One with a win? Or would Morecambe be able to follow his example and bring the Shropshire club back down to earth with a bump?

Morecambe’s first match of the season was against Shrewsbury Town at the Mazuma Stadium. It was a poor game which ended scoreless. Today, though, they travelled to Shropshire to complete the reverse fixture in the hope that they would not find the match postponed because of bad weather as they had done last season. Last term, as the Shrimps seemed certain to be relegated, they were hammered here by five goals to nil. In Lancashire, though, they had managed to beat the Shrews 2-0 earlier in the campaign. In all previous meetings in four different competitions, Morecambe have won five of seventeen matches and drawn four against Town.

Shrewsbury started today’s game in ninth place in the League One table. They have only won one of their last five league games, though and lost two, most recently last Tuesday at Peterborough, where they went down 2-1- to a 87^th minute goal.

The Shrimps managed a 1-1 draw last Tuesday at fellow-strugglers against relegation, Cambridge United; their second draw in League One in a row. Additionally, they have lost two of their last five League One games and won just once.  They started today’s match in the highest of the relegation positions; twenty-first – but had played two more games than the clubs immediately above them in the shape of Accrington Stanley and Burton Albion. Morecambe Manager Derek Adams changed his squad slightly from the one which drew at Cambridge on Tuesday, with Adam Mayor, Dynel Simeu and Ryan Delaney all starting from the off. Jacob Bedeau wasn’t available for selection following a knee injury sustained against Bolton a week ago. New signing, 32-year-old former thirteen and a half million pound ex-Everton signing and Senegal international forward Oumar Niasse was also put straight onto the bench. Derek said before the game:

“Every run-in is difficult. It doesn’t matter if you are playing at the top or the bottom. They don’t become any easier in this division, we understand that. There’s a gulf between both clubs on and off the field. We’ll just do as well as we can to compete. We’ll look to try and get the win and get those three points. Wins are huge – they’re the three points you need because they propel you up the league very quickly. We just need to go and get those wins again to enable us to get into a position where safety does happen.”

In a part of the interview which I can’t find any trace of, King Derek again apparently underlined the difference in resources between the team he is in charge of and those of the opposition. Shrewsbury Manager Steve Cotterill obviously wasn’t aware of this either. He thus asked a journalist at a pre-match press conference:

“`Mid-table budget’ is my initial thought, is that what he said? Interesting. We are eighteenth in the league, just for your knowledge, Derek. We are eighteenth in the league for budget and it could well be less than that after the last window because two of our lads (Aiden O’Brien and Julien Dacosta) went out. It could be less than that. But we are eighteenth, just to make sure we are correct on that.  But we have done really well on that. It will be a tough game against Morecambe. We’re not expecting anything different. But it’s a game we are looking forward to. We want to bounce back from the other night and get a win.”

The biggest worry for everyone concerned was whether snow in the midlands might cause a postponement – just as rain did last season at this venue initially. But the groundsmen and volunteers did a sterling job overnight and this morning. So the game started – on-schedule – with hardly a fleck of the white stuff in sight, albeit under overcast, threatening skies from which freezing drizzle was falling by the time three o’clock arrived.

It was a fairly even contest bereft of any clear chances for the first five minutes or so. Then Matt Pennington was allowed to gallop up-field from the back with eight minutes played. The defender than spoilt all his hard work with a poor shot which went over the bar as Morecambe’s five man rearguard backed-off and allowed him to do so until the very last moment. The visitors won the first corner of the match, though, with a quarter of an hour played. Sadly, it was completely wasted as the Shrews’ defence pushed-up and caught the men in the red shirts off-side. As the drizzle became fully grown-up rain, Taylor Moore was penalised for a crunching tackle on Adam Mayor with twenty-one minutes played. Ironically, he came off worse and had to be treated on the field before Referee Rebecca Welch also treated him to a yellow card when he finally got up again.  Shortly after this, Connor Ripley had to make the first save of the afternoon from Tom Bayliss, which didn’t cause him too much trouble as the shot was straight at him.  He did really well after twenty-one minutes though. Town attacked down the right and Luke Leahy slung over a ball to the far post where Tom Flanaghan forced an excellent save from the visiting stopper who had to get down quickly low to his left to keep the shot out. With thirty-two minutes on the clock, Shrewsbury won their first corner of the contest. Inexplicably, Daniel Crowley stuck out his arm and deflected the ball when there seemed little chance that any home player was going to get on the end of the dead-ball kick. Shrews’ Skipper Leahy took the inevitable penalty and sent Connor the wrong way to put the Shrews one goal up. They could have doubled their advantage with just three minutes of the game left to play. Rekeil Pyke won a free-kick on the Shrews’ right. As Morecambe packed their penalty area, the ball was cleared away from the danger zone. But with nobody in an away strip to pick it up, the ball came straight back in and went right across the away goal mouth before Cole Stockton headed it away for a corner. Matthew Pennington flicked this on and Crystal Palace loanee Robert Street headed the ball home all too easily at the back stick to double Town’s advantage.

But almost straight from kick-off, Crowley atoned somewhat for his earlier mistake when he picked-up the pieces after an excellent run by Jensen Weir and curled a peach of a shot out of Marco Marosi’s reach to reduce the arrears. It was the away team’s first strike on target and it wasn’t appreciated on the touchline. Shortly after this, there was a frank exchange of views between the opposing Managers. The Fourth Official drew Rebecca Welch’s attention to the altercation and the Referee wasted no time in booking home boss Mr Cotterill. On the field, Town then had the last chance of the opening period when Matthew Pennington headed Bayliss’ free-kick wide of the target during injury time.

So Morecambe went back to the Dressing Rooms in arrears yet again away from home. Only Daniel Crowley could explain why he gave away a completely needless penalty but at least he gave the visitors some reason for hope with his excellent strike right at the end of the half.

Shrewsbury asked most of the questions at the start of the second period without creating any clear-cut chances. Pike finally had a shot after being set-up by Bayliss with fifty-one minutes played but the effort went wide. At the other end of the pitch, Cole Stockton’s ambitious overhead kick with about 55 minutes on the clock was easily gathered by Marosi in the home goal. Town then broke quickly down their left flank in the shape of Jordan Shipley but his powerful final strike went inches high of the Morecambe crossbar. Bayliss was then penalised for a foul on Weir on the edge of his own penalty area with sixty-four minutes on the clock. Farrend Rawson headed Crowley’s free-kick home but the `goal’ was immediately disallowed for off-side. The away team conceded another foul on Jensen just two minutes later. Crowley went directly for goal this time but his shot went well wide of the target. Ryan Delaney did well to block a shot from Cheyenne Dunkley in the sixty-ninth minute at the cost of a corner. Ripley then used his boot as he spread himself to keep the same man’s header out of the net as a result of this – another fantastic save by the big stopper. Derek Adams sent new signing Oumar Niasse on for his first Morecambe start with a quarter of an hour left.

Weir then tried his luck with a shot which went wide with just over ten minutes left to play. The visitors came closer still in the seventy-eighth minute as Morosi did well to save Crowley’s excellent shot from distance at the second attempt. As the home stalwarts made a lot of noise in Shrewsbury’s Safe Standing area by the side of the pitch, Mayor and Ripley had a misunderstanding in the eighty-third minute which led to the young defender conceding a corner.  From this, Shrewsbury scored again. Another header; this time by Dunkley.  Poor defending by the visitors once more. Town should have gone 4-1 up just two minutes later when Pike squandered a perfect opportunity by missing with the goal at his mercy following good work by Shipley, who found him with a cross which floated right over the Shrimps’ defence.

There was an astonishing nine minutes of injury time at the end of the game. Weir fired wide after interplay between Crowley and Niasse early in this extended period. But Ripley had to concede yet another corner shortly after this, having made a superb save from late substitute Ryan Bowman. But there was only one team which was going to win this game today.

So Morecambe’s poor record against Shrewsbury specifically and abysmal away form generally continued today. As their opponents went up to eighth in the table, the Shrimps’ struggle against relegation was complicated by a 2-1 win by the Plastic People against Cambridge  at Milton Keynes. This puts the Wimbledon impersonators absolutely level with the Shrimps on points and goal difference. Accrington picked-up another point to widen the gap between themselves and Morecambe to two points with a 1-1 draw at Charlton. Burton did even better, beating Wycombe 2-1 at home to extend their lead over the north Lancashire club  to five points, with two fewer games played: just as Stanley have. One small glimmer of light on the horizon, however, was the fact that Oxford lost under new management today against Derby by the odd goal in five at home and are now just three points ahead of the Shrimps with the same number of games played.

There are ten matches left in the League One fixture list for Derek Adams’ men. The two games against Charlton and Oxford – both at home – next week suddenly have a greater significance than ever. After the defeat, King Derek highlighted a problem which most Shrimps’ fans have been aware of for almost all of the season: the team being collectively shot-shy. He expressed this thus:

“The problem for us at times when we got to the eighteen-yard box, we didn’t get our shots off. We got into some really good areas and we didn’t find a shot which probably was on a good number of times.”

 Shrewsbury Town: 1 Marco Marosi; 3 Luke Leahy (C); 5 Matthew Pennington; 6 Taylor Moore (Y); 7 Carl Winchester; 14 Robert Street (18 Tom Bloxham 90’); 15 Rekeil Pyke (9 Ryan Bowman 90’); 20 Tom Bayliss (17 Elliott Bennett 77’); 22 Cheyenne Dunkley; 33 Tom Flanagan; 26 Jordan Shipley.

Subs not used: 13 Harry Burgoyne; 27 Kade Craig; 30 Josh Barlow.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 6 Ryan Delaney (18 Oumar Niasse 75’); 8 Daniel Crowley; 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir; 20 Liam Shaw; 25 Adam Mayor; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 10 Ash Hunter; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 17 Caleb Watts;  21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield; 24 Courtney Duffus.

Ref: Rebecca Welch.

Att: 5,225 (122 from Morecambe – Safe Journey home back into the snow, folks!)

LEAGUE ONE. TUESDAY, 14th MARCH 2023.

Charlton Head and Shoulders above Morecambe…

Charlton Athletic Boss Dean Holden brought his team from the sophisticated South to the frozen wastes of north Lancashire today to face Morecambe for only the third time ever. Last season in League One, the match here ended in a 2-2 draw. But at the Valley in the final days of the campaign, the Shrimps won 2-3 in the return fixture. I think it can be truly said that the three points they picked-up on that day finally cemented Derek Adams’ gargantuan effort to keep the club in the division at the end of the season.

A similar effort is required this time around as well. Morecambe started the game in the highest of the relegation positions in League One. They were absolutely level by all criteria with the False Dons from Milton Keynes and just three points clear of Cambridge United, all three clubs having played the same amount of games. (Poor old Forest Green Rovers are effectively out of the running even at this stage of the season, having lost at home yet again last Saturday and finding themselves already thirteen points from safety with fixtures quickly running out.) Morecambe are also two points shy of Accrington Stanley and five of newly-rejuvenated Burton Albion, both of which clubs have played two games fewer. The best hope they might have of escaping from the Drop Zone morass has been the dire form of Oxford United in recent times. Even under new management, Oxford lost again at home last Saturday 2-3 to Derby County to sit just three points above the Shrimps with the same number of games played. So this week could be decisive as far as Morecambe’s fate in League One is concerned. With Oxford due to visit next Saturday, if Derek Adams’ men could take the maximum six points on offer this week, the Shrimps could see themselves again clear of the relegation struggle by next Saturday night.

Charlton arrived in sixteenth place in the table, nine points clear of tonight’s hosts and having played one game fewer. They could have done Morecambe a massive favour by beating Accrington at the Valley last Saturday. But they only drew – coming from behind to end the game one-all. The south Londoners’ form has been poor in recent times and they have not won a single one of their last five league games, of which they have lost three. (Our former hero Sam Lavelle has been lent by Athletic to Burton during this time. Is Charlton’s poor form and Burton’s improved performances subsequently coincidental? I wonder…)

Manager Dean Holden summed-up the task facing his team tonight in these words yesterday:

“For us, again, we focus on ourselves. We respect the job that Derek’s done while he’s been up there. They’ve got a decent record at home. It’s a really tight ground and there will be a good atmosphere in there tomorrow night. Getting our own performance right is the main thing for us. In terms of where we are in the season there’s only eleven games left. Obviously, I’ve not been in the job that long either so we’re still trying to find ways to improve all the time. We have to keep putting points on the board. It’s important that we keep adding to that points tally to get ourselves totally safe. That was obviously my remit coming into the job. The quicker we do that the better and then we can really start looking towards next season.”

Morecambe’s perspective was expressed by King Derek thus:

“We are thoroughly looking forward to it. We know how big a game it is because it’s the next game and we’ve only got ten games to go now. We would love to get six points (this week). We need to win games at home and we’ve done that well. We have found it difficult away from home this season. We’ve got a young squad. We have to use the experienced players to help them get over it – they understand what it is all about. We are a football club that is punching above its weight – we understand that. Until there’s real investment, we’re always going to be the same.”

As far as latest signing Oumar Niasse is concerned, he added:

“He’s played for a number of big clubs. He gives us another dimension. That’s what we are looking for him to do: to lead the line; take the ball in; take others into the game and score a few goals for us.”

The weather has been really iffy in north Lancashire recently. Yesterday, the Lakeland hills to the north were completely lost in mist across Morecambe Bay. The sea was rough as strong, cold gales swept across the brown water from the Atlantic far away to the west. Overhead, dark clouds drove rain and sleet into the faces of dog walkers and the unwary alike. Today saw sunshine at times as the winds dropped but also flecks of snow as the skies yet again regularly clouded over. By quarter to eight this evening, it was dry and the wind had almost died away but you could see ice crystals forming on the pitch as the match grew older and an air frost turned everything around the stadium white.

The teams came out and the first thing you noticed is how much physically bigger the visitors were in comparison to the men in the red shirts. Nearly all of them are big lads but in Miles Leaburn in particular (1.95m or 6’4” – plus the rest) and Sean Clare, we had visitors from The Land of the Giants. So my first mental note was: We are going to struggle in the air.

One of the teams which emerged from the tunnel, of course, was that of the officials. One look at the man in charge – Andy Haines – made my heart sink even further. Mental Note to Self No.2 was: God help us! This is possibly the worst Referee on the EFL’s books. He has that perfectly toxic mixture of incompetence and officiousness which brings the whole profession into disrepute.

And so it proved. My first mental note was only partially true, though. Morecambe didn’t just struggle against Charlton in the air. They struggled on the ground too. And they struggled all over the pitch as well. They were absolutely atrocious tonight and made Charlton – which is a team, we must remember – which hasn’t won for absolutely ages – look like Manchester City. If the Shrimps – who really lived down to their nickname tonight – keep playing like this, they will not only be relegated at the end of this season; they won’t stay in League Two next either.

My second mental note was absolutely spot-on, though. Andy Haines isn’t fit enough to keep up with play. So he guesses – and often gets his decisions wrong – for both sides. He’s absolutely brilliant at making sure the ball is placed on exactly the spot he wants it to be but he misses what’s going on behind his back as he does this. He also indulges all the old Dark Arts such as time wasting, feigning injury and failing to move away when free-kicks are awarded to the opposition. Jesurun Rak-Sakyi had obviously been told by his Manager to stand over the ball every time Morecambe were awarded a free-kick from the moment he came on as a substitute after 55 minutes until the end of the game. He duly did so. And Mr Haines did nothing about it even once. Loads of the Addicks’ players fell over as if they had been pole-axed this evening and then miraculously sprang back to their feet as soon as the useless man with the whistle gave them what they wanted. But the pantomime which ensued when Terrell Thomas left the field in the last ten minutes, genuflecting as much as crawling his way off as he constantly sank onto one knee whilst the Referee fussed about and didn’t book him for cheating as he should have done was actually almost comical.

So it was no surprise when Haines the Brains allowed Charlton’s opening goal. Miles Leaburn scored with a perfect shot when the ball arrived at his feet just out from the goal in the middle of the home penalty area with seventeen minutes on the clock. But the only people who could not see that he was almost as far off-side as his Christian name suggests were the Referee and his apparently equally myopic assistants with the flags. Again, the man with the spray-foam and the little black book had just guessed: he was miles away from the action, probably checking that all the players still had their shirts tucked-in.

Buoyed by this bit of good fortune, Charlton scored a legitimate second just four minutes later. Albie Morgan took a corner; Ryan Inniss headed the ball back across goal from the back stick and Ashley Maynard-Brewer bundled it home. He scored again right at the end of the first half from very close range as the Shrimps’ defence stood off and allowed him to reach the ball first. The visitors had plenty of other chances as Morecambe offered nothing going forward. Derek Adams chose to start with Oumar Niasse as Centre Forward tonight. It was a mistake – in the first half, Michael Hector had him in his pocket and Morecambe only played with any conviction when Daniel Crowley was on the ball. Throughout the game, Ash Hunter again offered little. His final ball ranged from predictable to poor to appalling and I for one would have liked to see him withdrawn at half time. But Derek didn’t change anything at any time this evening.

Morecambe were marginally better in the second half. Niasse started to show that he can actually play a bit and probably deserved the award of Official Man of the Match by the end of it. For a brief moment, there was a glimmer of hope as Captain Donald Love walloped home a volley from the Morecambe right after excellent approach play by Niasse with an hour played. For a few minutes after this, Charlton looked decidedly shaky. But normal service was resumed shortly afterwards and the visitors netted again in the seventieth minute when Rak-Sakyi played a clever one-two on the edge of the Morecambe penalty area and Scott Fraser scored emphatically.

It could have been more in all truth. One of the reasons it wasn’t was Athletic’s constant time-wasting. Why? They were literally head and shoulders ahead of tonight’s opponents and a victory was never in serious doubt – so why do it?

Anyway – that was it – a precious opportunity to put pressure on their rivals for the drop totally squandered by the Shrimps at the expense of yet more goals conceded in large amounts to add to the Debit side of their Goal Difference. They were gutless, clueless and hopeless in equal measure this evening and if this is the standard of football which Shrimps’ fans can expect for the rest of the campaign, we might as well throw in the towel now to stop any further punishment to home supporters at least.

