Morecambe 1 Forest Green Rovers 2: Shrimps stumble to another home defeat

Charlie Brown gave the Shrimps the lead on the half-hour but goals from Charlie McCann and Kyle McAllister earned the visitors three points as the hosts slipped to an eighth defeat in 10 games.

Boss Ged Brannan made two changes with injuries ruling out Jacob Bedeau and Ged Garner, meaning returns for Donald Love and Kayden Harrack.

The Shrimps forced a string of early corners, Jordan Slew creating a chance with some smart footwork but drilling his shot straight at Vicente Reyes.

Love, who made his first start since October, tried his luck from distance with a shot that was blocked before the visitors came into the game.

McAllister and McCann were denied by blocks before Emmanuel Osadebe drilled the rebound high and wide.

Moments later, the Shrimps found themselves ahead as Brown capitalised on a poor first touch from Reyes to chase the ball and slide it into the empty net.

The visitors levelled when McAllister cut in from the right and threaded a ball through to McCann, who calmly stroked it past Archie Mair.

That gave the visitors a lift and they took the lead just before half-time with another well-worked goal.

McAllister was played in after a neat exchange of passes and squeezed his shot past Mair from just inside the box.

Both teams traded chances at the start of the second half, Osadebe denied by David Tutonda’s block at one end and Gwion Edwards foiled by a superb low save from Reyes at the other.

Morecambe pushed forward but only tested Reyes once as he palmed away Joel Senior’s free-kick.

As the Shrimps pushed forward, they left huge gaps but the visitors could not add a third.

Christian Doidge and McAllister wasted glorious chances but the visitors took the win on another disappointing home afternoon for the Shrimps.

Morecambe: Mair, Love (Davenport 77), Tutonda, Rawson, Harrack (Songo’o 58), Khumbeni, McKiernan (Larsson 86), Senior, Slew, Edwards (C Smith 86), Brown (Adams 77). Subs not used: A Smith, Threlkeld.

Forest Green Rovers: Reyes, Dabo (Lavinier 90), Keogh (Bernard 69), Moore-Taylor, McAllister, McCann, Doidge, Garrick, Robson, Bunker, Osadebe (Jones 80). Subs not used: Searle, Stevens, Maddox, Omotoye.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Attendance: 4,491.