Double Trouble as Crawley are `Slewn’ at Morecambe.
Another game which should have been played last October was finally completed tonight at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium as Crawley Town were the belated visitors. The reverse fixture should have been played four months later but the Shrimps visited West Sussex just over four weeks ago and emerged with a 1-2 win, courtesy of a brace for what was then New Boy Ged Garner. In all, Morecambe have played Town fourteen times and won six to Crawley’s four. The most memorable of these must have been the very first time they met and Jim Bentley’s Shrimps hammered the delightful Steve Evans’ high-flyers 6-0 in north Lancashire.
Ged Brannan’s team started tonight’s game in ninth position in League Two, just two places and two points better off than their visitors, who have played one game fewer. The Red Devils arrived on the back of three straight wins in a row to add to the two defeats (one of these against Morecambe) they have suffered in their last six outings in League Two. They couldn’t play Barrow last Saturday because of a waterlogged pitch at their Broadfield Stadium ground but Manager Scott Lindsey was probably hopeful of a positive result tonight. I say `probably’ because I couldn’t find any pre-match interview with him anywhere.
For the hosts, though, Our Ged – official EFL Manager of the Week – said the following the day before the fixture:
“We’ve got to start winning our home games more comfortably to be honest to get the points on the table.”
As far as Crawley are specifically concerned, he added:
“It’s two form teams to be honest – both two good footballing teams as well. We’ve got to stop the way they play. We’ve got a game plan for tomorrow and hopefully we’ll take the three points.”
It was dry but crisp as the game kicked–off in front of a relatively sparse crowd for the Maz in recent times: just under three thousand. Morecambe started brightly but the men in the predominantly white strip played themselves into the game and played some neat passing football. They were very quick, however, to concede strategic fouls and erratic Referee Matthew Corlett let them get away with far too many of them. Kliadi Lolos hit the side-netting after eleven minutes before Harry Forster walloped a poor shot over the bar a couple of minutes later for the visitors. Joel Senior then put a free kick in a promising position for the hosts disappointingly far too high after almost half an hour. I thought Town should have been penalised for another foul in the thirty-fourth minute deep in their own half. Instead, Forster was allowed to sprint at speed into Morecambe territory, run almost half the length of the pitch and slip the ball to Ronan Darcy, who unleashed a shot from a tight angle which beat Archie Mayor at his near post but bounced harmlessly away right across the goalmouth. On another night, it would have gone in – and Morecambe could have had no complaints because Crawley had created almost all the chances so far. At the other end, highly-rated goalkeeper Corey Addai did well to hold onto an instant volley from an acrobatic Ged Garner shortly afterwards. He did even better to scoop a dangerous cross away from a corner and then deny another effort from Garner when the corner came over. But the visitors had the final say of the half and Archie again excelled himself to keep out a powerful downward header from Lolos which seemed destined for the back of the net right at the end of proceedings. It was a match-saving stop.
So the Shrimps trailed back to the Changing Rooms actually quite fortunate not to be following their recent game plan: to fall behind in any given match.
The second half followed a broadly similar pattern to the first. There were a lot of bookings and some play-acting and time wasting by the Red Devils as the match grew older and the visitors seemed to be happy with a draw. Garner shot straight at Addai after 52 minutes and then Lolos weaved his way through the home defence a little while later only for Morecambe Skipper Farrend Rawson to put in an excellent block to stop him hitting the target. Darcy then found Gordon who raced forward and pulled the ball back for Darsi to miss the target completely with almost an hour played. But the key moment of the match arrived with sixty-eight minutes on the clock. Joe Adams won the ball in the middle of the park; passed it out to Joel Senior on the right wing and he made progress before sending a low cross right into the heart of the danger area. Addai stuck out a despairing leg at it and missed and the ball ran on to substitute Jordan Slew on the left and he fairly walloped it home.
And that was basically that. Crawley were lucky to end the game with ten men still on the pitch. The weak Ref reached for his back pocket at one point to book a Crawley player but realised he had already taken his name – and gave him a totally unmerited second chance . And Darcy’s foul on Slewy in the Morecambe penalty area just after Jordan had scored was worthy of a red card and a penalty into the bargain on its own. But again, Mr Corlett took absolutely no action.
However, the latest win – a double over Crawley this term – pushed Morecambe into eighth position in League Two. They are level on points and games played with Walsall in the lowest of the Play-Off positions but have an inferior goal difference. Crawley remained in eleventh place. Here are Ged Brannan’s thoughts from just after the game:
“To be fair, they are a very good team. They created a lot of chances; got behind us a few times. But we defended really well. I’m really pleased with the clean sheet. We were working all week on low crosses against – obviously – a big keeper and we got a goal from it which is brilliant.”
There was a tremendous opportunity tonight for the club and the Shrimps Trust to publicise the demonstration and march which is going to happen on Saturday prior to the Wrexham game. But if it was even mentioned at all, I – for one – am not aware of it. The one positive thing about tonight’s experience off the field is that the Shrimps Choir – who I hope will be prominent as the demo makes its way along the prom towards the ground as from Midday –were in fine voice. More power to their elbows – and their vocal chords too. I will be marching on Saturday – I hope you will be too.
Morecambe: 30 Archie Mair; 4 Jacob Bedeau; 5 Farrend Rawson (C); 6 Yann Songo’o (Y) (15 Chris Stokes 90’); 8 Joe Adams; 9 Ged Garner (19 Gwion Edward 78’); 11 Julian Larsson (14 Jordan Slew 55’); 12 Joel Senior 20 Charlie Brown (Y) (39 Jordy Hiwula (Y) 55’); 23 Max Melbourne; 38 Nelson Khumbeni (Y) (16 Jacob Davenport 78’).
Substitutes not used: 21 Adam Smith; 3 David Tutonda; 22 Kayden Harrack.
Crawley Town: 1 Corey Addai; 3 Dion Conroy (C); 4 Liam Kelly; 5 Harry Ransom; 8 Kliadi Lolos; 9 Danilo Orsi (Y); 10 Ronan Darcy (Y) (11 Jack Roles 76’); 14 Harry Forster (22 Ade Adeyemo 87’); 19 Kelly (28 Adam Campbell 66’); 26 Jay Williams (Y); 30 Will Wright (Y).
Substitutes not used: 90 Ryan Sandford; 20 Joy Mukena; 25 Nicholas Tsaroulla; 27 Rafiq Khaleel; 50 Mustapha Olagunju. 2 Khellan Gordon
Ref: Matthew Corlett.
Att: 2,997 (65 from Crawley. They received a very well deserved ovation from the home crowd for their fabulous effort to get here tonight. It seems a lot further on the way back when you’ve lost, doesn’t it? Safe journey home to one and all of them.)