Elsewhere, the frauds from Milton Keynes went above Morecambe in the legion of the damned without even playing as their goal return became better than ours. Whatever hope we still cling to that at least four other clubs are even more dire than ours currently is were boosted by Accrington’s home reverse tonight against Portsmouth by three goals to one. Burton were also hammered at home 2-5 by Peterborough. My own tip for a late fall from grace – Bristol Rovers – also lost on their own patch; this time 0-2 to Wycombe.

At the end of this truly feeble display, King Derek was again brutally honest in his assessment of the match:

“We kept on going; we created a few openings. I thought we could have done better at times in and around that eighteen-yard box. Tonight, they were the better team. And they’re always going to be: it’s Charlton Athletic you’re playing against – a very accomplished League One side.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 10 Ash Hunter; 15 Jensen Weir (Y); 18 Oumar Niasse; 20 Liam Shaw; 25 Adam Mayor; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney; 9 Cole Stockton; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 17 Caleb Watts; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield.

Charlton Athletic: 31 Ashley Maynard-Brewer; 3 Terell Thomas (Y) (18 Mandela Egbo 82’); 4 George Dobson (5 Daniel Kanu 75’); 6 Michael Hector; 10 Albie Morgan; 21 Scott Fraser (32 Aaron Henry 75’); 23 Corey Blackett-Taylor (17 Jesurun Rak-Sakyi 55’); 24 Ryan Inniss: 28 Sean Clare; 33 Miles Leaburn (8 Macauley Bonne 75’); 43 Tyreece Campbell.

Subs not used: 1 Joseph Wollacott; 2 Steven Sessegnon; 19 Jack Payne.

Ref: Andy `Hopeless’ Haines.

Att: 3,795 (About 200 from London. Safe journey home this freezing evening everyone).

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 18th MARCH 2023.

Time Running Out for Mercurial Morecambe.

After his team’s truly feeble display as they lay down and died against Charlton Athletic last Tuesday night, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams would have to call on his considerable skills in motivation to get a more committed display out of his players today. With games quickly running out and Morecambe’s position in League One looking increasingly parlous, Mr Adams basically needed nothing less than three points today if his team is to stand any realistic chance of retaining their place in League One for a second consecutive season. The Shrimps have only taken two points; shipped nine goals and kept just a single clean sheet in their last five games – relegation form indeed. In previous encounters with today’s visitors Oxford United, Morecambe have won a paltry three of sixteen games and lost seven. They drew in Oxfordshire earlier this season but lost there 3-2 last term. Last April, though – as King Derek was performing his miracle of keeping us in League One for a second season, the Shrimps beat United 2-1 at the Maz. A similarly good result was imperative today.

Oxford are far from unbeatable this season. They arrived in north Lancashire in nineteenth position in League One, just three places and three points better off than this afternoon’s hosts. Critically though, they have played one game fewer. Having decided to sack their Manager of the last few years – Karl Robinson – last month, the hierarchy at Oxford have appointed another Manager who has spent some time in charge of the club at Milton Keynes. On this occasion, it is Liam Manning, who was himself sacked by the Plastic People last December after a run of only one win in eleven league matches. In his one game as an observer at the Kassam Stadium so far, Mr Manning was unable to halt Oxford’s slide: they lost 2-3 against Derby County there last Saturday to make it five defeats in a row for his new charges. He told BBC Sport, in a statement which is quite difficult to follow:

“I think (that) obviously there’s the psychological aspect. We’ve got a good group of players that have played at the level before and shown they’ve got the quality of playing the level. So it’s also getting them back on track mentally whether it be confidence; whether it be discipline. I think sometimes when you’re chasing a result you can lose a bit of discipline. It crept in a couple of times on Saturday in the first half. There’s still a large number of points to play for and I think that psychologically that will run out. We need to change it (the psychology, presumably) sooner rather than later. I think that sometimes you become so focused that the three points on a Saturday is everything, you then get that emotional rollercoaster that makes it difficult from a performance perspective. We’re all clearly aware of the situation we’re in but if we can all get together and from the off on Saturday, pull in the same direction and give everything we’ve got, hopefully we’ll get the outcome that we want.”

On the club’s own website, he added:

“But we will go up to Morecambe and I am sure the fans will be right behind us. I have had a fantastic welcome and now we have to get the fans off their seats and give them something to cheer about, starting on Saturday.”

For the hosts, King Derek said:

“It’s extremely close. We’re three points behind Oxford at this moment in time and we’ve got to try and get the better of them. (We’ll be) playing (on) Saturday as if it’s our last game because that’s what we’ve got to do between now and the end of the season. It’s nine games and each game is huge for us.“

During the week, Morecambe made another signing in a bid to try and steady a sinking ship. Pape N’Diaye Souaré has been given a contract until the end of the season. The 32-year-old former Crystal Palace defender had his career seriously interrupted after being involved in a major car crash during 2016 which led to him being airlifted to hospital, so badly was he hurt. He is expected to pick-up the Left Back berth which has been empty since Max Melbourne was injured against Bolton earlier this month. Derek said of the new man:

“To be able to bring a player of Pape’s experience in at this stage of the season is a real boost to the group. In losing Max we have tried to find a good replacement and we have managed to bring in a former Premier League player and Senegal international which we hope will benefit us during the run-in.”

For the U’s, the influential Billy Bodin and James Henry were both missing today due to injury.

The weather in north Lancashire today mirrored the atmosphere at the ground: bright and breezy at the start of the game with increasing murk gathering above as gloom spread throughout the stadium towards the end. Thin drizzle fell as the disappointed crowd dispersed in the wetness at the end of proceedings.

Morecambe started the match fairly brightly and had the first shot on goal as Daniel Crowley forced a save at the second attempt from visiting keeper Simon Eastwood with seven minutes played. The game was not good to watch with too many mistakes from both teams, each of which looked lamentably low on confidence. Huge Oxford Skipper, Centre Half Elliott Moore marshalled his team-mates well and a lot of the U’s forward play was initiated by him from the back. The standard of football so far, however, was probably best summed-up by a wild shot by Marcus McGuane which looped right over the stand roof with almost forty minutes played. But United put together the best  – and one of few decent moves by either team – with just four minutes scheduled to play in the first half. The ball was played down the centre of the pitch and then worked out to their left flank where Yanic-Sonny Wildschut went on a run before sending over a delicious cross which Marcus Browne turned into the net from close range. The commendably large away support behind the goal celebrated as if they had just won the cup – and who can blame them?

OXFORD FANS IN THE DISTANCE

It could have been more when Farrend Rawson did brilliantly to clear a free-kick from Cameron Brannagan from his own goal-line in stoppage time.

There’s not a lot to say about the second half. Derek shook things up with several changes but it was only in the last five minutes or so that the home side played with any conviction or passion. The one person who stood out in a red shirt as being determined not to just let their head drop and accept what increasingly felt like yet another certain defeat was deserved Man of the Match Dan Crowley. He led by example. The man who should have – Captain Donald Love – had another poor game today. But he wasn’t alone. Liam Shaw was virtually anonymous and Jensen Weir, if anything, even worse. Liam Gibson always puts in a shift and Oumar Niasse showed flashes of ability in the first half at least. But this was yet another tepid, disjointed display by the Shrimps. They belatedly equalised in the eighty-seventh minute when substitute Ash Hunter scored with a low shot which beat Eastwood’s despairing dive to keep it out. But most of the Shrimps’ players had looked resigned to another defeat for quite a while before this rare moment of inspiration lifted the match and the funereal atmosphere in the ground.

So that was it – a point each. Is it enough? Not really. Both teams could have done with all three and both teams look as if they are in serious trouble at this critical stage of the season. Liam Manning will be the happier Manager that at least his men took something tangible from an away match. But Morecambe’s position in the Dead Zone of League One worsened still more with results from elsewhere. Their next opponents – the Plastic Dons – won 0-1 at Accrington to place themselves out of danger and two points ahead of the Shrimps with one fewer game played. Stanley dropped into the relegation positions as a result but are also a point better off than their Lancashire rival – and with two games in hand as well. Cambridge thankfully also lost at home – 1-2 to Charlton to stay just below us in the table in twenty-third place. But a week where the club really needed six home points has yielded only one. With Morecambe’s appalling away form one of the main reasons they are in the precarious position where they currently find themselves, the immediate future looks bleak indeed. The vultures have been circling for a while. But soon, they could be landing at the Mazuma Stadium to pick over the bare bones of a very disappointing season.

However, Derek Adams had resolutely tried to put a positive spin on things throughout the campaign. Good for him – Derek never gives up hope, no matter what. This is what the King said tonight:

“The players keep on going. I’m always proud of them. They fought back. It’s a point. It didn’t allow Oxford to get any points ahead of us. We just keep on fighting.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (Y); 15 Jensen Weir (9 Cole Stockton 51’); 16 Jacob Bedeau (17 Caleb Watts 76’); 18 Oumar Niasse (10 Ash Hunter 76’); 20 Liam Shaw (22 Josh Austerfield 76’); 25 Adam Mayor (Y) (23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré 51’); 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney.

Oxford United: 13 Simon Eastwood; 2 Sam Long; 4 Stuart Findlay; 5 Elliott Moore (C); 8 Cameron Brannagan; 11 Marcus Browne (Y); 16 Ciaron Brown; 18 Marcus McGuane; 25 Oisin Smyth (14 Lewis Bate 93’); 30 Yanic-Sonny Wildschut (22 Kyle Joseph 73’); 39 Gatlin O’Donkor (23 Josh Murphy 73’).

Subs not used: 21 Edward McGinty; 3 Brandon Fleming; 21 Edward McGinty; 27 Tyler Goodrham; 33 Djavan Anderson.

Ref: Samuel  Barrott.

Att: 4,260 (several hundred from Oxford.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 25th MARCH 2023.

Show Down to Go Down? 

The club created by a fraud sanctioned by the football authorities when influential people with barrow loads of money were allowed to buy the old Wimbledon Crazy Gang club and shift it miles away up the M1 to new town Milton Keynes was a dark day indeed as far as football skulduggery in this country is concerned.

(What’s that? – the sentence is far too long? Well – it’s a hell of a lot shorter than that endured by the Wombles’ true stalwarts who re-invented AFC Wimbledon subsequently. Hats off to them. They had to start right at the bottom of the football pyramid in this country. Just as everyone else has had to do. And it took them literally years to claw their way back to an EFL who had basically turned its back on them altogether during 2003.)

No other club in the history of the beautiful game had previously been able to buy a place among the elite clubs of the English game. It hasn’t happened since either: every other member of the English Football League – including ourselves – has had to earn its membership the hard way. So what happened two decades ago still absolutely stinks. The only good thing I can say about the existence of this club at all is that I personally have a very dedicated band of followers on their Social Media sites – they love me so much that some of them actually know where I live, apparently…

But the so-called MK Dons have struggled in their twentieth totally unmerited season in the EFL, having got to the Play-Offs to enter the Championship last time only to fall at the last hurdle against Wycombe Wanderers.

This time, having sacked the Manager who took them to the brink of promotion – Liam Manning – they have continued to struggle in League One. So they started the game against Morecambe today in twentieth position; just on the edge of the Drop Zone.

However, they have won both of their last games against rivals for relegation by the only goal of each contest: at Accrington last Saturday and against Cambridge United the previous week. So if they could continue this upsurge of good form today against another team well and truly stuck in the Legion of the Damned’s mire, things would be looking very rosy indeed for the Plastic People.

(But if they turn out not to be at the end of the season – here’s a hint to the owner of this rogue outfit. Things are looking pretty dire financially at Manchester United currently, Pete – and `MK Red Devils’ has a certain ring to it, don’t you think? Why not slip a few bob their way too – and buy your way into the Premiership this time?)

Today, the omens were good for the Buckinghamshire frauds. Morecambe have a really poor record against the Wimbledon impersonators. They were taken apart at the Max in Lancashire earlier this season when the Ersatz Dons won 0-4 for the second year in a row– and it could have been more. MK Plastics also knocked the Shrimps out of the League Cup in November by two goals two nil in a game played in front a handful of people at their huge venue in the now not-so New Town. They won by the same score there in League One last season.

So Morecambe have not only never beaten the interlopers in League One or Cup games, they’ve never even managed to score against them in these matches. Their single victory over The MK Cuckoos in eight previous contests came at home four years ago – they have lost six of the others.

The Shrimps’ form coming into this game, moreover, was unpromising too. They have drawn three of their last five league games and lost two of them. A week last Tuesday, they were hammered at home 1-4 by Charlton Athletic: the Addicks’ first win for five games. On Saturday, they were lucky to earn a 1-1 draw against a truly poor Oxford United, who hadn’t won for even longer: six games. The only away victory Derek Adams’ men have earned this season was at seemingly doomed Forest Green Rovers as long ago as last September.

The Shrimps arrived in the south of the country today in twenty-second place in League Two; two points and two places behind their hosts. With only eight games left to play, they really needed to win.

So not so much an upturn in form but a minor miracle would be needed today if Morecambe were to leave the MK Stadium with any points at all. But boss Derek Adams always likes to look on the bright side and he said this time:

“We’ve got eight big games to go. It doesn’t matter who you are playing at this time of the season. MK Dons are in a similar situation to us. Away from home, we’re not so good and that has to improve. We need to do it ourselves on the pitch. Wins are vital at this stage in the season.”

Old Father Time Dean Lewington (84) has recently returned from injury to captain the team from Milton Keynes once more. Their upsurge in form is almost certainly related to his return to the side although the club’s Twitter feed told us he was expecting to face Southend United this Saturday because he was `looking ahead to Saturday’s skirmish against the Shrimpers.’ If only…

MK Head Coach Mark Jackson said the following prior to the clash:

“We can’t control what other teams do. Other teams are fighting. Other Managers will be sat in the position I’m sat in now and speaking about how their focus is going on and how they are driving towards achieving their goals. We can’t really worry about what other teams do. All we can do is concentrate on what we do. We can control that; we can’t control other things. All we can focus on is what we’re doing – and that’s what we are doing. We want to win every game we play. “

Asked about the particular significance of the Morecambe game, he added:

“It’s a big one for us. We can’t shy away from anything and say well, it’s not important. We’ve got to go out with the mindset to win the game. They’ll be exactly the same. Their Manager will be sat doing his interview as well and he’ll be talking the same.  It’s about who can deal with the situation and the magnitude of the game because it is a big game. We have to be mindful and we have to be respectful of the threat that Morecambe will pose. They will pose a threat to us. So we need to be ready for that. We need to nullify that and we need to be ready to impose our game on them as well.  So it’s a massive game. We’ll be looking for three points and we’ll be doing everything we can to get that.”

Mark Jackson talks a good game – he’s very articulate. This lunchtime, he was a guest on BBC Five Live and spoke intelligently about his role as a football Manager in League One and his hopes for the game this afternoon. The presenter and two pundits all wished him well – and good luck for the match later on. With their apparently universal reputation for balance and even-handedness, the BBC naturally then presented Derek Adams’ and Morecambe’s perspective on the game and wished him well too. No – sorry; I’ve got that wrong. They didn’t. But who cares about `little old’ Morecambe? – we are apparently in the Division in the first place just to make up the numbers as far as the BBC is concerned…

It was dry as the match kicked-off and sunny as it progressed  in front of a sparsely-populated albeit huge arena. All the upper tiers were empty and much of the rest of the ground was too. Do they ever fill it?

Morecambe kicked-off and immediately took the game to their hosts. King Derek set-up his men in a different formation to usual. He played three at the back with Jacob Bedeau at Centre Half with Liam Gibson to his left and Dynel Simeu to his right. Pape N’Diaye Souaré was given his debut and played as a left wing-back. On the other flank, Donald Love was pushed forward and a lot of the play was directed through him as the Manager had obviously spotted a potential weakness in the Plastics’ left hand side.

The half could basically be summed-up by saying that Morecambe had a lot of the possession, were quick and determined in their interceptions and pressed effectively to push the hosts right up the pitch. MK looked both quick and accurate on the break and they undeniably also had the best chances. Jonathan Leko forced a decent save from visiting custodian Connor Ripley after three minutes, having turned Gibbo as if the wasn’t there and advancing on the goal centrally. Three minutes later, Dynel gave the ball away and Daniel Harvie took advantage and played it to Leko again but his shot this time was way off target. Almost immediately, the men in the white strip had another chance – this time, Mohamed Eisa warmed the visiting goalkeeper’s hands with a poor shot which Ripley again fielded easily enough. At the other end, Ash Hunter tried his luck from distance on the Shrimps’ left after eight minutes but the ball went well wide of Jamie Cummings’ goal to the stoppers’ right. With twenty-one minutes played, Eisa produced an excellent reaction save from Connor following more excellent approach play by Milton Keynes. Just over a half an hour had been played when Skipper Love collided with – and might have been fouled by – Harvie but excellent Referee Thomas Parsons was not impressed. Donald then blotted his copybook with immediate retaliation on the same player with a stupid and needless foul deep in the MK half on the Morecambe right. He is supposed to lead by example and this was a bad one – he was very lucky not to be booked for this bit of petulance. Souaré missed with a wild shot in the thirty-ninth minute and then Ripley again had to be at his best to clutch a cross from Eisa at full-stretch from close range. Just before the break, Connor threw the ball to Love way up the Morecambe right. Donald found Oumar Niasse centrally and he in turn played the ball to Daniel Crowley, whose shot was only just wide of the target to Cummings’ right.

So Morecambe came back to the dressing rooms with some reason for optimism during the second half. Although the hosts had the more clear-cut opportunities, Morecambe had a lot of the ball and played committed football at times. Whereas the Plastics didn’t win even a single corner kick throughout the 45 minutes; the Shrimps won two. The only – critical – fault in their game was the final pass into the danger area.

