Morecambe Matchzone

Morecambe 0:1 Bolton Wanderers

|
Image for Morecambe 0:1 Bolton Wanderers

Morecambe Knock Themselves Out Against Bolton

With just three matches of the season left to play, there was a clash of the heavyweights at the Mazuma Stadium this afternoon which, for a change, had nothing to do with the man who owns a boxing gym at the ground: Tyson Fury. Morecambe entertained Bolton Wanderers in League Two for what could turn out to be a decisive contest as far as the final standings in the division are concerned.

In the red corner, the Shrimps were fourth in the table prior to the game with seventy-three points after 43 games. They had won three and lost just one of their last five league matches. Perhaps more importantly, Morecambe possessed League Two’s best home record as well: they have won twelve games so far with thirty-six goals scored into the bargain.

In the White corner, Wanderers were third in League Two with just one more point than today’s opponents, having played the same number of games. They had won three but lost two of their last five league contests; the most recent defeat being at Grimsby seven days ago – a venue where the Shrimps swept the doomed Lincolnshire team aside 0-3 in midweek. At the start of play, then, Bolton were in the Box Seat: they had that all-important automatic promotion spot whereas Morecambe could only expect a place in the end of season Play-Offs. The Shrimps drew the reverse fixture – during which Bolton’s Marcus Maddison was sent off for a really bad foul – in February, 1-1. This was the first time they had ever played the Trotters in a league game. Without doubt though, this second meeting had far more significance…

It had so much significance, in fact, that the home club put out a statement yesterday asking supporters to keep away from the ground both today and in the future. It said:

“This has been an extremely difficult year for everyone because of the pandemic, and although progress towards lifting government restrictions is so far going as planned, we must all remain vigilant if this is to continue.

Everyone at the club recognises this fact, and strict Covid-protocols have been followed at the stadium since the start of the season, which has been a fantastic one for the Shrimps, putting us in contention for promotion to League One. To this end, the Club would like to thank all fans for their massive support during this very difficult season, and appeal to everyone not to risk our future progress by gathering at the ground during these next few crucial games. Public gatherings of more than six outdoors are of course not permitted, but as well as presenting a risk to public health, it could also compromise our efforts to gain the required approvals to admit fans as and when restrictions allow.”

Amen to that. The virus – and scary variations of it which even vaccinations might not protect us from – are still out there. Celebrating whatever progress Morecambe Football Club might make in the next couple of weeks is something we would obviously all like to do. But should it be the last thing any of should do, as Social Distancing is forgotten?

Back on the field, one of the hallmarks of Derek Adams’ time in charge of Morecambe is his undoubted ability to bring the best out of players he spots as having real potential – and unloading those who don’t onto other clubs. Carlos Mendes-Gomes; Cole Stockton and John O’Sullivan – to take three very obvious examples -have been literally transformed under Derek’s tutelage. Carlos always caught the eye when Jim Bentley was in charge – but he didn’t get many opportunities to play for the first team. Now he’s a star player – perhaps the star player of the squad, currently. Same with Cole. After a disappointing time with both Tranmere and Carlisle, you wondered – as an outsider – what his career held in store for him when Mr Adams arrived at the club. But Derek has coached him in such a way that his tremendous vision; his outstanding hold-up and linkage play and – increasingly – his goal return has totally transformed his fortunes. Similarly John O’Sullivan. Twelve months ago, he was regarded as a tricky winger but his consistency left a lot to be desired and his overall contribution to the team was, to be brutally honest, marginal. Not now. Sadly, John has serious hamstring damage currently and has played his last game of the season but his own performances have improved beyond recognition as he has developed into a clever, resourceful and committed midfielder. Well done all three of them; the transformation in their fortunes is a tremendous tribute to their own hard work and self-belief.  But it’s also clearly a tribute to Derek Adams’ man management skills. Sam Lavelle also always caught the eye even before DA arrived but he’s also improved markedly this season. Aaron Wildig – consistently the most talented player Morecambe have had on the books over the last few seasons in my humble opinion – plays ninety minutes every game week-in week-out. He didn’t before the arrival of his Scottish boss. However, if we were to look across at the opposition bench today, we would see a former Shrimps’ top scorer and a midfield player in the shape of Shaun Miller and Andrew Tutte who were both in the squad when Derek arrived last year; Shaun admittedly on-loan from Crewe. This afternoon, they were just making up the numbers for Wanderers. Shall we just say that they didn’t pass the Adams Test – and leave it at that?…

Derek chose Brad Lyons to start today instead of Freddie Price but otherwise stuck to the same line-up which he sent out to face Grimsby last Tuesday. The Morecambe Manager summed-up the task facing his men today thus:

“We have three games to go and it’s a big game for both clubs. Whichever team wins the game has a very good opportunity of finishing in the automatic promotion places. I would say that Cambridge and Cheltenham are probably up and there’s one place up for grabs. Nobody’s surprised where Bolton are, anybody looking from outside would have suspected at the start of the season that they would be where they are. However, you look at Southend who look like they are going out of the league and, last year, they were in League One. So that shows how difficult a division it is. We’re still fighting for the chance to get automatic promotion and the players are in a buoyant mood. I think that we have shown that we have grit and determination, we’ve scored eleven goals over the last three games and we’ve shown our cutting edge that has been there for much of the season.”

Mr Adams’ opposite number, former Barrow boss Ian Evatt, said about Derek’s team:

“They’re on a really good run but we’re on a good run as well. Bring it on is what I say! It’s two good teams used to winning football matches now but we’re confident just as we are going into every game. Arguably it’s a bigger game for them because they have to win. But having said that we don’t go anywhere to draw, we’ll be doing our best to win the game and I think we can hurt them with the players we’ve got. With the way both teams play I think we will control possession and they will try to hurt us on the counter-attack and from set-pieces. They need to win so they might be a bit more expansive than usual.”

