Chelsea 4, Morecambe 0: Shrimps FA Cup adventure ends at Stamford Bridge

Morecambe may not have made history but they certainly gave their all as they bowed out of the FA Cup with a 4-0 defeat at Chelsea.
Morecambe's Ryan Cooney (left) and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi (right) battle for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup third round match at Stamford BridgeMorecambe's Ryan Cooney (left) and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi (right) battle for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup third round match at Stamford Bridge
Morecambe's Ryan Cooney (left) and Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi (right) battle for the ball during the Emirates FA Cup third round match at Stamford Bridge

The Shrimps were always gong to be up against it in their first third round tie for 18 years against the Premiership giants and when Frank Lampard named a starting side full of internationals costing roughly £280m it was always going to be a tough 90 minutes.

It proved to be that way as Chelsea scored four but the Shrimps did have a couple of moments themselves, particularly in the first half, as they looked to cause the Blues problems.

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Boss Derek Adams was without skipper Sam Lavelle who was ill with Nathaniel Knight-Percival drafted into a defence that was soon called into action when Timo Werner headed wide in the opening minutes.

Morecambe went close to taking a shock lead in the 12th minute when Adam Phillips’s shot from the right almost caught out Chelsea keeper Kept ay his near post with the Spanish international forced to make a twisting save town sure the ball didn’t cross the line.

Chelsea had caused the Shrimps a few problems with Timo Werner heading an early effort wide and Emerson flashing a shot off target before the home side took the lead when Mason

Mount was given time to set up a shot 25 yards out and he let fly with a low effort that gave Mark Halstead no chance as it arrowhead into he bottom right hand corner.

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From there the home side dominated possession and created a number of changes with Antonio Rudiger volleying a Hakim Zylech corner over at the near post and Werner volleying over from a set piece. The Shrimps looked to threaten on the break with Phillips again testing Kepa with a shot from the right.

The Shrimps looked set to be going into the break just one goal behind but were undone in the 44th minute when a cross to the far post was headed back across goal by Kai Havertz and Werner was perfectly placed to bundle the ball over the line.

The goal gave Chelsea an extra spring in their step and they quickly made it 3-0 after the break when Hakim Ziyech spotted the run of Callum Hudson-Odoi and the England midfielder made no mistake with a cool finish on 49 minutes.

Chelsea continued to press without creating too many chances until the 84th minute when they added a fourth. A neat interchange down the right saw Cesar Azpilicueta in space and he delivered a far post cross for Havertz to rise above his marker and head past Halstead from close range.

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Chelsea: Kepa, Azpilicueta, Rudiger, Zouma (rep Tomori 80), Emerson, Mount (rep Abraham 69), Gilmour, Havertz, Hudson-Odoi (rep Anjorin 80), Ziyech (rep Pulisic 67), Werner (rep Giroud 68). Subs not used: Caballero, Jorginho, Kovacic, Chilwell.

Morecambe: Halstead, Cooney (rep Mellor 62), Knight-Percival, Davis, Hendrie (rep Gibson 62), Songo’o, Wildig, Mendes-Gomes (rep Lyons 69), Phillips, Slew (rep O’Sullivan 62), Stockton (rep McAlinden 84). Subs not used: Turner, Diagouraga, Kenyon, Leitch-Smith.