Morecambe too good for the Ammies today.
Before we start, Morecambe FC announced this week that they have signed Scouse Bristol Rovers Defender – 21-year-old James Connolly – from Bristol Rovers on-loan for the rest of the current campaign. He won promotion with the Gas and – with fifty EFL games already under his belt, could prove to be a significant addition to Derek Adams’ squad. The club has also signed Ethan Walker in a season-long loan from Blackburn Rovers. Ethan is the youngest player to have ever played for Preston North End’s first team when he appeared in 2018 at the age of 16. Now 22, the forward has had loan spells at several non-league clubs but made 16 appearances for Carlisle United during the 2020-21 season. King Derek said about him:
“He is a young, hungry forward who wants to continue his development. You can see from his career to date that he hasn’t been afraid to go out and test himself in men’s football and try to push himself and those are fantastic attributes for us to bring to Morecambe.”
Today, though – by the side of Morecambe Bay – King Derek welcomed former foes Salford City to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium. (“Foes” is the word: who can forget his well-justified rant against current Leyton Orient boss Richie Wellens after this gentleman had reached very deep into the Dark Arts box indeed to win a League Two match against the Shrimps at the Peninsula Stadium just prior to Covid?)
These days, City are managed by Neil Wood. Under his leadership, they have won two of their five League Two games so far – both away from home (at FGR and Tranmere). They arrived in north Lancashire today in tenth place in the table; one position higher than today’s hosts but with the same number of points accrued: seven. Their recent record, though, includes a loss at home last Saturday to Accrington Stanley by the odd goal in three. Morecambe were being easily beaten away at the same time by the team who capitulated at the same venue by eight goals to nil to Blackburn during the week. Already, there is a fear that Morecambe’s dire form of last season away from the Maz Mob – two wins all campaign – is being replicated this time around. But would their home form prove to be anything like as formidable this season as it was last term?
The Ammies have a nickname derived from a bastardisation of `Salford Amateurs’ – by which name they were once apparently known. This was long before faded Man United stars and lucrative television contracts recently propelled them into the relative Big Time. In the past, they have played Morecambe four times, including the more or less meaningless EFL Trophy. They lost this single game but – allowing for the uncompleted Covid season of 2020-21- have lost one; drawn one and won one of their previous league meetings.
City arrived in tenth position in League Two but were buoyed by a tremendous win on penalties at home against Leeds United last Tuesday night in the League Cup. Salford had already memorably achieved the same feat against Championship PNE in the previous round.
Derek Adams had this to say – prior to the game – about today’s opponents:
“One of their owners said the other night: `we have got the third to the fifth highest budget in this league’. They spend big in this league. We had to overcome a Bradford side that are on a similar scenario. We played really well that day against Bradford two weeks ago. We want to have a similar performance against Salford.”
For the opposition, Ryan Watson – who scored as a substitute in the penalty shoot-out against Leeds last Tuesday – mentioned City’s defeat at Accrington last time out and added:
“Both teams, Morecambe and Accrington, have both just come down. You know what you’re going to get and it’s always going to be a tough game against these sort of teams in these sort of places. They’re well-drilled, well-organised and we’ve got to be disciplined, stick to the game plan, and show what we can do. There’s no reason we can’t go there looking for three points, which we will be looking to do. But it’s no easy place to go so we’ve got to take control of the game, match the work rate, then show what we can do and hopefully our quality will come out on top.”
It was a lovely, sunny day in Morecambe as the match kicked-off. With Farrend Rawson missing due to suspension after last week’s red card, newcomer James Connolly was put straight into the starting eleven in defence.
