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Match Reports

Match Report: Morecambe 2-3 Bury

9 February 2019

The Shakers completed a league double over the Shrimps thanks to two 3-2 score lines. Bury charged to a three-goal lead in commanding fashion, thanks to a brace from Jay O’Shea and a Danny Mayor opener. A rebounded penalty gave Morecambe a lifeline as Bennett fired home, as did Old not long after. It wasn’t enough as Bury took the three points back to the Energy Check Stadium at Gigg Lane.

Ryan Lowe named three changes to his side as Byron Moore and Danny Mayor replaced Dom Telford and Neil Danns respectively, with O’Connell missing out with Jordan Rossiter making his full debut for the Shakers.

Despite dominating the possession and dictating the play in the opening five minutes, there was an early scare for the Shakers. Pietro Mingoia caused issues down the right, aiming a cross at Kevin Ellison at the back post, but the towering attacker missed the ball and Bury regrouped.

Again, Mingoia aimed for Ellison from the right, the latter charging in on the ball, as he went to strike the volley he slipped and Aimson collected the ball to set his side on the attack.

Bury were looking dangerous on either flank, through Adams’ driving runs, and smart link up play from the likes of McFadzean and Moore. Unfortunately for the visitors, the Morecambe defence stood firm.

Byron Moore was again involved as he stretched the defence with his blistering pace. He delayed taking the shot, before looking to dink the ball over Halstead, however the ‘keeper was equal to the effort and his block almost went for a throw-in.

Following the block from Halstead, Danny Mayor kept the ball in, opening an angle to strike an effort across the ‘keeper, he had Halstead beat all ends up as his shot hit the back of the net via the far post to give the Shakers a deserved lead.

Sky Bet League Two Player of the Month for January Jay O’Shea was showing his brilliance, he picked Moore out over the top with a pinpoint pass. Moore flicked the ball onto Maynard who couldn’t get the ball under full control as the hosts eventually cleared.

Mayor was in perilous form after recovering from the flu! He picked the ball up on the more unfamiliar position on the right-hand-side of the box, he curled an effort on goal with his left, however it was just beyond the upright.

It was all Bury, with Maynard again having a great chance to double the lead. He was played in brilliantly, before attempting to slip an effort below Halstead, who kept the ball out with his legs.

Former Shaker Andrew Tutte had a free-kick on the left-hand-side of the box, he powered an effort towards goal, but it was comfortably over, giving Murphy nothing to do bar retrieve the ball from the Bury faithful behind the goal.

A smart short corner handed another chance to Nicky Maynard. Mayor and Adams linked up, before the latter put a ball into the middle fiercely, the power of the cross meant Maynard was still on the up as he made contact with the ball, meaning he was unable to keep the ball down with his head.

An unusual suspect in Scott Wharton came close to doubling the lead in first half stoppage time. The ball fell to him following a Nicky Adams corner, however his effort lacked the required power as Halstead was able to keep the ball out.

Nicky Maynard was again kept out by a last-ditch tackle, Nicky Adams crossed the ball in, before Bury’s number thirty-six was thwarted by a brilliant challenge.

Maynard was still lurking behind the Morecambe defence. Old was unaware and his pass intended for the ‘keeper was cut out. He pulled Halstead off his line before squaring the ball to O’Shea, who rifled a strike home from the edge of the area, giving Morecambe’s ‘keeper no chance of making the required ground up.

HALF-TIME: Morecambe 0-2 Bury

Murphy was called into action early in the second period. A cross into the middle was much closer to the Bury shot-stopper than intended from the right. He reacted quickly, managing to claw the ball away from any danger.

It was almost three to the Shakers five minutes into the second half for Bury. Nicky Adams curled a ball into the middle that was just begging for contact. Maynard and Moore both stretched as much as they could to get on the end of it, but they just couldn’t make contact as Morecambe were able to clear the ball.

Player of the Month curse? What curse! Jay O’Shea doubled his tally for the afternoon after his accolade on Friday. Rossiter set the move off superbly, finding Mayor who was able to carry the ball up the field, slipping the ball to O’Shea. A vicious strike from the player that the Manager dubbed ‘the Irish Messi’ gave the ‘keeper no chance as his fifteenth goal of the season put his side into a 3-0 lead, while also reclaiming top spot in the Bury FC Top Scorer charts!

Ryan Lowe’s side were unable to keep the clean sheet after Richie Bennett won a penalty following what the referee deemed to be a foul from today’s skipper Adams. Joe Murphy kept Cranston’s penalty out, but the rebound fell to Bennett who lifted the ball over Murphy to give his Morecambe side a lifeline.

As the clock signalled just over twenty minutes to go, the hosts pulled another back to only trail by the one goal at 3-2. After a calamitous error for Bury’s second, Old made up for his mistake by bulleting a header beyond Murphy.

Nicky Maynard had yet another chance to get on the scoresheet. Another cross into the middle saw the forward get onto the end of a cross. He looked to turn the ball home, but he couldn’t keep the effort down as the ball was behind for a goal-kick.

The hosts’ hunt for an equaliser came in the form of multiple crosses into the middle. Bury’s defenders were on hand, winning the ball in the air to keep their lead intact.

Four minutes remained, and Morecambe continued to threaten from set-pieces. Bury dealt with the aerial presences well, winning the headers to remain a goal to the good.

A second ball into the area presented Ellison with a chance. The big forward tried an acrobatic finish, but he was never testing Murphy, who went to take the resulting goal-kick.

O’Shea came close to completing a hat-trick deep into stoppage time; it took two firm hands from Halstead to keep the 20-yard strike out down to the left-hand-side of the ‘keeper.

FULL-TIME: Morecambe 2-3 Bury


Moreacambe: Halstead (GK), Mills, Conlan (89’ Dalby), Kenyon (C), Tutte (45+3’ Medes-Gomes), Bennett, Ellison, Sutton, Lavelle (43’ Old), Mingoia, Cranston

Unused Subs: Szczepaniak, Oates, McKay, Hedley

Bury: Murphy (GK), Aimson, Thompson, Adams (C) (79’ Cooney), Mayor (83’ O’Connell), Rossiter, Moore (90+1’ Telford), Wharton, McFadzean, O’Shea, Maynard

Unused Subs: Moloney (GK), Stokes, Omotayo, Danns

Attendance: 2665, with 1086 Shakers here, thanks for the magnificent support in numbers and vocally!!

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