Doncaster Rovers 0 Morecambe 5: Famous five as Shrimps run up a record score
The Shrimps produced an almost perfect performance as two goals from Michael Mellon and strikes from Eli King, Jacob Bedeau and David Tutonda gave them their biggest ever away win in the Football League.
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Hide AdBrannan named the same side that drew with Stockport County a week earlier and his selection paid off quickly as Morecambe took the lead in only the seventh minute.
Midfielder King picked up possession on the left-hand side before cutting in on his right foot and curling an effort through a crowd of bodies into the bottom corner of Louis Jones' goal
Doncaster hit back with a great opportunity to level on 20 minutes. Shrimps' keeper Adam Smith saved well from Owen Bailey's close-range effort and Mo Faal saw an effort cleared off the line before blazing the rebound over from close range.
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Hide AdIt proved to be a costly miss as the Shrimps doubled their advantage on 34 minutes. Mellon timed his run forward to perfection to run on goal and although his first effort was saved by Jones and his second was blocked by a defender, he was not to be denied a third time as he rolled the ball into the net for another fine finish.
The goal gave the Shrimps a confidence boost and the chances kept coming. Tom Bloxham forced a good save from Jones as he turned his angled shot wide for a corner and Joel Senior’s right wing cross forced a scrambling save from the home stopper.
Doncaster came out with purpose at the start of the second half but their resistance was soon ended as skipper Jacob Bedeau scored his first goal for the Shrimps on 51 minutes as he bundled home a superb Adam Mayor cross from close range.
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Hide AdDoncaster boss Grant McCann made four substitutions five minutes later and Jack Goodman, one of those who came on, should have reduced the deficit on 63 minutes but clipped an effort wide of the right hand post after latching on to a long ball that caught out the Shrimps' defence.
With little chance of Doncaster coming back into the game the Shrimps ended the game with a flourish and scored a fantastic fourth with 10 minutes to go. A string of one-touch passes saw the ball end up with Tutonda who fired a fierce left-foot shot into the roof of the Rovers' goal.
Mellon sealed the Rovers rout for the Shrimps six minutes into added time. King's deep corner fell to the striker at the far post and he made no mistake as he volleyed home his 13th league goal of the campaign.
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Hide AdDoncaster Rovers: Jones, Anderson Olowu, Molyneux (Sterry 56), Biggins (Rowe 56), Nixon, Bailey, Ironside, Hurst (Kuleya 56), Senior, Faal (Goodman 56). Subs not used: Lawlor, Degruchy, Flint.
Bookings: Sterry, Senior.
Morecambe: A Smith, Tutonda (Melbourne, 83), Bedeau, Songo’o, Bloxham (Slew 68), King, Mellon, McKiernan (Taylor 59), Mayor, Senior, Connolly. Subs not used: Pedley, Stokes, Davenport, C Smith.
Bookings: Tutonda, Connolly, Mayor.
Ref: K Dowle.
Attendance: 6,260 (186).