It was sunny and dry as the match started. Confounding the Bolton Boss’ words, Morecambe took the game to the visitors straight from kick-off. The pattern was set early on: prompted by their Manager’s loud yelling from the stand, the Trotters appealed for every throw-in and free-kick even when they clearly had committed whatever offence was at dispute. When Sam Lavelle made a perfectly good tackle on Kieran Lee after six minutes, the Wanderers player rolled about as if pole-axed and Referee Carl Boyeson duly awarded him a free-kick. A short while afterwards, Morecambe’s Skipper headed wide from a corner kick. Eleven minutes had been played when Carlos Mendes-Gomes controlled the ball beautifully on the Shrimps’ right and played the ball to Brad Lyons in the penalty area only for his shot to be blocked. Two minutes later, Aaron Wildig set-up Cole Stockton on the right with a chance which Bolton cleared. Then Yann Songo’o sent a shot way over the bar from a long way out after sixteen minutes. A minute later, Skipper Lavelle tried his luck again with another header from a corner – but Matt Gilks in the away goal saved it comfortably. Liam Gibson seemed to be struggling with some sort of leg injury and went down after twenty-two minutes to be replaced by Stephen Hendrie. Two minutes later, Morecambe lost another defender. Oladapo Afolayan clearly fouled Kelvin Mellor near the half-way line and it seemed to me that the Trotters’ player caught him with his boot `accidentally on purpose’ as Kelvin was still on the ground. Unfortunately, he reacted; Afolayan rolled about as if he had been shot – and Referee Boyeson sent Mellor off. Carl Boyeson is one of the worst referees in the EFL but today, you couldn’t fault him for this decision at least. Indiscipline has seen too many Morecambe defenders sent-off in recent weeks and Mellor let himself and his team down today for responding to provocation in the way he did. This incident changed the pattern of the game. Bolton went onto the front foot and the Shrimps were limited to the occasional counter-attack. After 33 minutes, Aaron Wildig was absolutely flattened by Ricardo Almeida Santos in what was clearly an accidental collision. He looked dazed after this and didn’t return for the second half. Derek Adams’ name then also went into the Referee’s notebook for an altercation with Afolayan on the touchline: the Bolton player was also booked. Letheren did well to keep out a header from Ben Jackson after a nice cross from the Wanderers’ right was headed to him with four minutes left to play. Then Alex Baptiste shot wide from a long way out in the forty-fourth minute. During injury time, though, the goal which was beginning to look inevitable finally arrived. Jackson took a free-kick; Trotters’ players were queuing-up to take a punt on goal as the Shrimps cleared the ball to the edge of their own penalty area and Jackson finally received it, set himself – and found the back of the net with a well-judged shot .

So the visitors returned to the dressing room with the lead. They did just enough in the second half to hold onto it. Against ten men, this was obviously far easier for them than it should have been. They could have gone further ahead with almost an hour played when Jackson was allowed to run at the Shrimps’ rearguard without a challenge only to unleash a shot which Letheren did really well to push away for a corner. After 65 minutes, Almeida Santos headed just wide from a corner kick. At the other end, good approach play by Morecambe was spoilt by Stephen Hendrie’s wild shot with seventy-one minutes on the clock. About a quarter of an hour later, more good play by the Shrimps saw substitute Alex Kenyon also send a wild effort wide of the target. Right at the death, sub Freddie Price fluffed his lines right in front of the Bolton goal and when the ball was cleared, first Cole had a shot which had beaten Gilks kicked off the line only for another effort from Price from very close-in to be blocked as well. But that was as near as Morecambe came to equalising today.

So Bolton went home with three precious pints and an almost guaranteed promotion spot. The truth of the matter is that Morecambe gifted it to them: the game was lost after 22 minutes when another bit of ill discipline led to a contest between ten men and a full-strength side. You can’t keep doing this and expect to win against anybody, let alone a crafty team like Bolton who know every trick in the book. The loss saw both sides remain in the same positions in League Two that they were in before the game: third and fourth. But with just two games left, Bolton are now four points ahead of the Shrimps.

Morecambe:  1 Kyle Letheren; 2 Kelvin Mellor (R); 4 Nathaniel Knight-Percival (19 Liam McAlinden 78’); 5 Sam Lavelle (C); 22 Liam Gibson (3 Stephen Hendrie 20’); 24 Yann Songo’o (14 Alex Kenyon 78’); 8 Toumani Diagouraga; 9 Cole Stockton; 10 Aaron Wildig (23 Freddie Price (Y) 45’); 11 Carlos Mendes-Gomes; 15 Brad Lyons  (21 Ryan Cooney 24’).

Subs not used: 12 Mark Halstead; 6 Harry Davis;

Bolton Wanderers: 13 Matt Gilks; 2 Gethin Jones ; 4 MJ Williams; 5 Ricardo Almeida Santos; 27 Alex Baptiste; 29 Kieran Lee; 23 Lloyd Isgrove (31 Zack Elbouzedi 81’); 25 George Thomason (10 Antoni Sarcevic 70’); 30 Oladapo Afolayan (Y) (7 Nathan Delfouneso 45’); 9 Eoin Doyle (C) (20 Shaun Miller 74’); 32 Ben Jackson.

Subs not used:  38 Lukas Jensen; 18 Andrew Tutte; 21 Harry Brockbank.

Ref:  Carl Boyeson.

Share this article