Adam Phillips is spot-on to put Morecambe into the FA Cup second round

An Adam Phillips penalty earned the Shrimps a place in the second round of the FA Cup as they won 1-0 at Maldon & Tiptree.
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Phillips scored the only goal of the game three minutes from the break after Carols Mendes-Gomes had been brought down by Maldon keeper Ben McNamara.

It was a game that was always going to be a tricky one against an Isthmian League side who had been unbeaten in 12 games and who had caused one of the shocks of the first round last year when they beat Leyton Orient.

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Boss Derek Adams made just one change to the side that drew with Exeter in midweek with Aaron Wildig coming in for Alex Kenyon in a strong line up.

Adam Phillips (centre) celebrates his goal  (Getty Images)Adam Phillips (centre) celebrates his goal  (Getty Images)
Adam Phillips (centre) celebrates his goal (Getty Images)

The opening exchanges saw both sides struggle to make progress but it was Maldon and Tiptree who had the first notable chance of the game. Striker Shomari Barnwell got the wrong side of Sam Lavelle to have a clear run on goal but his shot was well blocked by Morecambe keeper Jake Turner.

From there the Shrimps always looked the more threatening but home keeper McNamara denied them on a number of occasions.

Phillips was the first to test the Australian with a shot from 20 yards that forced a low save, before the keeper reacted superbly to race from his goal to deny Wildig an opening with a brave block.

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The Shrimps continued on the front foot with Nathaniel Knight-Percival failing to provide a strong finish from a goalmouth scramble, before McNamara saved superbly again from a close range Jordan Slew volley.

McNamara’s only mistake was to bring down Mendes-Gomes for the penalty which gave the Shrimps the lead.

The second half continued in much the same way as Morecambe created the better chances, with McNamara saving well from Knight-Percival and Phillips before the game’s one moment of controversy.

Mendes-Gomes was superbly picked out by Lavelle and he slotted the ball past McNamara only to see his effort wrongly ruled out for offside.

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While the Shrimps only held a one goal lead Maldon always had hope and they pushed all the way, with substitute Adam Vyse going desperately close to an equaliser with a shot from the edge of the box that flew inches wide.

Morecambe looked to exploit gaps at the end of the game and should have added a second in the closing stages when Cole Stockton headed a golden chance wide from close range.

The home side continued to press but the Shrimps’ defence stayed firm to clinch the victory.

Maldon: McNamara, Butler, Cracknell, Stokes, Ryan-Khanye, Coombes, William-Bushell (Hasanally 64), McClenaghan (Stagg 84), Kai, Barnwell, Kemp (Vyse 75). Subs not used: Garrett-Douglas, Cornish, Noel-Mcleod, Conway.

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Morecambe: Turner, Mellor, Lavelle, Knight-Percival, Hendrie (Cooney 19), Wildig, Songo’o, Pringle (O’Sullivan 70), Mendes-Gomes, Phillips, Slew (Stockton 70). Subs not used: Halstead, Price, Diagouraga, Davis.

Referee: W Finnie.