Crawley Town 1, Morecambe 1

Jim BentleyJim Bentley
Jim Bentley
Morecambe were denied a crucial victory in their relegation fight by a last-gasp Crawley goal.

The Shrimps looked set to be heading for a crucial three points after substitute Callum Lang fired them ahead in injury time.

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But once again Jim Bentley’s side failed to see the game out and the home side snatched a dramatic leveller in the 94th minute through Charlton loanee Karlan Ahearne-Grant.

Wigan loanee Lang looked to have snatched all three points for the Shrimps a minute into second half stoppage-time when he was put though on goal and produced a cool finish to chip the ball over the onrushing Glenn Morris to fire Morecambe in front.

Lang’s joy was such that he was booked for his over zealous celebrations but he would have been seeing red just a few moments later when Dannie Bulman picked out Ahearne-Grant and he slotted home from close range to give the home side a dramatic point.

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Overall a draw would be seen by many as a fair result but there is no denying that after scoring so late in the game the Shrimps will be devastated not to have held on to the victory and moved them further clear of the bottom two relegation spots.

Crawley started the brighter and created the firs opening when Mark Randall's clever pass found Ahearne-Grant only for his dangerous cross to be hooked clear by Luke Conlan after 20 minutes.

The Shrimps’ defence remains the busier with Sam Lavelle producing a vital clearance before Morecambe forced their first opening late in the half when skipper Micheal Rose's long-throw was flicked on to Adam McGurk but his header went wide.

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Crawley started the second half well with captain Jimmy Smith's forcing a fine save from Barry Roche and Enzio Boldewijn directing a header just wide.

Lewis Young forced a vital block from Kevin Ellison before Lavelle put himself in the firing line again to superbly block a goal bound Ahearne-Grant effort on 73 minutes.

Smith then managed to fire wide from less than 10 yards out as the Shrimps rode their luck before they staged a late rally.

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They were cruelly denied a superb opener on 86 minutes when Andy Fleming produced a dipping 25-yard strike that came back out off the crossbar with Morris well beaten.

That disappointment was soon put to the back of the Shrimps’ minds as Lang fired them ahead before Crawley scored a dramatic leveller to spoil what looked set to be a perfect day for the Shrimps.

Crawley: Morris, Young, Doherty, Payne (rep McNerney 86), Connolly, Boldewijn, Smith, Ahearne-Grant, Yorweth, Bulman, Randall (rep Camara 64). Subs not used: Mersin, Djalo, Tajbakhsh, Lelan, Sanoh.

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Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Winnard, Lavelle, Conlan, Rose, Fleming, Wildig (rep Lang 64), Wylde (rep Thompson 64) Ellison (rep Campbell 77), McGurk. Subs not used: Nizic, Kenyon, Oliver, Lund.Ref: Brendan Malone

Att: 1,642.