The second half started to follow a similar pattern. The home team had the first chance but Eisa headed well wide in the first minute of the re-start. Morecambe looked more committed and were quicker to the ball for the first few minutes but again were unable to seriously test the home goalkeeper. The nearest they came was when Gibbo just missed with a near-post header from a corner with fifty-four minutes on the clock. But the match was settled two minutes later. The away team were attacking again but Josh McEachran got the ball and passed to Harvie on the left. He took the ball almost to the dead ball line and whipped over a cross which an unmarked Leko slotted home far too easily. This was after fifty-six minutes. A minute later, Cumming pushed a corner away from the goal only for Souaré to belt a shot from just outside the penalty area which might have been deflected against the goalkeeper’s right-hand post but went wide for a goal kick.

King Derek shook things up after an hour but stuck to the same shape. The nearest they came to equalising was after sixty-two minutes, when Hunter drew a full-length save from the home stopper. Two minutes later, though, Ripley did well to palm away another shot from Leko but Eisa fluffed his lines from the rebound. The visiting goalkeeper made what is becoming a rare mistake with five minutes left to play. Outside his penalty area, he made a poor clearance but substitute Will Grigg was unable to hit an open goal from a long way out. The man in green joined his colleagues in the dark blue strip when he went up for a corner kick in the third minute of added-on time but it made no difference.

So, for the third game in a row, MK have collected all the points and conceded no goals, having scored three. This is promotion form. So when it really mattered, Mark Jackson’s men came up with the goods today. This absolutely vital victory saw them go up to nineteenth in the table, a whole five points ahead of the Shrimps with one game fewer played. Accrington lost during mid-week at home to Plymouth 0-2 – and had a player sent off into the bargain. Today, they were absolutely hammered by five goals to nil at Exeter – but they still have played one game fewer than Morecambe and remain a single point above their Lancashire rivals with a game in hand.. Oxford, meanwhile, didn’t play today but are now three points above the Shrimps, having played a whole two games fewer.

So things look really bleak this evening.  Even Derek struggled to put a positive a spin on things after this potentially absolutely key defeat. You can’t argue with what he said, though.

Morecambe are a League One team trying to exist on a budget barely adequate for League Two. In our midst, the usual suspects are howling even louder than ever tonight for him to be sacked. I personally disagree. There is a nucleus of a good squad in the team which played today: Ripley; Bedeau; Rawson; Gibson; Crowley and Mayor. Niasse possibly. Souaré perhaps as well. Even in League Two, if Derek is given the financial backing to improve on this core, I have no doubt that he can bring us back up again. We don’t seem to be quite good enough to cut it in League One – but we aren’t a million miles off the mark either.

So – all you Unbelievers – be careful what you wish for. The most successful Manager Morecambe Football Club has ever employed said after the match how much he appreciated the way Shrimps’ fans had followed the team through thick and thin this season. He knows it costs a lot of money – and even more dedication. He added – in what I, for one – thought was a very fair appreciation of the game and the position the club finds itself in now:

“We did very well in the first half. The one thing we haven’t done is get enough shots on target. We could have done that better. I don’t think Morecambe had any (delusions) of grandeur coming into this division – the budget will tell you that; the resources will tell you that.  The reason we are in the division is because we got from League Two on a bottom of the league table budget. We’re not here because of finance.  The players are trying exceptionally hard to get that win. I think the spirit is fantastic. We can’t ask any more of them. They are playing to the best of their ability. We will just keep on working hard to keep ourselves in the division. The players have given their all.”

Milton Keynes Plastics: 1 Jamie Cumming; 2 Tennai Watson; 3 Dean Lewington (C); 4 Jack Tucker; 6 Josh McEachran (14 Bradley Johnson 88’); 10 Mohamed Eisa (9 Will Grigg 71’); 12 Jonathan Leko (11 Nathan Holland 71’); 16 Conor Grant (28 Dawson Devoy 81’); 21 Daniel Harvie; 22 Henry Lawrence; 42 Paris Maghoma (Y).

Subs not used: 23 Franco Ravizzoli; 7 Matthew Smith; 8 Ethan Robson.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 8 Daniel Crowley; 10 Ash Hunter (17 Caleb Watts (Y) 71’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (Y) (5 Farrend Rawson 86’); 18 Oumar Niasse (9 Cole Stockton 59’); 20 Liam Shaw (22 Josh Austerfield 59’); 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré (25 Adam Mayor 59’); 29 Dynel Simeu (Y).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney.

Ref: Thomas Parsons.

Att: Unknown. Perhaps a sixth of the ground’s capacity at about 5,000. About 200 of these were from Morecambe – and they could be heard chanting and banging a drum throughout the game. God bless them.

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 1st APRIL 2023.

Farewell to Oakwell?

Morecambe travelled east over the Pennines to visit God’s Own Country today in the slight hope that they could confound their appalling away form this season with an improbable win at Barnsley.

The Tykes were fourth in League One prior to the game and had seen-off high-flying neighbours Sheffield Wednesday 4-2 in their last home match. At Exeter last Tuesday night though, they lost by three goals to one. The defeat well and truly took the shine right off a potentially very impressive five wins in a row for the Yorkshire team. Before this, Barnsley had been unbeaten in twelve games of which they had won ten.

If a promotion or even a Play-Off push was the way to get back on track this afternoon, they really needed to win again today.

Morecambe, by contrast, have only taken two points from their last five league games and lost again at MK so-called Dons last Saturday. 

The currently aptly-named Shrimps thus arrived at Oakwell just three points from safety in twenty-second place in the table, having played more games than any other club in the entire Division.

In previous meetings with Barnsley though, the Shrimps have a superior record. They had lost one and won one of two League Cup matches played in Yorkshire historically but beat Michael Duff’s side by the only goal of the game last October in north Lancashire.

With only six games left of the campaign, it was imperative that Derek Adams’ men didn’t lose today. A draw would not be a lot of good to a side increasingly desperate for points – ideally (but statistically unrealistically) – they needed to take all three on offer.

Despite all the omens suggesting otherwise, stranger things have happened and the Shrimps aren’t dead – at least mathematically – yet. But the fact of the matter remained that if they lost yet again today, this could be Farewell to Oakwell and the rest of the grounds involved in League One currently – at least for the time being.

It’s been a bad week for previous Morecambe legends. Jim Bentley – with Toumani Diagouraga on the books – was offered a poisoned Chalice at Rochdale earlier in the season.  The club was in League One last season. But – even as Jim was hired – they were plummeting towards the depths of a further relegation long before he was sacked as the club faced the inevitable descent into the oblivion of The National League. Without him – very ironically – they won for the first time in ages today but still look doomed at the very bottom of the Football League.

The BBC and others tell us that – as the `Shrimpers’ – we have already emulated Rochdale by falling out of the EFL altogether. 

Premonition? Foresight?

No – they are burbling on yet again about Southend United, of course.

But will we do the same thing as the Essex club and fall straight out of League One into the National League a season later?

That’s a worry for future times. Assuming, of course, that there are any future times to worry about…

The internet has been awash with rumours about Morecambe players and staff not being paid on Tuesday of this week – as they all should have been.

The club’s Board remained totally silent about a situation which might or might not exist until Friday teatime. Then, they confirmed that staff and players had indeed not been paid but added:

“This afternoon, we can confirm that all wages for March 2023 have been paid. 

We would like to place on record, our massive thanks to all staff and players for their patience, co-operation and understanding during this period. The selflessness and commitment shown across the football club has been incredible during a challenging and stressful time.

We will continue to work extremely hard behind the scenes to make sure this is avoided going forward. 

Collectively, our focus switches back to football and our survival in League One, starting at Barnsley tomorrow.”

Later in the evening, the club’s website added:

“Graham Howse, Co-Chair is extremely pleased to confirm that Sarb Capital have made a significant six figure investment into the club through a purchase of shares today. We are grateful for the efforts and generosity of Sarbjot and the team at Sarb Capital.”

The only problem with any of these statements is the actual status of the club’s benefactor. It’s still not clear if Sarbjot Johal is considered a `fit and proper’ person by the EFL to be sold shares in the football club, which is apparently how his six-figure cash injection has been agreed. So the story, very worryingly, does not necessarily end at this point as there are still rumours circulating such as the imminent sale of further parcels of land surrounding the Mazuma Stadium – as well as other unresolved issues which keep on raising their ugly heads.

As a result of the continuing problems off the field, I have been unable to find any comments by Morecambe Manager Derek Adams about the challenge on it. For the opposition, however, boss Michael Duff only had football matters to worry about this week. He said this prior to today’s clash:

“One thing we do know, Derek’s teams are hard to beat. They’ve only lost five games, I think. We’ve lost four. They’re bottom of the league, but they’re hard to beat. The year they got promoted from the play-offs I think they averaged 36-37% possession – they’re not bothered about possession. There always seems to be a good spirit there. I’ve watched their last two away games. 3-4-3 and really, really expansive. They’ve got quite a few Premier League appearances in the team as well. It will be difficult. They’ll want to dominate the ball. We have to be wary of that, but we’ve been good against the ball and we’ve got our own fight. They’re fighting against relegation, but we’re fighting to get out of the league the other way. It shouldn’t mean more to them than us.”

It was overcast in Barnsley before, during and after the game. As I walked back to the railway station once the deed was done – alone in a sea of unusual red – the clouds started to weep. Just a bit. I felt like joining in with them. But I get ahead of myself…

Liam Shaw was injured in the warm-up. So Jensen Weir – not scheduled to be in the starting line-up today according to the Manager after the game –stepped-up into his place

Morecambe kicked-off.

And that was basically as good as it got.

As they say, it’s definitely the hope that kills you.

Things were very positive among the away supporters as the Morecambe players warmed up – even if they had passed wind (let alone the ball) they would have been enthusiastically applauded by all of us for so doing.

But it took only four very short minutes for the bubble to burst once the game started.

Liam Gibson conceded a free kick just to the right of the Shrimps’ penalty area from the Tykes’ point of view. Herbie Kane took it and slipped the ball short to Luca Connell, who hit the ball low to Connor Ripley’s left. Unusually, the goalkeeper failed to hold it and the men in the red shirts reacted quickest as Devante Cole knocked the spilt ball home.

Connor argued with his defence – they argued with him. But they were all equally culpable; this was a classic Schoolboy Error by everybody involved.

Barnsley went further ahead during the twenty-third minute. This time, Dynel Simeu scored a pretty spectacular Own Goal when he was unable to head a not very testing cross from Jordan Williams on the Barnsley right away from his own goal. Instead, he actually managed to steer it into his own net – to the astonishment of everyone watching – not least, probably, himself.

The first half scoring ended in the thirty-third minute when the Tykes’ Herbie Kane found the net all too easily again from a totally unmarked albeit very dangerous position.

During the second half, the only hope I personally had was that Morecambe would not get absolutely hammered. Barnsley definitely took their foot off the gas but even so, it was far too easy for them throughout the second period.

I got really used to writing `Cole scored again’ last season.  But today, it was Devante who did so with less than ten minutes played after the re-start. He was completely unmarked as a team-mate cleverly stepped over a ball from midfield to find him in the centre of goal and netting without any challenge at all in the away penalty area.

Just to rub things in, the Tykes made it five during injury time. Another corner; more failure to defend properly by the team in the blue strip and Bobby Thomas headed home this time; once again far too easily.

At the other end, the best player by a country mile for the Shrimps – Daniel Crowley – hit the post with home custodian Harry Isted a mere bystander after 67 minutes. When the ball bounced away right into the path of Cole Stockton, our broken Goal Machine of last season completely fluffed a golden opportunity to reduce the arrears with a wild strike on goal which is probably still in orbit right now.

But Isted earned his corn with an excellent stop from close range as Weir bore down upon him just a couple of minutes later.

Teenager Adam Mayor came on for the Shrimps and gave an exhibition of what a professional footballer should be at this level to men far older than he is for the final twenty-five minutes or so.

Part of Barnsley’s Programme today. My, Adam Mayor has changed – and aged too, apparently! I didn’t know Oumar Niasse looked like that either…

But apart from that, this was another absolutely dire performance by Morecambe today.

Despite his error for the first goal, Connor Ripley pulled off a number of outstanding saves this afternoon. Without him, the score could have been even more embarrassing. The defence was generally weak and I didn’t think Captain Donald Love’s reaction to some of our number who booed the team off the field at half time did him any credit, either. I don’t personally see the point of jeering in this way but Donald is supposed to be a professional footballer and he is also supposed to lead by example as Skipper – and he absolutely didn’t at half time.

Jensen Weir was also really poor today in midfield in my opinion – but at least he didn’t react to the pessimists in our crowd. Up front, Oumar Niasse looked to be still way off match fitness to me and was far too lightweight in any case against big, determined defenders. Alongside him, Cole Stockton was very disappointing again today and deserved to be taken-off during the second half.

Some of our number booed the team as they left the field at the end. But the majority applauded them. I suspect the fans who clapped share my own view that the overwhelming bulk of our players genuinely give their best for the side.

But – as I see things at least and quite brutally – this `best’ isn’t good enough for League One.

Results elsewhere made the club’s position in the Dead Zone in the division even worse than ever.  MK Frauds drew at their hated local rivals Wycombe two goals each; Cambridge won for the first time in ages: nil-two at Port Vale. Oxford picked-up a vital point at Peterborough in a scoreless draw and Accrington didn’t play at all. So Morecambe find themselves just one point ahead of Cambridge with two more game played tonight. They are a point behind Stanley, who also have two games in hand on us.

Almost at the same time of the season last year, Morecambe were given a lesson in the football arts at Wigan, where Athletic won all too easily 4-1.

I wasn’t the only Shrimps’ fan in the ground that day who thought relegation was a certainty after this debacle.

But King Derek kept us up then.

Can he do so again?

This is what he said after the match:

“We didn’t defend well enough again today. I’ve got to give credit to Barnsley. We are coming up against some really tough teams. The players are trying. At times, they do get deflated. We tried to attack but today, it didn’t work out for us. It has been a difficult week for the staff and the players. I understand that the result is not one anyone would have wanted but the players are trying their best. It’s very difficult for the supporters because they want to see their team doing well – and winning. Unfortunately, at this moment in time it is really difficult for us not just on the field but off the field as well. I have to say that as a football club, we have been very strong and resilient over many years and that has taken us through the hard times. At this moment in time, as a football club, it is very difficult. We’re in a division which we have only been in for a second season – and we’re trying hard to stay in it again.”

Barnsley: 1 Harry Isted; 2 Jordan Williams; 5 Liam Kitching (Y); 6 Mads Andersen (© 2^nd half); 7 Nicky Cadden (© first half) 26 Ziyad Larkeche 68’); 8 Herbie Kane (10 Josh Benson 55’); 12 BobbyThomas; 16 Luke Thomas (30 Adam Phillips 55’); 44 Devante Cole; 47 Max Watters (31 Slobodon Tedic 63’); 48 Luca Connell (3 Jonathan Russell 55’).

Subs not used:  40 Bradley Collins; 9 James Norwood.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson (22 Josh Austerfield 75’); 8 Daniel Crowley (25 Adam Mayor 74’); 9 Cole Stockton (10 Ash Hunter 75’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 18 Oumar Niasse; 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney; 17 Caleb Watts.

Ref: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Att: 11,519 (279 from Morecambe).

Barnsley Cocktail anybody?

A thought occurred to me at the beginning of this season concerning away travel. It was that I would try and visit as many football grounds as possible which my home town team Morecambe would play at that are within striking distance of my house in Carnforth. I particularly wanted to visit the home venues of the clubs fallen on (relatively) Hard Times most of all during the latest campaign. This was because I thought that this season might be the last time our paths could actually cross in (my) foreseeable future at least for two main reasons: they could well be promoted or we – perish the thought – might get relegated. Or worse…

I’d never been to Derby’s Pride Park prior to this season, for example and today, I decided to travel to a ground I’ve passed a few times in the past but had never actually visited before – Barnsley FC’s Oakwell.

My other usual Partners in Crime were not interested in today’s Day Trip for various reasons. Other Partner Annie is planning for her Easter Extravaganza at Hawkshead Crafts Fair next weekend and couldn’t spare the time – so I decided to travel on my own.

I thus bought single return tickets for the remarkably cheap price of less than twenty quid online; got up at seven on Saturday morning, April the First and – hoping there would be no Practical Jokes on the way – walked down to Carnforth Station to catch the 8.39am train going south.

This was quite exciting in itself for a sad old nerd like me who doesn’t get out –or possibly isn’t fit to be let out – a lot these days. Later, I would return from my South Yorkshire adventure via Leeds and the old Midland line via Skipton and the stretched version of my first stop on the way – Long Preston – which veers back to Carnforth on its journey to Lancaster from just short of the Settle-Carlisle section.

But I started the Morecambe Missionary Work in Yorkshire by taking a train which was going the other way via the presumably shorter Preston on the Barrow to Manchester Airport train. This goes along the West Coast main line and changes at the home of North End to take another route; one I have never travelled on before.

This one went to Leeds via Blackburn; Accrington; Burnley Manchester Road; Hebden Bridge; Halifax; Bradford Interchange and New Pudsey.

(How many football league clubs? How many ex-Football League clubs?)

Got an answer? Good – because your time’s up.

(Five Football League members; eight if you include Preston and the `Manchester’ bit of Manchester Road and two ex-members: Halifax and Bradford Park Avenue if I’ve got my ducks all in a line.)

There’s a big Bonus Point for a sensible answer to the final question too:

How much time will the Levelling-Up Secretary Michael `Groovy’ Gove save on this journey across the backbone of England once his HS2 and other agendas are finally actually completed?

Is it:

1. None;
2. Nobody knows or
3. Nobody south of Watford actually cares?

The answer is actually d): he can do it in a world record time with police outriders in his chauffeur-driven Jag along the M6/M61/M60 /M62 and M1. If that fails – as we all know – a helicopter ride will usually fix it.  So – as he might have expressed this dilemma in his own softly-spoken Scottish brogue – What’s the problem, Peasants?)

Anyway, as Stephenson’s Rocket steamed out of the station in Preston and headed eastwards, the trip was down Memory Lane for me, too. I lived for over two wonderful years near Bradford and then another two rather less than wonderful ones near Burnley back in the 1980s.

It had been sunny although cold as I marched down the hill from where I live to Carnforth station on the great day. And the Sun continued to smile on myself and my fellow-passengers until we got about as far east as Blackburn. Then the skies clouded over as our nearest star hid itself for the rest of the day.

