Well, it has been a season of up’s, down’s, thrill’s and spill’s, but it has finally come to an end. Jim Bentley’s first season as a manager has been a great success, and we have seen the emergence of some great young player’s. Although i would love to round up everything that has happened, i’m just going to quickly round up the results after the impressive 2-2 draw with Bradford.
The Shrimps returned home with a tough game against in-form Torquay, and tough it was indeed. Within the first 20 minutes, The Gulls were ahead, when defender Mark Ellis lashed home at the second attempt. The Shrimps had the better of the possession in the second half, but went 2-0 down on 81 minutes, when Danny Stevens scored from close range. The Shrimps did get a goal back on 88 minutes, when Will Haining’s shot deflected in off Phil Jevons, but it was too little, too late. The next game was another tough trip to Bristol Rovers. The Shrimps held thier own for the first half, but in the 57th minute, when Lee Brown tapped in from close range. Rovers then won a penalty when Danny Carlton held on to Matthew Lund’s shirt, and Scott McGleish made no mistake. Again, The Shrimps did get one back late on thanks to Kevin Ellison, but again it came too late.
After a dissapointing last few games, The Erics faced a home game against struggling Macclesfield in mid-week, with a real chance to get three points on the board. It took till after half-time for the lads to break the deadlock, with Danny Carlton heading in from close range. However, the drama was not over there. In the dying minutes, Macclesfield thought they had scored until Chris Ketting’s pulled off an incredible save to give Morecambe their first home win since 29th October. Two 1-1 away draws followed, at Crawley and AFC Wimbledon respectfully, with Gary McDonald getting the goal at The Wombles, and Andy Fleming getting the goal at Crawley. Another excellent home win followed that, a 1-0 win against high-flying Southend, with 19 year old Jordan Burrow getting his first goal for the club. However, no one could expect this run of good form to end with what many think was the worst performance of the season.
The Shrimps faced a home game against lowly Dagenham, the last away team to ever play at Christie Park. The Shrimps started slowly, and were behind with less than 15 minutes gone. Medy Elito latched on to a loose ball, and curled it beyond Barry Roche. The Shrimps were level soon though, when Kevin Ellison fired the ball past the Dagger goal stopper. However, with the rest of the game being rather forgettable, Dagenham won it when Josh Scott headed home from a good cross. After a very dissapointing performance, The Shrimps then lost again away to Aldershot, and with the current run of poor form, many fans feared the worst in the game against high-flying Cheltenham.
It looked like it would be a long night for The Shrimps, as Darryl Duffy shot wide after just 37 seconds, and Duffy again hitting the crossbar. Duffy wasn’t to be denied his goal though, and he shot past Barry Roche from 12 yards. Cheltenham dominated, but agianst the run of play, Morecambe levelled when Kevin Ellison scored with a glancing header. Just after half-time, the lads took the lead when Izak Reid volleyed home his scond goal of the season, after Sean McGinty’s superb cross. The lead was extended not long after, when Ellison crashed home another excellent Izak Reid cross. The Shrimps then continued the pressure, and Phil Jevons was denied by a great save from the Robins keeper. After an excellent display, we played Hereford at home, but another dissapointing display lead to another 1-0 home defeat.
A trip to Barnet followed the loss to Hereford, and with The Shrimps having a superb away record, a good result was anticipated. And just before the break, The Shrimps got the opening goal, with Kevin Ellison grabbing his 17th goal of the season after a mistake from the home keeper. The lead was then extended just after the hour mark, and it was Jack Redshaw grabbing his first goal in the red shirt. A Tuesday night game to Accrington followed the impressive display at Underhill. The lads went behind to their ‘boggey team’, however, another bit of luck meant Danny Carlton could notch the equaliser. A team The Shrimps had a good record against in the Football League, Shrewsbury, visited The Globe Arena. The Shrimps were able to hold on for most the match, but James Collins finished of a good move mid-way through the second half, to keep The Shrews promotion push alive. A tough trip to play-off chasing Oxford was on the horizon.
Many Shrimps fans were hoping that our good away record would help us at the Kassam, and indeed it did. In just the 3rd minute of the game, Craig Curran grabbed his first goal for Morecambe with a header from a great Danny Carlton cross. However, Bentley’s boys joy was soon cut-short when United hit back just two minutes later, when Scott Rendell fired past Barry Roche. After that furious start, it was a contest that looked too close too call, but that winning goal did come. Suprisingly, it was for The Shrimps who got the goal, when Stewart Drummond got infront of his marker to head home a delivery from a corner. The Shrimps then faced the challenge of Paulo Di Canio’s Swindon, and the lads more than faced up to the challenge, however Swindon just had that edge, and were able to get the win they needed to contine their stride towards top spot.
A Monday night trip to Burton followed, and although Jordan Burrow and Danny Carlton pulled us back from a two goal deflict, Albion snatched the win they needed late on. It was made even more agonising for Shrimps fans, as Kevin Ellison missed a vital spot-kick in the dying seconds. A stalemate at the Globe againt Port Vale added another point to our slowly, but surely growing total. A trip to the Don Valley was next, but the hosts went ahead, in their first game under new manager Steve Evans. Jordan Burrow managed to get the lads back on terms, but again the Dons took the lead. Jack Redshaw slotted home a penalty, but a stunning goal from Lewis Grabban was well worthy of earning the three points. The last home game of the season approached, with Plymouth the visitors. The Argyle, who had secured survival just the week before, took the lead through Lue Young on 4 minutes. The Shrimps did not level till after half-time, when Jack Redshaw produced a great cross for Jordan Burrow to head home only a few minutes after re-kicking off. On the 70th minute, Lewis Alessanadra produced a nice chip over the keeper. However, a rare mistake from keeper Barry Roche giffted Plymouth captain Purse the last goal of the game, and most importantly, the equaliser. The last game was a trip to Gillingham who ran out winners comfortably, with a 2-0 score line.
So, this long, hard, challenging season is finally over. The Shrimps have finished a very respectable 14th place, with a points total of 56. Jim Bentley’s season has proven a fantastic success, but what does next season hold? Well we will have to see who leaves, who comes in, and what is done between now, and mid August. to predict that. See you guys next season!
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