Hartlepool United 2 Morecambe 2 (Hartlepool win 4-2 on penalties): Shrimps suffer shootout defeat

After a late Hartlepool goal took the match to spot-kicks, the Shrimps missed two penalties as the home side scored all four of theirs to claim the bonus point.

Morecambe boss Stephen Robinson made nine changes to the side which lost 4-3 at Wycombe Wanderers on Saturday.

Only Scott Wootton and Ryan Delaney remained, while academy youngster Connor Pye made his full debut.

They almost went a goal behind after just three minutes when Jacob Mensah’s poor back pass played in Mark Cullen, who was denied by an excellent save from Jokull Andresson.

The home side did go ahead, however, on eight minutes when Will Goodwin’s cross was met by the unmarked Matty Daly, who scored from 12 yards.

The Shrimps came back into the game and levelled on 33 minutes when Ryan Cooney’s quickly-taken throw caught out the home defence and Shane McLoughlin lobbed Jonathan Mitchell.

Seven minutes later, Morecambe led when they were awarded a penalty after Reagan Ogle brought down Jonah Ayunga and Callum Jones made no mistake from the spot.

With the wind in their faces after the break, the Shrimps struggled to make any headway and Hartlepool should have equalised on 54 minutes when Neill Byrne volleyed over from six yards.

Hartlepool did get a second goal, however, six minutes from the end when Daly scored his second from a Goodwin cross to set up an exciting finale.

Cullen fired an effort off target and Andresson saved superbly from Lee Molyneux before the home side had the chance to win the game in the 90th minute with a penalty of their own.

A poor clearance from Andresson allowed Mike Fondop a run on goal, only to be brought down by the Shrimps’ keeper.

Fondop wanted to take the penalty but Molyneux took the kick and crashed his effort against the crossbar to take the game to penalties.

Hartlepool kept their cool to score all four spot-kicks through Daly, Molyneux, David Ferguson and Tom Crawford.

Jones and Cooney netted for Morecambe but misses from McLoughlin and Arthur Gnahoua saw the home side take the victory.

Hartlepool United: Mitchell, Ogle, Byrne, Odusina, Ferguson, Crawford, Smith, Daly, Goodwin (Molyneux 72), Cullen, Cook (Fondop 77). Subs not used: Killop, Hendrie, Francis-Angol, Featherstone, Shelton.

Morecambe: Andresson, Wootton, Delaney, Mensah, Cooney, Wildig, Jones, McLoughlin, Pye (McDonald 74), Price (Gnahoua 73), Ayunga. Subs not used: Letheren, O’Connor, Phillips, Rooney, Stockton.

Referee: Simon Mather.

Attendance: 1,572.

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