Maybe it was an omen…

We travelled past the extraordinary fly-tipping reality that is illustrated by the embankments adjacent to Manchester Road station in down-at-heel Burnley. There must be literally tons of rubbish there – and you can smell the reek of urban decay from the town itself even from the train. By contrast, Halifax is still a very handsome place with some really impressive sandstone buildings. And the old Mackintosh factory: “The Home of Quality Street and After Eight” – yummy… But the wasteland of industrial dereliction around Bradford in particular was a stark reality of the post-industrial society that so much of Brexit Britain has been reduced to.

Today, it was All Change at Leeds (where I was once a postgrad student at the University – I love this city) via Wakefield to beautiful Barnsley. Yes – Barnsley, home of Michael Parkinson and his beloved Skinner Normanton; ex-coal Miner and genuinely tough Tykes Hard Man and, of course – the Barnsley Cocktail (thanks to my mate Bill for this particularly useful bit of information):

(Shouldn’t there be a fancy cocktail stick poking out of the pie?)

I’ve not been to Barnsley for literally years. I think the last time I did so was behind the wheel of a great big yellow recovery truck, where I remember dropping a car off there within sight of Oakwell Stadium. This would be twenty to twenty-five years ago but I suspect the town – or at least the centre of it – hasn’t changed much in the intervening period.

So what do we call a native of Barnsley? A Tyke, if we are going to be polite. According to The Yorkshire Society, though, maybe this isn’t so polite:

“A familiar name for a Yorkshireman (but strangely, not usually for a Yorkshirewoman) and which is still often used by people from other areas of England, most especially Lancashire, is a “Tyke”.

Like many words in Yorkshire and Northern dialect it originated from Old Norse tika where curiously enough, for its present gender orientation, it meant a female dog or bitch – especially a mongrel good at catching rats.

But it came to be used in medieval times for a naughty or mischievous boy or urchin. Over the years, certainly by the 17^th and 18^th centuries, its meaning became more localised to include not just the inhabitants of Yorkshire but also from Tyneside.

A Tyke was rough, unkempt, combative but also sly, shrewd, and careful with money (another alleged Yorkshire attribute) – a tight Tyke.”

A `Dingle’ is a seemingly even less polite word – this is the name the local tribe of Sheffielders reserve for their northern neighbour. Why?

Well – you can basically make up your own explanation.

A Dingle (noun) is a small, wooded valley.

But Barnsley isn’t built in a valley, wooded or otherwise. The centre actually straddles the top of a hill.

So what other meaning is there? It’s a vaguely rude word for the male member which some children might use. It is also a verb, used when someone denies that a belief they have expressed is completely mistaken but continues to insist that they are right and everyone else is wrong.

(See Donald Trump; Liz Truss and anyone who claims that the Earth is flat and continues to dingle about it.)

The most both confusingly convincing yet definitely unconvincing explanation of the word I’ve heard, though, is that there is apparently a family called Dingle in the soap opera Emmerdale. They are supposed to be from Burnley (which is why the Blackburn tribe refer to their generally despised neighbours in the Lancashire town as Dingles, apparently.) But the Dingles on the telly are seemingly a bunch of chavs and chancers  – and not terribly bright with it either, hence – I am told – the pejorative term used by Barnsley’s Sheffield neighbours as well.

But how long has Emmerdale and even precursor Emmerdale Farm been around?

Exactly.

I suspect the term `Dingle’ precedes both of them, Doctor Watson.

So what do you think?

Let’s move on.

Whenever I go anywhere, I wonder what the historical links between the town and the past are.

Here in Carnforth, we have Lord of Tory `Family Values’ Hypocrisy, Mr Cecil Parkinson; The Beatless (only just superseded in terms of fame by a group from Liverpool who couldn’t spell), Steamtown and M6 Junction 35).

Home town Morecambe has Eric; Thora Hird; The Bay; The Eden Project, Tyson Fury and too many others to fit in an article as short as this one needs to be.

So what famous Tykes has history provided?

Springfield in the USA famously has Bart and Homer but Barnsley has its own upcoming Simpson:  boxing star Callum. Should he change his name immediately to Tykeson Fury? Callum was interviewed live over the PA system at Oakwell on Saturday at half time. Then he was paraded around the home part of the ground. If he’d come down to our end as well, I would be astonished if he wouldn’t have got a similarly warm reception: good luck to the lad.

Cricketer Darren Gough and iconic Umpire `Dickie’ Bird; footballers the Greenhoff brothers; John Stones and the incomparable Mick McCarthy (among others) also originate in Barnsley.

Then there’s Charlie Williams, one of the first black footballers to play the professional game in this country, who later made an even greater impact as a brilliant stand-up Comedian on the northern Working Men’s’ Clubs circuit and then, eventually, television.  “Tha‘d better laugh, Luv – or Ah’ll come and live next door to thee!”

In my view, he was far funnier than fellow-Tyke Harry Worth – another name from the past whose alleged `humour’ was completely lost on me, for one: I thought it was stupid as opposed to funny, personally.

Uncle Arthur Scargill (who needs no introduction to people of a certain age) also originates from Barnsley as do the worthies – (Michael) Parky and Skinner – already mentioned.

I thought that Radio Four’s beloved Poet and acceptable face/voice of Northern-ness to Home Counties as well as The Home Programme listeners – Ian Macmillan – was from Barnsley as well but this is a myth. He comes from Darfield, which is a distinctive place miles away (six to be exact.)

I can’t find any famous rock bands, artists (in the sense of painters or sculptors such as the ones that nearby Wakefield once produced by the dozens) or writers but I stand to be corrected about this.

There’s a nice mix of buildings, though. This is the magnificent Town Hall, which can be seen from literally miles away in its dominant position right at the top of the town centre:

I had no idea of what the purpose of this almost Gothic pile on York Street was or is when I first set eyes upon it:

Why does it have a huge stone chimney at the back? I thought it might have once been a Hospital but the adjacent church also suggested there might once have been a religious significance. A church school, maybe? Methodism was once a very influential belief system in Barnsley, apparently.

But Dr Google tells me that this is the Grade II listed Kingstone Public Baths which were active in the town until as recently as 1989.

I love this Art Nouveau masterpiece too:

Lots of Tykes fans were lubricating themselves in a bar shown at the end of this picture and I must say that all of them who I encountered before, during and after the game were extraordinarily friendly: “Hey Up!” “’Ow Do!” and whatnot. “Good luck later, Mate” was the one I liked the best. “To you or us?” I asked him. He laughed – “To us to be honest!” Fair enough – and this sort of banter makes a nice change from some other places where I have wandered the streets alone wearing my Shrimps paraphernalia.

On the way back from Oakwell once the demolition of mighty Morecambe had been completed, I got talking to two very friendly policemen. One of them was a local copper. But the other was from Lancashire Constabulary. “You get paid for following Morecambe around the country?” I asked him. “Yeah!” he replied – as if this was the most natural thing in the world. “And most of it’s on Overtime as well!” I think I went into the wrong line of work… I’d asked the local Bobby for directions back to the station and they both expressed astonishment that anyone would travel from Lancashire to Barnsley by train. Why? Do hooligans and other criminal types not use trains according to the Police’s Bible of Miscreants? So just make a note of that, any terrorists reading this – it might come in very handy one day…

At the Interchange after the game, another young Tykes fan asked me where I was going; how long it would take me to get there and wished me luck. (I probably reminded him of his Granddad come to think of it – he was probably taking pity on me…) As I got off the train at Leeds, another Barnsley supporter offered me commiserations… and we had a brief chat about the likely fate of both of our clubs this season.

In a way, that was the highlight of the day. I got a really positive impression of the club and its supporters and I genuinely wish them luck for the rest of the campaign – and beyond.

On the inside cover of the football programme, though, was this announcement:

Elsewhere, there was this message:

So not everybody in Barnsley is a little angel, are they? Vey sadly, there are bigots and morons among the ranks of all football club supporters – including our own. What struck me about this though, is that these announcements at Barnsley FC are clearly not just empty words. About twenty-five minutes into the second half of the match, there was a stadium announcement saying that racist or homophobic abuse had been reported in the South Stand. The announcer was clearly incensed by this behaviour by home fans and asked others to report the people responsible for it to Stewards so they could be ejected and banned. Good for him – good for the club – this says a lot about them – and the town itself too.

But I get ahead of myself. I got off the train at Barnsley Interchange when I arrived from Leeds and – like the Pied Piper’s rats – was lured straight into the beating heart of Barnsley by an iconic Yorkshire sound: a genuine Brass Band:

They aren’t actually from Barnsley: they are the Carlton Main former colliery band from Frickley. And they were really excellent, too. But going back to cultural influences on the town, perhaps this is not all that surprising: the film Brassed Off was set in Barnsley. (As was the old classic Kes as well…)

Next door to where the band was playing is the modern Barnsley Market: big; loads of proper, traditional stalls and a vast variety of cuisine – from Mexican to Thai to Stick-to-Yer-Ribs pie and peas with gravy and authentically Yorkshire Puds: you name it.

And who can resist wandering around a place where the name of the first stall you set eyes upon is Sailor Sid’s Sweets?

I was going to eat upstairs in the Market Hall later but I blundered across Eldon Arcade Cafe as I wandered around the town centre. Rough and ready but it was really busy – always a good sign. I had a Veggie Breakfast without the egg (uggh!): baked beans; buttered toast; tomatoes; mushrooms and a hash brown washed down with a mug of tea. Four quid. How much is a Latte in Starbucks? It was great – but how do they do it for this price? How do they make a profit?

I walked to the ground next. Five minutes from the centre of the town, Oakwell is built right in the heart of the local community:

The interior reflects its status as a former member of the Premiership:

But in its iconic corner pylon floodlights and this, it also reflects its history as one of the oldest football clubs in the country:

This is the West Stand, which was built in the early 1900s. Note the television gantry on the roof – I suspect this wasn’t in the original plans…

What happened during the next two hours in this stadium was truly depressing from my own and my fellow 278 Shrimps fans’ points of view.

You can read my match report – if you can stand to relive the horror which we all witnessed – here:

Morecambe: April Fools in Barnsley.

Sadly, I don’t expect to be visiting Barnsley again in the foreseeable future. Certainly not for footballing matters. But for those of the Tykes fraternity who are going to miss us, there’s always a solution:

(Shouldn’t that be Mazuma not Globe Holidays?) Shall I get Morecambe co-Chairman Rod Taylor to write to them as he once did to me instructing Yours Truly to update my images of the ground back by the seaside? (By the way, I’m still waiting for the photos Rod…)

There is apparently a real possibility that the latest of several financial crises which have engulfed Morecambe FC in recent times could result in our club going bust altogether. If this actually happens – god forbid – I have a Business Proposal for Globe Holidays. I would like to humbly suggest that they organise coaches going the other way too. I’d go, for one. After all, I wouldn’t even have to change my red and white scarf. So what do we say at the end of our brief visit to Barnsley? We say:

Come on you Tykes!!!!!

LEAGUE ONE. FRIDAY, 7th APRIL 2023.

Not a Good Friday for Morecambe

It was Memory Lane for Derek Adams today as one his former clubs travelled the long distance from Devon to take-on his current one in north Lancashire. Plymough Argyle arrived in second position in League One, level on eighty points with leaders Sheffield Wednesday but with a game in hand. They had won four of their last five league games but – infamously – lost the last time they took to the field as well. In a match where all Morecambe supporters would be cheering them on, they lost to the hated Ian Evatt’s outfit in the Pizza Trophy thing last Sunday by four goals to nil. So the Pilgrims would want to get their train back on the track today at the Mazuma Stadium and all the omens suggested that they would.

In past encounters with the Shrimps, they have come out on top in nine of sixteen games and drawn four of them. So far in League One, they have beaten Morecambe at Home park twice but drew here last season one goal each. To make things even easier for Argyle, the Shrimps are far too easy to beat currently and have been playing like a team which would struggle in the division below for the last few weeks.

Morecambe started the game in twenty-second place in League Two but have played more games than all of their rivals for relegation – and everyone else, for that matter. They have picked up only a solitary point from a potential fifteen in their last five matches and have scored just three goals in this time but have conceded fifteen – three per match on average to add to the increasingly dire Debit Column in their Goal Difference.

For the visitors, Head Coach Steven Schumacher said about the defeat at Wembley last time out:

“There should be no negativity around our team this season, none whatsoever. We’re playing so well and we’re overperforming if you like, from what we should be doing. Personally it’s my first full season as a manager and days like this is where you learn a lot about yourself – you learn a lot about your team.”

As far as today’s match is concerned, he added:

“We managed to take maximum points from Forest Green and Accrington who were in a similar position to Morecambe in the league. We expect a tough game from Morecambe. One of our old managers is their manager. We know that Derek’s teams will always be really well organised. They’ve got a threat when they counter attack and break, and they can score goals from outside the box. We need to make sure that we’re prepared for that.”

Defender Dan Scarr added, starting with the disappointment suffered at the hands of the Horwich Pizza Gobblers:

“Everyone was hurt, everyone was annoyed. It was quiet for a bit and then we started talking about how we’ve got to use that as motivation. We haven’t really got time to be down about it and dwell on it. Forget about it now. It’s done. It wasn’t a good day.  We’re in a great position (in the league). We’ve got lots to be excited about and to look forward to. We’ll go in with our heads high and do what we’ve been doing all season really. We will try to get our preparation right, work out the strengths and weaknesses of the team we are playing. We make sure we do the things that we are good at. I think it’ll be a really tough game. I expect we should have a lot of the ball, but it’s just trying to break them down. They’ll be solid. They’ll want to try and cause an upset; they need the points.”

The man who was in charge of gaining these points – King Derek – spoke about the difficulties facing himself and his players on and off the field earlier in the week. This can’t be easy. From where I sit, trying to keep the club in League One against all odds must be difficult enough given the financial constraints alone that he has faced all season. But to find that – at the very moment that stability within the club is imperative if they are to stand any chance of survival at all – the owners have yet again failed to come up with the basics to keep things going must be truly disheartening for anybody. But Derek is a resilient individual. He said about the situation when the staff and players weren’t paid on time last week:

“It becomes difficult but you are the leader of your players and your staff. As a leader, you’ve got to be seen to be supportive – you can’t go and hide away from the situation. You need to be on the main floor. That’s what I did and that’s what I always do – good, bad or indifferent. I think that’s really important.  The players were informed by myself every day as best as I could because information was difficult to come by about what circumstances were going on around about us.”

He added the following about his former employers:

“I’ve got really happy memories of Plymouth Argyle. I’ve still got friends in the area. It’s a football club that I love. It was a tough time when I went there. The reason I got the job at Plymouth Argyle was because I could work within a budget. That’s the reason I probably get a number of jobs – including in Morecambe – because I have to work to the constraints that the football club have.”

Finally, he evaluated today’s daunting task in these simple terms:

“We’ve got to win every game between now and the end of the season to give ourselves any opportunity to stay in League One. We’ve given ourselves still a fighting chance with six games to go. We’re just going to try our best to give it as best as we can.”

The weather in north Lancashire has been really sunny albeit cold for the last couple of days. So the game started in bright Spring sunshine and was played under blue skies throughout.

Things didn’t look that promising for the men in the red shirts in the opening minutes of the match. Roared-on by the massed ranks of their tremendous away support, Argyle took the game to Morecambe right from kick-off. Home custodian Connor Ripley flapped at a cross from the Plymouth left after only a couple of minutes and the Shrimps’ defence looked shaky in the extreme as they managed to clear a corner just after this. (I thought that a man in a red shirt used his shoulder to deflect the ball during this move but Referee Marc Edwards – who had a poor game throughout this afternoon – didn’t give a penalty to the visitors.)

A second corner led to a decent save by Connor from James Wilson after which the ball found its way via a killer pass from Daniel Crowley to Jensen Weir on the half-way line as Morecambe cleared it. He broke through the retreating line of white and green and took it forward confidently to slip beyond Callum Burton in the away goal to quieten the travelling supporters and give Derek Adams’ men an unexpected lead. This was in the fourth minute and by the forty-seventh minute and half time, this was still the score. Morecambe never looked like adding to their lead and the closest they came was after twelve minutes when Weir almost sent the ball over the stand-full of Argyle supporters with a wild shot from the Shrimps’ left.

The Away Stand was full.

At the other end, after the initial onslaught by Plymouth, Joe Edwards’ excellent header was deflected away for a corner after thirty-nine minutes. Three minutes later, Tyreik Wright walloped the ball over the bar with a fierce shot and right at the death, Centre-Half Wilson again came close with a low shot which only just missed the target.

But the home team retreated to the Dressing Rooms at half time deservedly in the lead. They had been the better team throughout.

Predictably, though, it was a totally different story in the second period. Argyle stepped-up the pace and began to dominate possession right from the off. Ripley managed to hold a shot from Edwards with just three minutes played. In a rare foray into the visitors’ half, the lacklustre Cole Stockton managed to actually draw a decent save from visiting custodian Burton with fifty-five minutes on the clock. But it was mostly one-way traffic in the opposite direction. Plymouth’s equaliser with just over an hour played was an absolute peach of a goal. Miller and Danny Mayor combined well on the Argyle left as they progressed up the field before Mayor scored with a fantastic shot from distance which swerved into the top corner of Ripley’s net high to his left.

After that, there was only one team going to win today. And Plymouth almost took the lead from a corner in the sixty-seventh minute when Connor did brilliantly to push Ryan Hardie’s near-post header over the bar. Morecambe Skipper Donald Love then smashed a long-range shot from the Morecambe right just wide of the target with six minutes of scheduled time still to play. But just as the home crowd were praying that the match would end in a draw, the visitors duly went further ahead in the eighty-seventh minute. It looked to me at least that substitute Callum Wright had been fouled in the home penalty area but the ball was finally worked by replacement Jay Matete to another sub – Ben Waine – who drove the ball low under Ripley’s body into the net. And – just for good measure – Argyle scored a third during injury time at the end of the game. In doing so, they mirrored almost exactly Morecambe’s opening goal – the visitors broke away quickly on the break and this time Matete himself found the net.

