AFC Fylde 2-1 Morecambe

Morecambe lost out to National League side AFC Fylde in their penultimate game of pre-season.
Kevin Ellison goes for goal against AFC Fylde.Kevin Ellison goes for goal against AFC Fylde.
Kevin Ellison goes for goal against AFC Fylde.

Danny Rowe put the newly-promoted side in front just nine minutes in before Ryan Tunnicliffe added a second shortly after the break.

Rhys Turner got a goal back for the Shrimps when he beat Jay Lynch with a header in the 64th minute but Jim Bentley’s side weren’t able to find an equaliser.

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The Coasters opened the scoring inside 10 minutes when Rowe put the ball past the returning Dan Nizic, back from international duty with Australia’s Under 23s, with ease.

Rowe, who scored 50 goals for the hosts last season as they won the National League North title, got on the end of a good ball from Nicky Hunt before beating the trialist defender from Morecambe and slotting home in a composed manner from close range.

Morecambe were taking time to adjust to their 3-4-1-2 formation, used for the first time in pre-season, but in Vadaine Oliver had a threat up front.

The new signing from York City came close in the 15th minute, heading into the side netting but any blushes were spared with the offside flag up.

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The Shrimps’ best chance of the half came in the 21st minute. Aaron McGowan made a great run on the right-hand side and played a brilliant ball to the unmarked Kevin Ellison, who didn’t quite connect with his attempted volley.

At the other end, Morecambe’s defence was exposed 10 minutes before the break with midfielder Sam Finley going for goal on the volley but his attempt went just wide.

Despite the fact Bentley’s side appeared to up their game at the start of the second half, Fylde kicked off much like they had done in the first.

Nine minutes in, Tunnicliffe doubled his side’s lead with a close-range header from a corner.

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Morecambe piled the pressure on Fylde following the goal, and their hard work paid off in the 65th minute when Turner beat Lynch to a great ball from Luke Conlan and headed home to give the Shrimps hope of a draw.

Ten minutes from time, the Coasters played some great one-touch football on the floor and it nearly led to a goal but Morecambe had McGowan to thank with the full back on hand to block Finley’s effort.

The Shrimps’ final pre-season game comes on Saturday at home to Rochdale.

AFC Fylde: Lynch, Hunt (Ezewele 71), Francis-Angol, Langley, Tunnicliffe, Montrose, Jones (Hardy 45), Finley, Rowe, Muldoon (Tasdemir 79), Bond. Subs not used: Taylor, Morgan, Hughes, McCready, Grand, Daniels, Hassell, Green.

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Morecambe: Nizic, McGowan, Kenyon (Brough 58), Lund, Trialist, Conlan, Rose (capt) (Hedley 74), Wildig (Fleming 58), Campbell (Turner 45), Ellison (Thompson 67), Oliver (Deakin 45). Subs not used: Armstrong (GK), Yawson, Brownsword.

Attendance: 635