Grimsby Town 1, Morecambe 1: Shrimps progress in Carabao Cup after penalty shootout victory
After the game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes the on-loan Newcastle stopper saved from James Tilley and opposite keeper James McKeown with John O’Sullivan sealing the win for
Morecambe to follow up successful efforts from Stephen Hendrie, Liam McAlinden, Ben Pringle with only Alex Kenyon missing from 12 yards.
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Hide AdThe Shrimps started the game on the front foot by taking the lead after just seven minutes.
The home defence failed to clear their lines and keeper McKeown was forced to race fom his line to block Carlos Mendes-Gomes but his clearance fell neatly for Adam Phillips who clipped the ball calmly into the net from 20 yards.
The Shrimps continued to dominate the chances with Phillips curling an effort just over from the edge of the area and Mendes-Gomes testing McKeown with a well placed curler from 25 yards.
The Grimsby keeper was called into action again when Cole Stockton broke clear of his defender, but the goalkeeper made himself big and did well to block the striker’s effort.
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Hide AdBut after a sluggish start Grimsby began to grow more into the game. Luke Waterfall headed against the post from a right wing free kick and Matt Green was denied by a good save from
Turner as Grimsby began to find some good openings. Green was not to be denied for long however as Grimsby levelled on 34 minutes. A diagonal ball found Danny Preston down the left and after beating Mellor he crossed to the far post for Green to slam home the loose ball from 10 yards out.
In the second half, Harry Davis went close to scoring against his former club with a close range header that was somehow blocked by McKeown.
As the game progressed it was Morecambe who looked the more likely to find the winner as their experience and extra fitness told and Stockton almost sealed the tie in the final stages only for McKeown to save at full stretch. Neither side could make the breakthrough in the 90 minutes but it was the Shrimps who prevailed from 12 yards
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Hide AdGrimsby: McKeown, Wright, Waterfalll, Pollock, Preston, Rose (rep Khouri 61), Willams (rep Edwards 71), Hewitt, Tilley, Green (rep Gibson 77), Scannell. Subs not used: Russell, Starbuck, Idehan, Spokes.
Morecambe: Turner, Mellor, Davis, Knight-Percival, Hendrie, Diagouraga, Phillips (rep McAlinden 57), O’Sullivan, Mendes-Gomes, Slew (rep Kenyon 57), Stockton (rep Pringle 85). Subs not used: Halstead, Cooney, Price, Lavelle.
Ref: G Salisbury