So that was it – yet another precious game played and yet another defeat. Deserved Man of the Match Dan Crowley put in another decent shift but too many of his colleagues failed to do so today. Cole Stockton was the worst offender: he should be ashamed of the way he played this afternoon, with no determination and precious little commitment. The drop looks increasingly inevitable – this team simply aren’t good enough for League One and that’s very sadly all there is to it.

Elsewhere, things got even worse. Cambridge and Accrington both won and Burton and MK Plastics drew to look increasingly safe. Only Forest Green Rovers seem to be a worse team in the entire division than King Derek’s men. As his old club went to the very top of the pile tonight, his current one fell to next to bottom of it. These were his thoughts after the game:

“It was very difficult to take. We’ve lost too many points this season from winning positions. We’ve lost twenty-one points now from winning positions. That’s probably due to the inexperience in the squad. We were in a fantastic position today at one-nil ahead against a team that are the league leaders. To succumb to a defeat so late in the match is really difficult to take.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 8 Daniel Crowley (17 Caleb Watts 70’); 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir; 22 Josh Austerfield (Y); 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré (25 Adam Mayor 88’); 29 Dynel Simeu (18 Oumar Niasse 88’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 7 Jake Taylor; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 21 Ryan Cooney.

Plymouth Argyle: 25 Callum Burton; 4 Jordan Houghton (28 Jay Matete (Y) 83’); 5 James Wilson; 6 Dan Scarr; 7 Matt Butcher (10 Danny Mayor 56’); 8 Joe Edwards (C) (Y) (17 Bali Mumba 74’); 9 Ryan Hardie; 14 Mickel Miller (26 Callum Wright 74’); 16 Sam Cosgrove (23 Ben Waine 55’); 22 Brendan Galloway; 29 Tyreik Wright.

Subs not used:  32 Adam Parkes; 21 Nigel Lonwijk.

Ref: Marc Edwards.

Att: 4,904 (1.050 from Plymouth.)

LEAGUE ONE. EASTER MONDAY, 10th APRIL 2023.

No Blues for Morecambe at Portsmouth.

Morecambe made the long trip to Hampshire today to face yet another daunting prospect in their seemingly doomed attempt to avoid a return to League Two in the shape of one time Premiership club Portsmouth.

The Shrimps have played Pompey eleven times in the past and only won three of these games. In the reverse fixture at the Maz last November, they drew 1-1. In their only other previous League One meetings, the Blues beat Stephen Robinson’s team last season 2-0 at Fratton Park before drawing 1-1 at the Maz last April as Derek Adams worked the miracle of taking a seemingly doomed team away from the relegation zone at the eleventh hour.

No such miracle seems likely this time around. The Shrimps arrived in Hampshire just one place from the bottom of the division and on the back of four losses in their last five league games and just a single draw: relegation form indeed.

Last time out – in a feisty game where Portsmouth had four players booked and Joe Morrell sent off following a straight red – Pompey only managed a 1-1 draw away against the plastic people from Milton Keynes. But they have not lost in their last five league games and have won three of them. They started today’s game in ninth place in the table and still have faint hopes of a finish in the Play-Off positions in League One.

Blues boss John Mousinho said before the game:

“We saw on Friday that MK Dons were set up to stop us playing – which is something we take as a compliment. I’m sure it will be the same with Morecambe on Monday and that is going to ramp up the pressure on us. We have to find a way to deal with that and win the game because we obviously want to collect all three points. With some of the players they have and a few of their previous results this season, we know they are a good attacking side. It’s a game we’re probably going to have to win because the gap has now opened up slightly, but it’s not insurmountable.”

It was sunny although not particularly warm on the south coast as the wind fairly whipped off the nearby Solent as the match kicked-off. Morecambe must have won the toss and elected to change around and they went on to put on a decent show during the first half. They won the first corner of the game after just three minutes and also had the first meaningful chance after eight. Cole Stockton’s shot from the far post after an excellent cross from Donald Love on the Morecambe right was pushed away by home custodian Matt Macey for a corner. This happened a minute after Marlon Pack had walloped the ball way over the away goal from a long way out. Pompey’s Blackpool loanee Owen Dale then put in a dangerous cross from the right which eluded everybody in a blue shirt with a quarter of an hour played. But the visitors had a wonderful opportunity to open the scoring with seventeen minutes on the clock as Stockton tamely headed Birthday Boy (19 today) Adam Mayor’s pin-point cross from the right tamely way off target with Macey out of his ground and scrambling to get back into position.

Another superb image by Liam Roberts – @LiamOneThree on Twitter.

A weak shot from Dale was then easily fielded by Connor Ripley after 22 minutes. Cole tested the home stopper with a shot after 25 minutes which Macey managed to push away for another corner. The hosts then fashioned another half-chance a minute later but Colby Bishop stepped over the ball in the Morecambe penalty area when well placed and allowed the visiting defence to clear it. Tom Lowery then fashioned two low shots for himself from the Portsmouth right which only just missed the far post twice in the twenty-sixth and thirty-first minutes. Moments after the second chance, Liam Gibson tried his luck from right of centre just outside the home penalty area with a shot which didn’t trouble Macey too much. Then, four minutes later, Love sent a superb cross from the right again which Stockton once more failed to control. So the game ended nil-nil at half time and a measure of Morecambe’s contribution to it was that a huge – almost eighteen thousand – crowd was quiet for most of the first forty-five minutes.

The second half followed a similar pattern. Morecambe carved-out the first chance as Crowley played a lovely ball forward towards our centre forward. But Cole was again to slow to react, allowing Macey to rush from his line and intercept the pass. Ten minutes in, Jensen Weir found himself unmarked right in the centre of goal but – with the entire target to hit, shot straight at the home keeper, who held onto the ball securely. Connor had an even easier save at the other end from substitute Reeko Hackett-Fairchild as soon as he came onto the field with just over an hour played. Morecambe Old Boy Joe Piggott – on-loan to Portsmouth from Ipswich Town – was also introduced around this time but Pompey were still struggling to impose any shape or domination on the game. Crowley played another superb pass for Weir to run onto after 68 minutes but the wind again caught it and the home goalkeeper was first to the ball once more. Daniel then tried again straight afterwards only to see his cross this time cleared for a corner by the home defence. After seventy minutes, the very impressive Pape N’Diaye Souaré slipped and fell awkwardly at the side of the pitch to put a premature end to a very promising afternoon. In the seventy-fourth minute, the home side came as close as they did all afternoon to scoring when Dale’s header was cleared off the goal-line by Cole the Goal following a corner. Sub Hackett-Fairchild missed with a wild shot after 76 minutes but came a bit closer five minutes later. Pompey came close again as Piggott headed narrowly wide with 83 minutes on the clock. By this time, however, the stadium had reverted to its state during the first half – exceptionally quiet. Perhaps the best chance of the afternoon was then squandered by the visitors with just five minutes scheduled to play. Substitute Jake Taylor did well to win the ball and pass it to Jensen on the right. He, in turn, laid back a perfect pass for an unmarked Jake to hit the target from very close range. But our number seven contrived to wallop the ball over the frame of the goal instead. Right at the death, Weir’s shot was blocked for a corner and in injury time, Ripley pulled-off a superb save low to his right to keep out Hackett-Fairchild’s excellent header. On the touch-line, Morecambe’s Manager went ballistic after this – presumably spotting what he thought was an infringement in the build-up to this chance. Referee Ollie Yates booked him for his trouble.

So that was it: a well-deserved point on the road against a good team. It doesn’t really help matters at the foot of the table. But, with Accrington being beaten at Sheffield Wednesday 3-0; FGL losing again and all Morecambe’s other rivals also drawing, it could have been worse. The Shrimps remain next to bottom of League One tonight. Portsmouth stayed in ninth position. This is what King Derek made of it all:

“I thought it was a brilliant performance today from our team from start to finish. I thought there was a lot of top performances in the side tonight. We were just unfortunate not to go ahead in the game. We can’t ask any more of these players. What they do is they just keep on going. Everyone that was used; everyone that started the game put in an excellent performance. Not many teams come to Fratton Park and do as well as we have done today.”

Portsmouth: 1 Matt Macey; 3 Denver Hume; 4 Clark Robertson (C); 7 Marlon Pack; 8 Ryan Tunnicliffe (10 Joe Piggott 65’); 9 Colby Bishop (Y); 15 Owen Dale (Y); 17 Joe Rafferty; 19 Dane Scarlett (18 Reeko Hackett-Fairchild 60’); 20 Sean Raggett; 26 Tom Lowery.

Subs not used:  21 Josh Oluwayemi; 23 Louis Thompson; 28 Di’Shon Bernard; 30 Harry Jewitt-White; 34 Ryley Towler.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson (Y); 6 Ryan Delaney; 8 Daniel Crowley; 9 Cole Stockton; 15 Jensen Weir; 22 Josh Austerfield (Y) (29 Dynel Simeu 86’); 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré (21 Ryan Cooney 70’); 25 Adam Mayor (7 Jake Taylor 78’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 14 Arthur Gnahoua; 17 Caleb Watts; 18 Oumar Niasse.

Ref: Ollie Yates.

Att: 17,739 (139 fantastic Morecambe supporters).

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 15th APRIL 2023.

Chairboys collapse at Morecambe

The football team of High Wycombe wandered its way to the north Lancashire seaside today with the hope of keeping pace with the Play-Off Pack at the top of League One. Wanderers arrived at the Maz in eighth place in the division but on the back of only one win and two draws in their last five league games. In fact, since long-serving Manager Gareth Ainsworth departed for Pastures New last February, Matt Bloomfield’s team have only won three of ten league games and lost four of them. The most recent of these wins was on Easter Monday, where the Chairboys overcame seemingly doomed Forest Green Rovers at home by two goals to nil. In twenty-one previous meetings, Wanderers have beaten Morecambe ten times and lost just five. In League One, Morecambe threw away a two goal half-time lead last season at Adams Park and lost 4-3. But the Shrimps were victorious here by the odd goal of five last season and drew 1-1 last October in Buckinghamshire in today’s reverse fixture.

Derek Adams’ men started this afternoon’s game with an even poorer recent record than their opponents: just two points collected from their last five matches, most recently on Monday at Portsmouth where they played really well. However, they were five points adrift of safety prior to kick-off and have played more games than any other club in the division. So, with four games left including today’s, wins and nothing less are required if Morecambe are to stand any chance at all of avoiding relegation for the first time in their 103 year existence.

Wycombe’s Manager Matt Bloomfield said this prior to the game:

“Morecambe will be a dangerous team to play against. They got a good point at Fratton Park last week: nil-nil away at Portsmouth isn’t an easy result to come by. We know they have their strengths like any team in our league. We have to guard against their strengths and try and exploit their weaknesses. They are a good team. Derek Adams is a Manager I respect; he’s had a long career and I think in this industry; in this game, it’s not easy to build those number of games that he’s had. He’s got promotions. Morecambe have always given us a tough game. It’s not going to be an easy afternoon. It’s not going to be a comfortable afternoon. We have to perform the best we possibly can and try and keep that momentum going.”

For the Shrimps, King Derek said quite a lot before the match:

“Three points for each team is vital: they’ll be going all out to do it. That leaves space on both sides. We’ll be going out to try and win the game. They’ll leave space as well. They’ll understand we’ve got a very good home record: it’s a nearly mid-table home record this season. I don’t think there’s any point in defending at this stage of the season. I don’t think there has been any point – we’ve just gone for it. We did that at Portsmouth last week: we tried to get on the front foot and be up against the opponent. That’s our take on it all the time. I think we’ve always given it our best. I couldn’t have been any prouder of those players, a difficult game against a side pushing for the top six, and the players gave their all.”

He also announced that there were five unspecified players who would not be available for selection on Saturday due to injury. He then repeated something he has said before:

“The people above me have spoken to me face to face and told me I’ve been let down. But I’m here as the manager of the football club to try to keep us going. There’s nothing we can do. We’re in a hugely difficult situation. I am still angry. I’m boiling inside. I’m absolutely raging inside. Anger isn’t going to get me anywhere. Unfortunately, you just can’t say what you want to say. It’s a balancing act. When you’re a manager and you’re raging inside, some players don’t understand what’s going on inside and just want to play football and you’re trying to get the best out of them. I’m left to do what I’m left to do. All I’m trying to do is keep our players motivated and ready to go on a Saturday when circumstances around about us are very difficult.”

But, crucially, he also made a very profound point about Management as an art when he was asked a key question about who is left to help him to maintain his own momentum in situations such as those he faces currently. Derek, after all, is expected not just to get on with the day-to-day running of a team of individuals and deal with problems on and off the field; he is also obliged to spend an inordinate amount of time and effort trying to motivate other people. He replied:

“It’s a good question which is always spoken about in management programs: who motivates the motivator? Usually – no-one. Usually. That is the problem in society and in big organisations: it is left to the Manager. There’s the hierarchy that are able to come out and help but in a football scenario, the manager is always – always – left out on a limb. When a Manager picks-up a Manager of the Month award, he’s got five; ten; fifteen people around him. But when the Manager goes out of the door, it’s him and his black bag which goes out the door. That’s the reality of football management: it’s not right but it’s just the way that some clubs work.”

Too true. Anyway, the weather was been bright and sunny all day in north Lancashire today, albeit chilly in the shadows with a keen breeze running off Morecambe Bay.

The Home end.

The Away End almost full.

Morecambe kicked-off and we were treated to another disjointed display from the Shrimps for most of the first half. Wycombe looked slicker and as if they had arrived with a plan. They played the ball from front to back purposefully almost all the way through the game. Their passes were made to feet and they were constantly trying to take the game to the hosts by repeatedly pressing up the field. Having said that, Morecambe were committed to their defence of their own goal today and man after man in a red shirt spoilt Wanderers’ good approach play by blocking the final shot with the result that home stopper Connor Ripley didn’t have any meaningful saves to make in the first half at least. Lewis Wing came close after twenty-two minutes after teammates Chris Forino and Brandon Hanlan had worked the ball intelligently down the Wanderers’ left flank but his shot was deflected narrowly wide. Just before the end of the half, Josh Scowen carried the ball a long way into the home half before slipping it to Chem Campbell, who unleashed a shot which was again deflected for a corner kick.

Morecambe looked shambolic at times and seemed determined just to clear their lines any way they could. A succession of aimless headers away from the danger area constantly fell to the men in the iconic squared strip. The home team kept giving the ball away when they had it on the ground as well and looked disorganised at the back almost every time the visitors attacked. But having said that, they also fashioned a few chances of their own. The smallest man on the field – the absolutely excellent Daniel Crowley – wasted a golden opportunity to take the lead when he headed Jensen Weir’s pin-point cross from the Shrimps’ right over the bar after a quarter of an hour. It seemed to me at least that Wycombe had conceded a penalty against Weir himself after 38 minutes but Referee Andrew Kitchen (who I thought, to be fair, had a good game today) didn’t break the script of the season so far by pointing to the spot to the advantage of the home side. Josh Austerfield also headed over the bar near the death.

But for me, the absolutely dismal display by Skipper Donald Love – who was constantly guilty of rank bad passing; being repeatedly caught completely out of position and basically being a total liability on the right hand side of the home defence throughout the time he was on the field – was key to the home side’s vulnerability in the opening period.

King Derek – absent from the touch line for the entire game presumably as a result of accumulated yellow cards this season – took his Captain off at half time. Replacement Ryan Cooney picked-up his regulation yellow card after about fifteen minutes of the restart. But he also undoubtedly helped to steady the ship on the Morecambe right as soon as he made an appearance.

Despite this, the visitors still played the better football and had the best early chances as well in the second period. They might have scored after 51 minutes when Jack Grimmer bundled a corner narrowly wide. Three minutes later, they came even closer. Josh Scowen did well to win the ball, drive forward and slip the ball to Tjay De Barr, who screwed his final shot when well placed just wide of the target.

Then the home custodian earned his corn with a superb save to keep David Wheeler’s shot out with eighty-one minutes on the clock. Four minutes later, Ripley came to the rescue again with another brilliant stop from Lewis Wing’s fierce strike. He was stranded, though, as Grimmer’s header struck his crossbar on ninety minutes and bounced away to safety. But Connor saved – if you’ll pardon the pun – his best until last. In injury time, he excelled himself to keep out McCleary’s effort after the Chairboy had been prompted by Skipper Joe Jacobson’s excellent pass forward.

Cole Stockton had been having a poor game until he finally managed to get off a shot with an hour played. He spun and fired from the right hand side of the away penalty area from his point of view but his attempt was so high that it sailed over the roof of the seat-less home stand. Cole tried again for a spectacular finish when his over-optimistic bicycle kick went only slightly lower onto the standing terrace ten minutes later.

Morecambe’s pack was shuffled towards the end of the game and – for the first time in the match – they started to put real pressure on the Chairboys’ rearguard. For the first time in the game too, the visitors started to look increasingly vulnerable in the closing stages of the contest. Critically, after Arthur Gnahoua had been sent on with only two minutes still to play, he made a tremendous run up the Morecambe right flank.  The ball found its way to substitute Jake Taylor, whose powerful shot from some way out was superbly parried by Max Stryjek in the away goal. But Cole was quickest this time to react and he blasted the ball back past the visiting goalkeeper from a difficult angle to win the game for the Shrimps and give them a victory which had seemed unlikely for most of the contest. This win still gives hope that the club can yet again avoid relegation from League One against all odds with only three games left to play.

Elsewhere, Cambridge beat Peterborough 2-0 in the Fens’ Derby to keep themselves two points ahead of Morecambe with a superior goal difference and a game in hand. Forest Green were hammered 1-5 at home by Barnsley to secure their immediate return to League Two. But Oxford lost at home 0-1 to Ian Evatt’s Wonderful Wanderers and Accrington also lost the Lancashire derby at home to Fleetwood by five goals to two. So the game isn’t up yet: the Shrimps sit third from bottom of the table tonight just two precious points from safety. Defeat for Wycombe probably puts an end to any hopes of a late promotion push for them. They had chances to win this game today but – despite some nice and well-constructed approach play almost throughout – they looked weak where it really matters: up front.