The home team won the first corner of the game after just three minutes. Salford Captain and goalkeeper Alex Cairns punched this away confidently from the danger zone. City – playing in a predominantly white strip – offered little until the twelfth minute, when Conor McAleny’s attempt was well-blocked by Jacob Bedeau. The first attempt on goal for the Shrimps came after twenty minutes when Eli King and Adam Mayor combined well to set-up Michael Mellon for a shot which was deflected for another corner. Tom Bloxham then booted over the bar a decent chance which Mellon had nodded towards him from Bedeau’s pass just a couple of minutes later. At the other end of the field, McAleny’s powerful shot was well-saved by Stuart Moore in the home goal with seventeen minutes played. But with twenty-five minutes gone, Morecambe went ahead. Mayor nicked the ball from Connor McLennan and as the Salford side claimed that their team-mate had been fouled, took it forward down the Morecambe left and then crossed to Mellon, who managed to wallop the ball home with a shot which beat Cairns all ways up on its way into the top corner of the net at his left-hand post. Three minutes later, Bloxham again missed the target with a shot after Eli King had slipped the ball to him. There were a couple of half-chances for both teams after this but the half ended with the hosts leading by the only goal of the game so far and looking reasonable value for it.
Morecambe won several corners at the beginning of the second period which all came to nothing. JJ and King combined well after the first few minutes but they exchanged just one too many passes and the Salford defence managed to intercept the final one before any real danger was caused. Then Mellon tried an audacious chip over Cairns from inside his own half – probably inspired by Cole Stockton’s legendary strike against the same keeper at Fleetwood a couple of seasons ago. On this occasion, Michael didn’t quite get it right – but it was a brilliant effort nonetheless. City then had a half-chance as a daisy-cutter from Ryan Watson just missed the target after an hour. The visitors enjoyed a lot of possession for quite some time after this – but never did a lot with it. Derek shook things up after seventy-seven minutes with a triple substitution. One of the replacements – Jordan Slew – should have made the game safe right at the death. Mayor again did well on the Morecambe left before slipping the ball into the centre for a clear chance for Jordan in the middle. He could have controlled the ball and slotted it home but instead, he directed his instant attempt straight at the visiting goalkeeper and the chance was lost.
Nobody had been booked until injury time when – following a melee – Salford sub Matty Lund was issued with straight red card by Referee Will Finnie.
This game will not live long in the memory. But the Shrimps’ defence was excellent today: debutant Connolly was awarded the official Man-of-the-Match and Yann Songo’o was again outstanding. Additionally, Morecambe’s teenage front line made the difference today with JJ playing well and Mayor and Mellon combining well to create the difference between the two clubs: the winning goal.
The victory saw Morecambe go up to ninth place in League Two. Salford fell to seventeenth. With no game next week due to World Cup call-ups for the Shrimps; their next match will be in two weeks time in Kent against Gillingham.
Derek Adams was understandably delighted after the game. He said:
“It was a terrific performance from us today. Over the afternoon, we were just too strong for Salford. We had umpteen chances to kill-off the game and unfortunately for us we didn’t choose the right option or their goalkeeper has made a really good save.”
Morecambe: 1 Stuart Moore; 2 Donald Love (C); 4 Jacob Bedeau; 6 Yann Songo’o; 7 Tom Bloxham (14 Jordan Slew 77’); 8 Eli King (16 Jacob Davenport 77’); 9 Michael Mellon; 10 JJ McKiernan (18 Jake Taylor 77’); 11 Adam Mayor; 12 Joel Senior; 22 James Connolly.
Substitutes not used: 21 Adam Smith; 3 David Totonda; 15 Chris Stokes; 17 Cammy Smith.
Salford City: 1 Alex Cairns (C); 4 Ossama Ashley (8 Matthew Lund (R) 48’); 5 Adrian Mariappa; 7 Ryan Watson; 9 Callum Henry; 11 Connor McLennan (42 Theo Vassell 48’); 16 Curtis Tilt; 17 Matt Smith; 18 Conor McAleny (36 Marcus Dackers 82’); 24 Luke Bolton; 23 Kevin Berkoe.
Substitutes not used: 13 Joe Wright; 47 Liam Humbles; 48 Alfie Henderson; 50 Tosin Olapade.
Ref: Will Finnie.
Att: 3,548 (just 312 from Salford).