Derek Adams emerged from wherever he had been ensconced during the game to say this at the end of it:

“Today was a high pressure game and we pushed them all the way. We eventually got the break-through – I thought we should have got it in the first half (when) Jensen Weir should have had a penalty kick – and we just persevered. A great goal from Cole Stockton to win the match.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley; 2 Donald Love (C) (21 Ryan Cooney (Y) 45’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (Y); 9 Cole Stockton (Y); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau (29 Dynel Simeu 82’); 17 Caleb Watts (7 Jake Taylor 61’); 22 Josh Austerfield (18 Oumar Niasse 82’); 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré (14 Arthur Gnahoua 87’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith.

Wycombe Wanderers: 1 Max Stryjek ; 2 Jack Grimmer; 3 Joe Jacobson (C); 5 Chris Forino (Y); 7 David Wheeler;10 Lewis Wing; 18 Brandon Hanlan (9 Sam Vokes 54’); 26 Jason McCarthy; 27 Chem Campbell (8 Curtis Thompson); 28 Josh Scowen; 29 Tjay De Barr (12 Garath McCleary 54’).

Subs not used: 6 Ryan Tafazolli; 16 Jordan Willis; 22 Nick Freeman; 38 Harvey Cartwright.

Ref: Andrew Kitchen.

Att: Over 4,000 with a commendably large following from Wycombe.

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 22nd APRIL 2023.

A Happy Valley for Morecambe this afternoon.

Let’s cast our minds back almost exactly twelve months to the fifteenth of April last year. At the time, I wrote the following: “Morecambe visited The Valley in south east London for the first time ever today. They arrived to face Charlton Athletic with the hope of keeping out of the relegation zone in League One.”

They succeeded: against all odds and many expectations, the Shrimps took the game to their former Premiership hosts and won by the odd goal in five. With only three games left of the campaign after this match, it was undoubtedly the key result which finally kept Morecambe in the division by the skin of their teeth.

Today, though, the Shrimps arrived in south London in an even more parlous position than they were last time they visited this venue just over a year ago. With only three games left altogether, the north Lancashire club found themselves effectively four points adrift of safety (Oxford United are only three points better off but have a vastly superior Goal Difference) in twenty-second place in the division. Charlton, by contrast, sat comfortably in tenth position in the table.

The Addicks had never beaten Morecambe when they arrived at the Maz on 14^th March last for a re-arranged midweek game. Last season, Charlton drew at the side of Morecambe Bay before losing the return fixture at home in the two clubs’ only ever previous encounters. That all changed on the night as Athletic comprehensively outplayed Derek Adams’ men to go back home with a 1-4 victory and all three points. Since then, though, their own form has been unpredictable in the extreme. They did today’s visitors a massive favour by beating the Plastic People 0-1 at Milton Keynes last Tuesday night but they were hammered by Ipswich at Portman Road 6-0 this time last week. On April Fool’s Day, though, they won by a similar score against Shrewsbury Town at the Valley. So it seems that nobody is ever sure which Charlton is likely to show-up. Today, they had nothing to play for except pride and perhaps to catch the Manager’s eye with a view to being retained in a very short few weeks’ time. Boss Dean Holden said that his team were not taking anything for granted against Morecambe when he announced prior to the match:

“It’s important that we show up again on Saturday. We went to MK Dons and they were unbeaten in seven games, even though they’re down near the bottom. We’ve gone there and turned them over. We’ve managed to overcome disappointing results but maintain the confidence quite well this season. It’s easy to go overboard after the game and emotions can get the better of you but keeping the players’ confidence is the most important thing. Morecambe are fighting for everything and we have to give them total respect. For us, it’s another home game at The Valley and there’s only two left, so our supporters will be coming along excited for that reason and hopefully we can score some more goals. I expect to get three really solid performances out of the next three games from this team. Of course, a lot of the focus is on next season and the planning, but making sure we finish strong is really important to me.”

For Morecambe, though, this match was potentially absolutely pivotal to their survival for a second term in the third highest tier of English professional football. They needed to win: nothing else would do.

All the odds were against them doing so, though. The Shrimps have only won one away game in the league all season – against doomed Forest Green Rovers last year. They have been regularly hammered by ex-Premiership outfits this season: 5-0 at Derby and Barnsley alone for example. So they would need a radical change of fortune and form today if they expected to win this game. King Derek summed-up his men’s chances of doing this before the match in these terms:

“It would be a miracle. We’re in a situation where we’ve got three games to go and we are three points adrift. It would be a miracle that’s quite possible to happen.  It can happen. We have shown before – it was a miracle last season because of the run-in that we had. So we’d shown last season that miracles come around so a second one is still possible.”

Skipper Donald Love and impressive youngster Adam Mayor were both injured and unavailable for selection today. So Derek chose Ryan Cooney and Arthur Gnahoua as replacements in his starting eleven.

It was overcast in the south east of the capital and not particularly warm as the game kicked-off. The contest was fairly even and neither goalkeeper was tested during the opening minutes of the match. But the opening goal of the game was an explosive one from Cole Stockton as he saw Australian goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer slightly off his line and launched a scorcher of a shot past him from all of about thirty yards out into the top corner of the net after eight minutes. It was a fantastic strike reminiscent of the goals which he regularly slotted home for the Shrimps all of last season. Morecambe set-up the next chance as Josh Austerfield found Uncle Arthur on the edge of the Charlton penalty area with fourteen minutes played. But a very well timed last-ditch intervention by George Dobson stopped Arthur pulling the trigger.

The home team won the first corner of the afternoon after nineteen minutes but it came to nothing. Michael Hector then fouled Gnahoua in a dangerous position after twenty minutes. Pape N’Diaye Souaré hit the free-kick into the Athletic wall and the men in the red shirts were eventually able to clear it. Crystal Palace loanee Jesurun Rak-Sakyi then warmed Connor Ripley’s hands with a shot from a long way out with twenty-three minutes on the clock but it was a routine stop for the visiting keeper. Seven minutes later, Jack Payne put the ball in the away net but Referee David Rock had already stopped the game and allowed a free-kick for a foul on Aaron Henry. This came to nothing but Connor was again forced into action on the half hour as he saved a header by Michael Hector from Albie Morgan’s corner. Thirty-seven minutes had been played when Austerfield found Stockton at the far post with a cross from the Morecambe right but Cole’s header went high and wide of the target. Dan Crowley then sent a dangerous cross over from the Morecambe right which eluded Jensen Weir in the centre but fell perfectly for Stockton but he fluffed his lines with only two minutes scheduled to play of the half as the home goalkeeper seemed to put him off his stride. But Jack Payne walloped a low cross from the Addicks’ left across the away penalty area in injury time for Rak-Sakyi to bundle it home at the far post to equalise for the Londoners. As the home crowd belatedly came to life, Charlton started to seriously trouble the Morecambe rearguard for the first time in the match after this and the men in the dark blue strip would have been glad to get back to the Dressing Rooms and re-set when the Referee’s whistle finally sounded after forty-eight minutes. It was a disappointing end to a really promising half for the visitors. Morecambe deservedly led thanks to excellent work by the stalled Goal Machine early doors and could – and probably should – have gone further ahead right at the death via the same source.

As the sun came out, the hosts started the second period on the front foot and saw Miles Leaburn head over the Morecambe bar from a Payne corner after only two minutes of the re-start. Out of nothing, though, Jensen Weir conjured a tremendous ball forward to Cole and this time – after fifty-eight minutes – our Centre Forward made no mistake as he poked the ball past Maynard-Brewer to put the visitors back into the lead. Just six minutes later, the Shrimps went even further ahead. Crowley passed to Cole, who drew a great save from the home stopper but Weir was quickest to the loose ball and smashed it home to put the visitors into dreamland with the highest score they have achieved on the road this season.

The home team repeated the pattern of last season’s game with just eleven minutes scheduled to play. Substitute Scott Fraser was allowed too much space in the away penalty area and he managed to turn and place a shot out of reach of Ripley to test the nerves of the 220 wonderful Shrimps’ supporters who were present for the last ten minutes. It was Squeaky Bum time as Morecambe’s defence looked slightly disorganised occasionally. Cole cleared an effort off the goal-line with 81 minutes played but – try as they might and with no less than six minutes added-on at the end – Charlton couldn’t quite manage to find another goal.

So miracles do happen after all…

Elsewhere, things could hardly have gone any better for Morecambe today. All their rivals at the bottom of League One lost this afternoon. Fleetwood beat the Wimbledon impersonators 1-0 at Highbury. The Plastic People are just two points ahead of the north Lancashire club this evening as a result. Accrington lost by the only goal of the game at Portsmouth. Oxford United were defeated as well at Barnsley by two goals to nil. Cambridge United were sunk by three goals to one at Plymouth. So the Shrimps find themselves level on points with Oxford but still in the bottom four on Goal Difference alone this evening. Accrington and Oxford both play next Tuesday night, which will finally use up the game in hand they still have over the Shrimps. Next Saturday, though, Morecambe could be facing a realistic escape from the Legion of the Doomed as they entertain Lincoln City – depending on what happens this Tuesday and on the day elsewhere.

King Derek was understandably on Cloud Nine after the miracle he had predicted actually came to pass. He said:

“It was another great performance from us. We’ve had four really tough games. Today’s performance was excellent. You could just see from the players at the start of the game, they were right at it. To go in at half time one-one was probably a wee bit unjust because we could have gone two-nil ahead with a chance just before that. We’re at the stage in the season where it’s just important of getting a win. I said that to them today. I said before the game: `This is your last game of the season. We’ve got three games to go but honestly, this is your last. We’ve got to win this game today!’ And that’s what they went out and played like. They played it like it was their last game of football. If you do that, you can give yourselves a great opportunity. We’ve given ourselves an opportunity. Nobody can ask for any more of this football club because it’s a really tough division that we’re in and we are fighting to stay in it.”

Charlton Athletic: 31 Ashley Maynard-Brewer; 2 Steven Sessegnon (35 Daniel Kanu 69’); 3 Terell Thomas; 4 George Dobson (C); 6 Michael Hector; 10 Albie Morgan; 17 Jesurun Rak-Sakyi; 19 Jack Payne (43 Tyreece Campbell 61’); 28 Sean Clare; 32 Aaron Henry (21 Scott Fraser; 61’); 33 Miles Leaburn (Y).

Subs not used: 1 Joseph Wollacott; 16 Todd Kane; 18 Mandela Egbo; 48 Zach Mitchell.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (7 Jake Taylor 71’) ; 9 Cole Stockton; 14 Arthur Gnahoua (6 Ryan Delaney 86’); 15 Jensen Weir (18 Oumar Niasse 86’); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 21 Ryan Cooney; 22 Josh Austerfield; 23 Pape N’Diaye Souaré (3 Max Melbourne 52’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 10 Ash Hunter; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Ref: David Rock.

Att: 13,347 (220 from Morecambe.)

LEAGUE ONE. SATURDAY, 29th APRIL 2023.

Not Dead Yet…

Today would be a Show Down for at least one team currently struggling to retain their League One status this season. Not a million miles away across the county from north Lancashire, Accrington Stanley would be entertaining Cambridge United to see which one of them has the better chance of retaining their current status when The Fat Lady sings  next weekend.

Miles away to the south and along both the M1 motorway and the West Coast main line, the club which bought the old Crazy Gang’s identity would attempt to maintain the utterly fraudulent co-called `Dons’ persona in this division. They shouldn’t be in it at all. But Money Talks. So when the Powers That Be sold them Wimbledon AFC lock, stock and barrel at a time when an old Crazy Gang member hadn’t even thought about – let alone starred in a film of the same name – the MK Frauds were facing relegation again today. This time, High-flying Barnsley were visiting – with one eye definitely focused on the Play-Off place which their form this season certainly deserves

In the meantime, Oxford United would seemingly just have to turn-up at the New Lawn to collect the full three points – the already relegated only Vegan club on the planet had given up all hopes of survival ages ago.

So what of Morecambe today?

Last Tuesday evening – even though they didn’t play – could yet prove to be pivotal to the club’s survival. On paper, an Oxford team which hadn’t recorded a single victory in its previous seventeen matches would do well to get anything at all against a visiting Cheltenham side. But they broke the mould and won by a tremendous four goals to nil to improve their current Goal Average – way out of reach of the Shrimps – and consolidate their position in League One at nineteenth place.  Perhaps even more astonishingly, Accrington Stanley visited hated neighbours Bolton Wanderers and returned home again with a win courtesy of the only goal of the game. Normally, everybody associated with Morecambe football club would be delighted to see the team from Horwich beaten by anybody. But not on Tuesday…

The unexpected wins for two of the Shrimps’ rivals for relegation has made things even more difficult as far as Morecambe’s hopes for survival in League One are concerned this season.

They started their game against Lincoln at the Maz this afternoon at the top of the pile in the relegation section of the division. Stanley are directly behind them on goal difference alone, having played the same number of games: 44. MK Plastics are just one place above them with two extra points and a superior goal difference as well. Oxford United are one place ahead of them, three points better off than us but with a vastly superior goal difference.

Morecambe Manager Derek Adams has been saying for a while that his men have to win every game remaining until the end of the campaign to stand any chance of staying up this season. They have won their last two – most notably seven days ago when they repeated the miraculous score of 2-3 at Charlton from last season to keep themselves in with at least a slight hope of staying in the division. The situation at the moment is that they also need both Oxford and Milton Keynes to lose a minimum of one their two remaining matches and do no more than draw the other to have any realistic hope of overhauling them. So many eyes at the Maz this afternoon would be turned towards the east of the county, where Accrington were hosting Cambridge United. Cambridge have three games still to play and are far from certain to be relegated yet. A draw at the Crown Ground would be the best result as far as Morecambe is concerned. Their fans would also be praying that promotion-chasing Barnsley would overcome the Wombles frauds on their own patch as well. But, most of all, Morecambe would need to win again today.

Visitors Lincoln, on the other hand, have won three of their last five matches and lost only one – at home last Tuesday against Burton Albion by the only goal of the game. The Imps arrived comfortably in tenth position in the table.  They have a tremendous record against today’s hosts: only three losses in eighteen previous meetings and ten victories. Earlier in the campaign, City beat Morecambe 2-1 in the league and then knocked them out of the Pizza Cup thing within the space of four days in November. King Derek had this to say about them prior to the match:

“They’ve got a really good record. They don’t lose many games. From my point of view, we’re at home. We’ve got a fantastic home record. There’s going to be a near capacity crowd here on Saturday. That in itself will help the players.”

Lincoln Head Coach Mark Kennedy said this:

“I’d rather play somebody who’s got something to play for. Morecambe can’t afford – in my opinion – to come and spoil the game and make it slow and break it down and hold on for seventy minutes and try and nick a goal at the end. I don’t mean in terms of holding on as if we’re going to dominate the game: they need to win the game of football. I think it will be two teams going out to win a game of football instead of one team hoping to get away with a point. So I’m glad we’re playing Morecambe to be honest.”

For Morecambe, Pape N’Diaye Souaré was injured at Charlton last time out and had not recovered sufficiently to be in the squad today. Max Melborne returned from his latest injury to make a very rare appearance in the starting eleven in his place.

It was dry with sunny periods as the game kicked-off by the north Lancashire seaside in front of a record crowd. Morecambe stopper Connor Ripley had to be on his toes to intercept a clever forward pass from the visitors’ midfielder Ethan Erhahon to Olamide Shodipo with five minutes played. Morecambe won the first corner of the game shortly after this but Daniel Crowley’s spot kick was hit far too long. Dan also hit a free-kick too long just over Jacob Bedeau’s head with nineteen minutes on the clock. Liam Gibson then did well to intercept a pass in the centre of the field and played the ball up to Cole Stockton, who took a speculative shot which failed to trouble Brighton loanee goalkeeper Carl Rushworth in the away goal. Lincoln had a half-chance after 26 minutes when Daniel Mândroiu lobbed a clever ball forward looking for Lasse Sorensen which was cleared as far as Matty Virtue, who drew a low save from the home custodian.

Uncle Arthur then played a return pass to Jensen Weir after twenty-nine minutes. Morecambe’s leading scorer had back-heeled the ball to him with almost half an hour played. Rushworth had to be at his best to keep out Jensen’s shot. But the ball went straight down the other end, and Mândroiu again tried to find Sorensen from the Lincoln right only for Shodipo to get to the ball first and sweep it past Ripley to put the visitors one-nil ahead.

Crowley and Josh Austerfield combined to play-in Weir again with 40 minutes played but his powerful shot was just wide of the target. But for the tremendous reflexes of the home goalkeeper, the Imps would have gone further ahead with just one minute scheduled to play of the opening period. Mândroiu took a long, dipping shot from some distance only to be denied by the outstretched hand of Ripley, who clawed the ball away from the top corner of his net high to his left .

So after what had been a pretty scrappy affair, the Shrimps trudged back to the Dressing Rooms one goal behind. Elsewhere, Oxford were winning by the only goal of the game at FGR. Cambridge were winning by the same score at Accrington and MK Muppets were losing by the same margin at home to the Tykes. So virtually the only thing wrong with the script today was that the Shrimps had fallen behind. But they still had forty-five minutes to remedy this and force the season into a showdown at Exeter – who were being hammered 5-0 at Ipswich after only the first half.

It quickly got worse for the hosts. With only four minutes played, Austerfield appeared to be fouled in the middle of the park. But Referee Sam Allison gave nothing and the visitors took full advantage when Shodipo carried the ball into the danger area and slipped it to Virtue who – in turn – effectively passed it wide of the home stopper in to the net with an assured finish. But almost immediately, Cole Stockton pulled one back with his fourth goal in the last three games.  It was another fantastic finish. This time, he took one touch to control the ball and then fairly walloped a dipping shot from distance into the away net with forty minutes played. The Shrimps came within the width of the goal post of equalising when Dan the Man dribbled his way into the penalty area and unleashed a shot which bounced-back from the woodwork with an hour played. As Arthur backed-off and then backed off even more, Mândroiu repeated Crowley’s effort by also striking the post in the sixty-fifth minute. King Derek shuffled his pack and substitute Oumar Niasse scored his first goal for Morecambe when he was first to the ball as a cross came in from the right and he headed it past a seemingly bemused Rushworth in the sixty-sixth minute. (You could say that the goalkeeper’s belated, er Rush from his line to intercept was worth nothing – but who would bother?…)

Substitute Ash Hunter then greedily sought glory with a wild strike from a long way out when Rushworth was off his line but Niasse was far better placed to beat him again with 71 minutes played. Six minutes later, Paudie O’Connor seemed to have won the game for the Imps but his header bounced off the bar and bounced away harmlessly to safety. But the game was absolutely turned on its head when, with four minutes left to play, Stockton headed his second goal, this time from a free-kick by Hunter.

Derek became over-excited again in the dying embers of the match. Not for the first time this season, he picked-up a booking for too vociferously expressing his thoughts to the Man in The Middle. There were a nail-biting twelve minutes added-on at the end of the game – but Morecambe rode the storm to deservedly take all three points for the third league game in a row.

Elsewhere, news from Milton Keynes in particular added to the drama. The Plastic People came from 0-1 down at half time to lead by an astonishing four goals to one against Barnsley at one point in the second half. But the Tykes managed to pull things back and the game ended 4-4. Oxford predictably won all too easily 0-3 at Forest Green to make themselves safe. Accrington lost catastrophically at home against Cambridge by the odd goal in three to see their hopes for survival this season in tatters. Cambridge will be playing at Burton next Wednesday. If they win, they will put themselves within a point of safety with only one more game to go – at home to relegated FGR. So it’s all to play for next Sunday. Morecambe visit Exeter City who were hammered 6-0 at Ipswich to make it seven games lost in a row. The win means that the Tractor Boys are promoted – so congratulations to them. MK Plastics end their campaign against Burton away at the same time – so what do we say?

We say:

COME ON YOU BREWERS!!!!!!

As the excitement finally subsided, Derek Adams had this to say about the latest victory today:

“It was a fantastic game. We knew we had to win the game – and that is what we did. This football club’s always punching above its weight. We had a near capacity crowd here today which is terrific for them. We’ve done all we can done all season. We’ve been through a difficult, difficult season off the pitch. On the pitch, it’s been difficult because we haven’t been able to do what we wanted to do. But our players keep on fighting; they keep on playing. It’s a testimony to them: they keep this football club going.”

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 3 Max Melbourne (7 Jake Taylor 45’); 4 Liam Gibson; 5 Farrend Rawson; 8 Daniel Crowley (Y) (10 Ash Hunter 67’); 9 Cole Stockton (Y); 14 Arthur Gnahoua (20 Liam Shaw 89’); 15 Jensen Weir; 16 Jacob Bedeau; 21 Ryan Cooney (18 Oumar Niasse 62’); 22 Josh Austerfield (Y).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith; 6 Ryan Delaney; 29 Dynel Simeu.

Lincoln City: 1 Carl Rushworth; 2 Regan Poole (C)(Y); 3 Harry Boyes; 11 Olamide Shodipo; 12 Ethan Erhahon (Y); 15 Paudie O’Connor (Y); 18 Ben House; 19 Daniel Mândroiu; 21 Lasse Sǿrensen; 24 Seán Roughan; 26 Matty Virtue.

Subs not used:  9 Luke Plange; 6 Max Sanders; 22 Timothy Eyoma; 28 Dylan Duffy; 31 Sam Long; 32 Jovon Makama; 37 Oisin Gallagher.

Ref: Sam Allison.

Att: 5,769 (over 500 from Lincoln.)

Up the Brewers!

I wanted to follow-up my desire to be Brewers’ fan for the first time this week by actually watching their game with Cambridge United on Tuesday night. You could do this on i-Follow for just a tenner.

Apparently.

Try it…

To do so, you have to actually send an email to this EFL-owned organisation to achieve it.

They then tell you to either:

1. Agree to delete all the data they have as far as you are concerned as an i-Follow- subscriber to Morecambe FC. OR
2. Sign-upall over again to become either a Burton Albion or Cambridge United i-Follow (er) using a different email address to the one you have already used to be a Morecambe subscriber.

What a farce.

How many tenners have these fools declined over the years as probably thousands of football supporters either refuse to do this or can’t be bothered?

Think of the opportunities lost as Covid gave these morons a chance to absolutely clean-up in the face of no alternative service.

But that’s the EFL for you.

However– in the immortal words of Basil Brush (the only BBC `personality’ I can think of to have emerged unscathed so far from the huge scandals which have engulfed the Corporation recently):

“This is what monopoly inevitably leads to, Mr Derek: complacency, incompetence and lots of missed opportunities including shed-loads of fitly lucre simply ignored!”

I declined the offer of deleting my Morecambe account – I remember having loads of problems with this in the past and didn’t relish the possibility of having to cross all these bridges again in the future.

But I took the advice I was offered and used an alternative email address which allowed me to watch Burton Albion v Cambridge United live. (All I need to do now is remember to ask i-Follow to delete it in case I need to use it again at any time in the future…)

Anyway – Albion needed to win if Morecambe was to stand any chance at all of surviving in League One.

If United took all three points, they would move above the Shrimps in the table and have a two point advantage next Sunday. Then, with a home game against absolutely hopeless FGR, they would effectively have another three points guaranteed – Game Over for the Shrimps. 

It was actually a strange experience to watch a football match which you have paid to watch yet have no real personal investment in. Only 3,253 people bothered to turn-up to watch this game.  That’s a shock in itself: Burton and Cambridge are far bigger places than the place once known as Poulton-le-Sands and we do a lot better than this…

Inevitably, you think about what you expect to see on i-Follow as far as Morecambe are concerned and the contrasts between this and what was served-up tonight.

Dave Salmon of Beyond Radio takes up this challenge very manfully – and often on his own – game after game as far as Morecambe are concerned.

But the broadcast I watched tonightwas hosted by BBC Radio Derby with two blokes: a cynical one who made his affinity to Cricket all too obvious and another guy, who I assume was the Burton representative. For me at least, the constant sarcasm which many commentators presumably think is wit which the lead commentator constantly indulged in becomes really grating after a while.

Having said that though, even I had to agree when he criticised the away support for not appreciating the constant PA references to `Doggy Day Care’ every time any change in the line-ups or score were announced at the Pirelli Stadium.

Last time I attended this venue, our own supporters turned what he said into a really funny chant…

At half time in the Morecambe i–Follow coverage this season, pop music always fills the space.

But tonight, there was a proper discussion of the state of both clubs and the implications for the two of them which involved other staff from the local BBC station. The word `Morecambe’ and reference to the Brewers’ five-nil annihilation at the Mazuma last January as being a turning-point in Burton’s season featured repeatedly in the discussion that ensued.

Why don’t such thoughts about our club happen on the broadcast media in north Lancashire|?

Don’t write in…

Tonight, though, listening to the various musings about what might or might not happen as far as Burton Albion is concerned were transformed for me at least by one very simple thought: a very powerful desire for the team they were facing tonight to lose.

I recognised some of the names of the players as they come up on the screen: I’ve written about many of them at least twice this season so far, after all.

But – Burton’s huge 6’ 8” Jordan Amissah Sheffield United loanee goalkeeper caught the eye as soon as he appeared on-screen because he looked such a really formidable target to get around in the first place.

And so it proved…

But the one name that really leapt off the screen tonight was that of the Referee: Andy `Hopeless’ Haines.

Is he really as hopeless as I have always maintained?

Maybe not, this evening at least.

He got most of the key decisions right – he could have penalised Dimitar Mitov (and even sent him off) when the Cambridge goalkeeper ran from his area after forty-seven minutes and might have fouled Mark Helm – but he didn’t.

In a game of few chances, Burton went ahead after Helm scored after 28 minutes in the first half. For me, though, the absolutely key moment of the game arrived in the 89^th minute.

Somehow or other, Jordan Amissah managed to keep out Sam Smith’s header from point-blank range.

How????  

It was one of the best saves I have ever seen.

So if we actually manage to Cross the Jordan – yes, that’s `Jordan’ again – and survive next Sunday, maybe we should gave Amissah some sort of gift.

After all, MK Muppets have to get the better of this huge man to also get the better of us as well as far as League One survival is concerned next Sunday…

LEAGUE ONE. SUNDAY, 7th MAY 3023.

Morecambe Relegated for First Time in 103 Year History.

Well – Down to the Wire; The Eleventh Hour; Last Gasp – choose your own analogy. After  forty-five games right up and down the country, it all came down to the forty-sixth to see if – for the second season in a row and against all odds yet again – Derek Adams could once more steer his men towards perhaps the most unlikely escape from the trapdoor back to League Two.

Morecambe started this season the bookmakers’ favourites to return to the lowest tier of the EFL. But Morecambe have been the betting fraternity’s favourites to be relegated every single season since they first entered the Football League way back in 2007. 

When asked by an interviewer after the win against Lincoln City last Saturday if it would have been easier to throw in the towel rather than keep on fighting against the seemingly inevitable for the last few weeks, King Derek replied:

“Well there’s a number of supporters already done that. I think that, from my point of view, we as a playing staff and staff knew that we’ve got the pride to keep this football club going. And that’s what we’ve done to the last day of the season. No-one have could asked for any more. We just keep on going from game to game.”

In the EFL, Morecambe have played Exeter twenty times in the past. They have only won four of these and lost seven. But all Shrimps supporters will remember that, having never registered a single victory over the Devon club when they were both members of the old Football Conference, Morecambe came out on top when it really mattered: the Play-Off Final at Wembley on May 20^th 2007. They needed to do so again today.

The situation before the game at St James’ Park in Exeter at midday today was as follows:

If Cambridge United had won at the Pirelli Stadium last Tuesday, this afternoon’s game would be effectively a pointless one. United would finish their campaign today against Forest Green Rovers at home. FGR’s season has been a disaster – and the chances of them upsetting a run of games which saw them a massive seventeen point adrift of safety even before the final game had been played were frankly risible.

But Cambridge lost to Burton by the only goal of the game. This cemented them one place and a single point behind the Shrimps at the start of play today.

Above us, Oxford United are belatedly safe by the skin of their teeth. But the so-called MK Dons survived above the Legion of the Damned on a Goal Difference of Eight alone.

They also played at Burton this afternoon. If they won, Morecambe would be relegated unless they won by nothing less than a Cricket Score against Exeter. But if the Plastics lost – or even drew – the Shrimps would stay in League One with a victory at St James’ Park in Exeter this afternoon

Morecambe had the best current form in the entire EFL before the game bar the three leaders of League One and Sheffield United in the Championship: three wins on the spin.

The Grecians, on the other hand , have the absolute worst: even more dire than stricken Forest Green right at the bottom of the table. They have lost all of their last six fixtures, most recently when they were annihilated by Ipswich last Saturday in Suffolk by six goals to nil, having conceded five goals in the first half alone.

But pride alone would dictate that they would want to end the season on a positive note, particularly in front of their own supporters.

Their Manager – Gary Caldwell – said this about Morecambe prior to the clash:

“What we do know is that they’re in form. They’ve played the same way in their last few games so I’d be very surprised if they changed that but when we play at home it’s about what we do regardless of who we play.”

In the meantime, King Derek told the media last Thursday – after Cambridge’s loss at Burton Albion:

“It helped us. It gave us a little more clarity on the situation. If we can get a win and MK Dons don’t win, then it allows us to stay in the division for another season. Burton winning against Cambridge allows us to really focus on winning the (Exeter) game. We’ve already got more points than we had last season. But we’ve taken it to the last game of the season again. They have had a lot of difficult fixtures to play, Exeter. They’ve had a lot of the top teams to play. It’s a hard match – we understand that. We have to go there and win – we did that in League Two towards the end of the season – and it will be a similar scenario this season. We’ve just got a small squad. The players that are here have given their all for this football club. They’ve been brilliant.”  

It was a midday kick-off under overcast skies in Devon. Shrimps’ Skipper Connor Riley won the toss and elected to have Exeter play against the massed ranks of their own supporters on the fabled Big Bank in the first half. In front of a packed away end, Morecambe started the brighter and took the game to the hosts for the first half an hour or so. Daniel Crowley’s effort after a quarter of an hour was only just wide of the target and Liam Gibson forced a routine save from Jamal Blackman in the home goal with a weak header later on. Finally, Jensen Weir warmed Blackman’s hands with a shot almost at the end of the half.

As for the hosts, they looked disinterested and uncommitted for much of the first half but began to get a foot in the match for the last quarter of an hour or so. They won a lot of corners although these were completely wasted more often than not by being regularly overhit. Apart from having to punch a cross away from the penalty area close to the end of the period, Connor Ripley in the visitors’ goal had very little to do.

However, that all changed in the second half. City came out and immediately started to play with real purpose. They might have taken the lead within a minute of the re-start as Jacob Bedeau’s block on the right of the penalty area from his point of view swerved wildly towards Connor’s top corner to the goalkeeper’s left – he had to make an excellent reaction save to keep the ball out.

It was a big day for Fulham loanee Jay Stansfield this afternoon. This would be his last game for the Grecians perhaps ever and he would want to impress in front of the new stand which is named after his father, Exeter legend Adam Stansfield. He got his eye in with four minutes of the second half played but an excellent block from the away defence denied him an opening goal. Just a minute later, though, he scored. Demetri Mitchell found Sam Nombe on the edge of the Morecambe box and Stansfield did the rest as Nombe slipped the ball to him. He scored again after fifty-seven minutes as the ball found its way to him in a perfect position and then he completed his hat-trick in the seventieth minute, dropping-off the retreating Shrimps’ defence to sweep the ball home un-marked as Joshua Key crossed the ball to him from the right flank.

In the meantime, Cole Stockton had equalised almost immediately after Exeter took the lead, taking advantage of a misunderstanding between Blackman and central defender, Grecians’ Skipper Will Aimson to head the ball home. He scored again deep into the fourteen minutes of injury time with a tremendous volley high past Blackman to the goalkeeper’s right – but it was too little too late.

In one sentence, that sums-up Morecambe’s entire season: Too Little; Too Late. Today was just a step too far for them to take to rescue a campaign which seemed to be finished well over a month ago. The entire team has to be saluted, however, for the way they have managed to hang on until the very last moment: they are a credit to themselves. The almost 700 away support generously applauded the team and their Manager at the end but the sad fact of the matter is that Morecambe have today been relegated for the first time ever in their 103-year history.

Elsewhere, MK Frauds were unable to win at Burton and will accompany the Shrimps back to League Two for next season. Cambridge United predictably beat hopeless Forest Green and managed to escape from the relegation pack right at the very last minute. Congratulations to them. Accrington also went down on a positive note, coming from behind at Oxford to win the game by the odd goal in three. Morecambe ended-up higher than Stanley in the final League One table on goal difference alone. At the top, Plymouth assured the champion’s crown by winning 1-3 at Port Vale and Ipswich’s draw 2-2 at Fleetwood saw them return to the Championship as well as Runners-Up. Well done to both of them.

So Morecambe now face the harsh reality of League Two football again next season. It was an ultimately disappointing way to go down but there are lots of reasons to be positive that this will not be their final game in League One ever. King Derek said at the end of the game in what I, for one, hope will not be a valedictory comment from him about Morecambe Football Club:

“We tried our best. The players gave their all not only today but over the season. We took nearly nine hundred supporters with us today which is fantastic. Not that long ago, we didn’t have nine hundred home supporters so it’s fantastic they came with us today. We’ve had tremendous backing throughout the season. It’s not (just) losing today – it is over the season it happens. I’m proud of the players. We’re obviously in transition at this moment in time. The football club has obviously got to sort itself out off the pitch to decide where we are going. It has to make a decision what is happening. We’re in limbo at this moment at time. We don’t know where we are for tomorrow or the next week or the months ahead. That situation – for the good of the supporters; for the good of the staff and the players at the football club really needs to be sorted-out.”

Exeter City: 18 Jamal Blackman; 5 Alex Hartridge (26 Pierce Sweeney (Y) 34’); 7 Demetri Mitchell (3 Jack Sparkes 62’); 8 Archie Collins; 9 Jay Stansfield (19 Sonny Cox 73’); 10 Sam Nombe (23 James Scott 86’); 12 Joshua Key; 14 Will Aimson (C); 15 Kgaogelo Chauke (16 Harry Kite 61’); 27 Jonathan Grounds; 41 Pedro Borges (2 Jake Caprice 73’).

Subs not used:  11 Joe White; 21 Josh Coley.

Morecambe: 1 Connor Ripley (C); 4 Liam Gibson (20 Liam Shaw 61’); 5 Farrend Rawson; 7 Jake Taylor (6 Ryan Delaney 43’); 8 Daniel Crowley (10 Ash Hunter (Y) 54’); 9 Cole Stockton; 14 Arthur Gnahoua (18 Oumar Niasse 45’); 15 Jensen Weir (Y); 16 Jacob Bedeau; 21 Ryan Cooney (25 Adam Mayor (Y) 54’); 22 Josh Austerfield (29 Dynel Simeu 84’).

Subs not used: 12 Adam Smith.

Ref: Carl Brook.

Att: 7,386 (658 from Morecambe.)

Morecambe: The totally unofficial Review of the season.

Well – there are two chants which Morecambe fans have prided themselves for voicing over the years. They are: “We’ve never lost at Wembley!” and “We’ve never been relegated”.

The latter one, very sadly, has to be retired this season.

On the Eleventh Day at the Eleventh Hour, it all went pear-shaped at Exeter and the club duly went back down to League Two.

So the unanswered question is: what will happen now?

On the one occasion I was privileged enough to meet him, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams told me that the most difficult task he faces as a football manager is to tell individual players they are not going to be re-signed by the club. Although he doubts – for whatever reason or reasons – that many people would believe him, he clearly is deeply troubled by the knock-on effects that letting players go could have on their future careers and – far more importantly – their lives as individuals as well.

So this must have been a particularly testing Bank Holiday for the Morecambe Manager.

On Sunday, Morecambe’s remarkable late season form of three wins out of three – home and away – came to a shuddering halt as they lost by the odd goal in five at Exeter. In doing so, they were relegated for the first time ever in the Shrimps’ one hundred and three year history.

Objectively – this is failure; unprecedented failure at that. But – as with all successes and failures – there is a context.

Derek Adams has been absolutely consistent throughout the ultimately unsuccessful campaign to express this context. Not many football Managers do this and survive. But the context King Derek has fearlessly and repeatedly identified ever since the season began is:

1. The ownership off the field has hampered all his attempts to make progress on it.
2. He has been consistently let-down by these owners in the shape of unfulfilled promises concerning the club’s finances right from the start of the campaign.

Nobody can doubt that. There is only one creditable or positive thing that the current owners of the club – known to one and all as Del Boy and Rodney – can claim about their stewardship of our club this season. It is that we have not ended-up in the same situation as former Premiership Rugby Union club Worcester Warriors, which they also owned just a very short year ago. As the Warriors found their physical resources – car parks at first but finally the stadium the club played in – sold-off behind their backs, Worcester were booted out of the top tier of Rugby Union club football in this country as countless players, staff and other employees lost their incomes altogether.

Derek Adams – to his considerable credit – has not remained silent about this.

He has clearly bitten his lip about what has been happening Behind The Scenes right from the start of the season. But at times, his clear rage about what has been happening off the field has boiled-over. The first time I remember being aware of this is when he spoke about his frustrations after the Shrimps had been very unlucky not to beat Portsmouth at the Mazuma Stadium last November. I wrote this a few days later:

“After the draw against Portsmouth at the Maz last week, Morecambe Manager Derek Adams said the following:

“We haven’t had some decisions because we are the minnows.  We’re playing against superpowers in the league and we’re not getting the big decisions when they come along. There’s no doubt about that.”

He has a point. But what worries me is what he went on to say:

“The big thing for me over the summer I’ve been disappointed because I’ve had to make changes and unfortunately I’ve not been backed enough in the summer to make the changes.  If we had been backed in the summer then we’d have a far different team to what we’ve got now. That’s the big disappointment for me coming back to the football club. That’s my biggest disappointment over the summer – we haven’t been backed. The previous management were backed – and we haven’t been. We’re fighting every day just to compete in this league. We just haven’t been able to get enough revenue to help us.  It’s hugely frustrating for me as a Manager of Morecambe Football Club. To get out of League Two; to stay in League One last season because we were down and buried. We had eight teams out of the top eleven to play; we had none of the bottom five to play and we were able to stay there. We’re going to have to do the same again this year. Fifth bottom – whatever it is – is a huge success. It’s like winning the lottery for Morecambe. People don’t understand. The supporters – some do, some don’t; they haven’t a clue, some of them. What happens in the inner sanctuary of the football club – they have no idea.”

It’s unusual – to put it mildly – for any football Manager to directly criticise the leadership of their club and stay in post. Most Managers in any walk of life who publicly criticise their owners get the sack. For Derek to speak out in such a forthright manner about what anybody with even half a brain cell can see is the dire reality at the club is obviously going out on a limb. Asked by our own Quinny what difference the Transfer Window re-opening in January would make, Derek interrupted – with obvious frustration bordering on actual anger that even the interviewer didn’t seem to fully appreciate the utterly grim financial situation at the club:

“January? We’re skint! We’re absolutely skint – we have no money! January doesn’t mean anything to me! What am I going to do?”

As I’ve said before, Derek Adams is the best thing ever to have happened to Morecambe Football Club. What he said about the Board backing Stephen Robinson last season is true. Robbo brought a lot of dead wood to the club and gave most of them long contracts. He then took the two best of these signings – Jonah Ayunga and loanee Trevor Carson – with him to St Mirren this season. Derek has been left to pick up the pieces and try to make a silk purse out of a sow’s ear both last season and this. Some of the better signings he made prior to the latest campaign have been injured subsequently and basically haven’t featured in the first team so far. It’s a tough gig and nobody could blame him if he simply chose to walk away from it.

One of the things I personally hope is that he is not going to do so. If he does, we will not only struggle to stay in League One but – with the continuing questions about the finances of a club which is up for sale without any guarantees for the future – potentially face a struggle to stay in the EFL at all. With the nagging fear of extinction as a football club altogether still a very real possibility always hovering in the background. It happened at Worcester Warriors under the same ownership that we have. Don’t think for one moment that it can’t happen to us as well…”

I don’t claim Second Sight but I will say again that Derek Adams is by far the best thing that has ever happened to our club. He took us into League One. Against all odds, he kept us there last season with another man’s squad. I make no apology for repeating what I said about him two years ago when he led us to the Promised Land of League One in the first place:

Adam was the original – but Adams is the finished product.

This season, he came within a whisker of doing so again with a squad of loanees and young players. Key footballers he had actually signed himself this term – Max Melbourne; Ash Hunter and Jake Taylor for example – have spent as much time on the Treatment Table as they have actually doing their business on the pitch. This is bad luck, not bad judgement or poor management.

It would have been easy for Mr Adams to blame the club’s recurring predicament on this sort of misfortune. It would be even easier for him to call his squad out as not being good enough for League One and wash his hands of them. But he never did – not even once. To his considerable credit, Derek resolutely both defended his players in public and constantly insisted that they were collectively trying their very best all the way to the (eventually) bitter end.

Here is an example of what he said throughout the campaign, this time after being beaten by eventual relegation fellows MK so-called Dons by the only goal of the game earlier this year:

“I don’t think Morecambe had any (delusions) of grandeur coming into this division – the budget will tell you that; the resources will tell you that.  The reason we are in the division is because we got from League Two on a bottom of the league table budget. We’re not here because of finance.  The players are trying exceptionally hard to get that win. I think the spirit is fantastic. We can’t ask any more of them. They are playing to the best of their ability. We will just keep on working hard to keep ourselves in the division. The players have given their all.”

What he said was absolutely right: against a division including ex-Premiership clubs such as Ipswich; Derby County; Barnsley; Sheffield Wednesday and the hated Horwich, Morecambe held on to their League One status right until the Eleventh Hour of the final day of the campaign. It is no shame to go down with the likes of the MK Muppets – with their huge bankroll – and FGR (with their enormous potential financial backing from Right-On but fabulously rich Chairman Dale Vince). Accrington Stanley and ourselves are almost umbilically linked by a relatively small support; Lancashire and our own John Coleman. We may ritually hate them on one tribal level – but we respect them on a far more important one as a small club like ourselves constantly punching against their weight. I expect them to get back again if only because their ownership has been settled off the pitch for the last few years. Andy Holt has done a fantastic job there. He has brought a stability which we can only envy from a distance. The Crown Ground has improved beyond recognition. Ironically, even Coley has admitted that the backing he has received financially from the club this season is better than ever before. He blames himself for spending it unwisely for once. If only we had someone like Mr Holt at the helm of our club…

Next season, it is back to Sutton United; Harrogate, Grimsby and Barrer.

But just five years ago on Saturday 5^th May 2018, I remember celebrating the fact that Jim Bentley’s pretty hopeless team managed to cling-on to their EFL status at all at the Ricoh Arena. So yesterday’s relegation is relative – we’re still in the Football League, after all.

Scunthorpe United were in League One three years ago. On Sunday, they were relegated to National League North. Going down with them from the National League are Torquay and Yeovil Town – both far bigger clubs than ours has been is the relatively recent past.

Since we entered League Two all those years ago, we have seen clubs such as Darlington effectively disappear altogether due to appalling management off the field. Southend United slipped from League One straight into the National League, just as Scunny have. The Shrimpers ended-up just outside the Play-Offs this season – but a Miss is as Good as a Mile and they will probably struggle all over again next term. Last season, Rochdale were in League One. Next time, they will begin a very unfamiliar life as a non-league club – 102 years as a Football League club lost in a single season.

Would we like to be in their shoes?

We will be if we aren’t very careful. We could even do a Scarborough or Rushden & Diamonds and disappear altogether. The key thing that Morecambe Football Club needs to do is sort out the ownership issues off the pitch. If the current Board can persuade Derek Adams to stay, the future will be bright.

But if they don’t – well…

The absurd position of the ownership of the club – and therefore its finances – meant that Derek Adams has been unable to offer contracts even to those men who have played a significant part in giving its League One chances of survival some sort of hope right until the last moment.

The result is that only the six players who had already been signed on two-year contracts have been retained. These are Club Captain Donald Love, fellow defenders Max Melbourne and Farrend Rawson along with Jake Taylor, Jacob Bedeau and Young Player of the Year, Adam Mayor.

All loanees have returned to their parent clubs: Jensen Weir thus went back to Brighton & Hove Albion , Caleb Watts and Dynel Simeu to Southampton; Liam Shaw took the High Road to Glasgow Celtic and youngsters Josh Austerfield and Michael Mellon have gone back to Huddersfield Town and Burnley respectively.

Fans’ favourites such as Connor Ripley; Liam Gibson; Ryan Cooney and Daniel Crowley plus old stagers like club legend Cole Stockton have all been released. Footballers who might have benefited from a second season at Morecambe such as Papa N’Diaye Souaré and Oumar Niasse will also not be coming back next term. The club has no goalkeepers on the books: second and third choice Adam Smith and Andre da Silva Mendes have also been released. Additionally, Ash Hunter; Ryan Delaney; Arthur Gnahoua, Jon Obika and Courtney Duffus have all gone. So the final break with Stephen Robinson and his profligate reign has finally been made. 

But King Derek almost certainly wanted to retain some of the players who have now departed for Pastures New.  He said:

“Firstly, I would like to thank all of the players for their contributions across the campaign and for the effort, commitment and dedication they have given to the club.

To the departing players, it is very difficult as some of them have been with me here for a significant period of time. Ryan Cooney, Liam Gibson and Cole Stockton were all part of our play-off winning side and depart with nothing but my best wishes for everything they have given both me and the football club.

My thanks also to the further departures who will always be able to look back with pride at the fact they played for Morecambe FC in League One. These players have given as much as they possibly could for the club and created some memorable moments for Morecambe along the way.

I would finally like to express my gratitude to Brighton, Southampton, Burnley, Celtic & Huddersfield for allowing our loan players to be here. Each one of them contributed well to the team and we wish them all the very best for their futures as they continue their development.”

Until the thorny issue of ownership is finally settled off the field, though, the Manager is hamstrung. How can anybody plan for a new campaign with just six players on the books and no money in the coffers to employ any others? Send your answers to the Board, please – not to me.

Whatever happens, I will be buying a Season Ticket for the next campaign and I will support Morecambe throughout whatever trials and tribulations might lay in store in the immediate future.

All the Shrimps supports I personally know will be doing the same.

Being relegated for the first time ever isn’t the end of the world. Losing its League One status does not have to be a Death Blow for the club. But if it doesn’t get the fundamentals right and sort-out its basic business model as a football club – and do this very shortly – relegation could prove to be the least of Morecambe FC’s problems.

Here’s a final thought. Morecambe as a town is on the up: the Eden Project and funding for the Winter Gardens – which will soon be the premier music venue to be found between Manchester and Carlisle in this region – provide plenty of reasons to be optimistic about the future. The football club should be in the vanguard of this positivity.

Let’s all hope that it proves to be – as it has been more often than not in the past. The sun hasn’t set yet over the Mazuma Stadium…

I hope to see all of you back at the Maz next season. Until then, have a wonderful summer.

An Open Letter to the Shrimps Trust.

As you can see, there is going to be a Shrimps’ Trust meeting at the old Imperial pub in the West End of Morecambe on Thursday, 18^th May 2023 – tomorrow evening.

I’ve been a member of the Shrimps’ Trust for some time but – as with most people – my involvement so far has stretched no further than being lucky enough to win one of their prize draws a few years ago.

Morecambe Football Club is facing an unprecedented crisis at the moment following relegation from League One and an impasse over the ownership of the club itself. It’s clearly important to all supporters of the Shrimps to have some sort of input into what is going on off the field – or at least some sort of insight into the actual situation as it exists currently. I’d thus like to put in my own penny’s worth as to what I personally think might be the most relevant questions to be considered on Thursday night. I don’t claim to be omnipotent and I invite everybody who reads this to add their own ideas or – if you have the answers to the questions I am about to pose – share them with us in advance of the meeting.

I’m sure a lot of us fear that – at an Open Meeting where everybody can raise issues which they consider to be important – we could easily lose sight of the wood for the trees. This has already happened to some extent. Active debates have taken place on both the Facebook Morecambe Fans’ page as well as Shrimpsvoices – the supporters’ forum – about where this meeting should be held.

The Trust leadership has insisted that advice it has received from elsewhere has driven its decision that it should be held at a neutral venue. This is so that the owners of Morecambe FC don’t benefit from any income over the bar if the event was to be held on club premises. Club Co-Chairman Rod Taylor, however, has taken the risk of publicly disagreeing. He has invited everyone to the Mazuma Stadium, assuring one and all that no money made on the night will find its way to the Bond Group but will stay in the club’s coffers exclusively to pay day-to-day expenses.

This is democracy in action, isn’t it? (says he cynically with his crusty old PhD in Politics mortar board on): relatively trivial matters already detracting from the whole purpose of the meeting in the first place – as Rome burns in the background.

For me, the venue is an irrelevance. The important thing is that the meeting is being held at all and I think we should thank the Trust for that in itself. But, in the absence of any Agenda, I think it’s important to suggest at least some topics which I at least hope might be addressed on Thursday night or even beforehand on these pages.

I took the liberty of sending a draft of this article to the Shrimps Trust on Tuesday at lunchtime. Obviously – with such a short time for them to consider it – I didn’t expect a detailed response. But I really appreciate the fact that they have answered promptly and I append what they have said – not as the final say on any of the matters raised – but at least as a basis for further discussion.

The first question I personally wanted to raise is:

1) What is the actual situation at the club at this moment in time – as far as anyone actually knows?

We know that the Bond Group technically own the club. But what does this actually mean?  (The Trust have replied: “Bond Group Investments Limited continue to own the majority of the share capital of the Football Club. They ultimately appoint the Board of Directors (of Bond Group Investments) to run the company on their behalf.”)

Unless I have misunderstood him, Rod Taylor seems to have said that an entity called The Christie Trust actually own the stadium. So:

2) What is the Christie Trust and what does it actually do?

This is the Trust’s reply: “There is no change in the position of the JB Christie Trust which continues to protect the land on which the football stadium stands. Further details are available on a prominent article on our website.”

You can read this here:

JB Christie Trust

Moving on,

3) How much money are the current owners holding out for in order to relinquish their grip on our club?

The Trust commented: “We are not party to any such information.”

4) Has the Shrimps Trust any plan to raise funds which could meet this valuation of Morecambe FC?

Given that they have no information about what might be involved, the Trust’s reply to this question is clearly conditional. It is as follows: “The Trust is not in a position to acquire any significant shareholding in the Club, and this position is unlikely to change for the foreseeable future.”

5) Is the Shrimps Trust aware of any pressure they can bring to bear on Bond Group to

1. Reduce its valuation of the club at a time when its worth has clearly been severely reduced by relegation from League One?
2. Put any kind of pressure on Bond Group to respect a deadline to sell?

(My own – and many other peoples’ fear – is that the current owners would rather see the club expelled from the EFL altogether than accept a financial offer which would guarantee its future as a football club which doesn’t meet its valuation. This is an insane position for anyone to take: if the club goes bust, it won’t be worth anything and the Bond Group will make no money at all out of it. But sanity doesn’t seem to have had much to do with our esteemed owners’ activities as far as doomed Worcester Warriors’ fate was concerned last season – they don’t seem to care a jot about the knock-on effects that their often hare-brained money-making schemes have as far as anyone else is concerned.)

The Trust’s very laudable response to both of the above questions is: “The Trust has no legal power to force Bond Group into any decision and seeks only to unite supporters to act as a common voice as a key stakeholder of the Football Club.”

6) To its considerable credit, the Trust has written an open letter to potential buyer Sarbjot Johal asking him to clarify issues which have held-up any buy-out of the club from the Bond Group. So

1. Has he replied?
2. Is there any update which the Shrimps Trust can give us as to the status of this gentleman or the state of his attempt to take the club over at this moment in time?

This is the Trust’s reply: “We have had no response from Sarbjot and there is no further update following our letter.”

7) Given the uncertainty about the future of the club, what advice does the Trust have about buying Season Tickets for next season – and why?

To be honest, I only thought of this question after I had sent the draft of this article to the Shrimps Trust. I thus don’t know what their advice is but this is something they might want to address in the interim or perhaps talk about on Thursday evening. I know that many people have already invested in a Season Ticket for the upcoming League Two campaign. Equally, though, many others are put-off by the thought that buying a Season Ticket is effectively to invest in Bond Group and thus unattractive in itself. Others worry that if these people allow our club to go to the wall, they will effectively lose the money they have spent on a Season Ticket as well.

I’ve also belatedly thought of another question:

8) Is there a deadline which the club must meet to register basic things such as a full playing squad or thus face expulsion from the EFL? If so – when is it?

So there we have it – eight basic questions which could be explored on Thursday night or could serve as a way to focus minds on the actual predicament of the club currently – as opposed to irrelevancies such as parking at the stadium; what it should be called – or the price of pies, for instance.

If you have other questions which you think are relevant – don’t be shy: add them here. If you have answers – again – don’t keep them to yourselves.

Collectively, we may not be able to do anything to affect the fate of our club. But I am particularly struck by the Trusts’ commitment to seek `only to unite supporters to act as a common voice as a key stakeholder of the Football Club’. Amen to that. I also want to make it clear – and these are my own personal views – that I think the focus of our anger and actions should be exclusively The Bond Group. I personally don’t doubt for one moment the commitment of Rod Taylor and the overwhelming majority of other members of the existing Morecambe Board to remedy the current crisis in the best interest of the club – and all of us.

Remember: “A House Divided Will Not Stand”.

Let’s all move forward together. Thursday’s meeting is open to everyone who wants to attend. You don’t have to be a member of the Trust. My namesake – Keith Fitton of Shrimpsvoices – has received assurances that the venue is wheelchair-friendly. So if you are disabled, please don’t be put off attending. If you aren’t already a member of the Shrimps Trust, I hope you will seriously consider joining: there is undoubted strength in numbers in all campaigns, whatever they are.