​Hartlepool Utd 1 Morecambe 1: Shrimps earn point thanks to second-half spot-kick

Former Shrimps' player Adam Campbell gave the home side a third-minute lead but, after they missed a string of early chances, Morecambe came back into it and took a point through an Admiral Muskwe penalty early in the second half.

Shrimps boss Ashvir Singh Johal made three changes to the side that lost at Eastleigh with Emmerson Sutton making his debut and recalls for Ben Tollitt and Muskwe, as Jack Nolan and Joe Nuttall dropped to the bench, with Gwion Edwards ruled out through injury.

Morecambe got off to the worst possible start when they gifted Hartlepool an opening goal after just three minutes. Maldini Kacurri and Miguel Azeez failed to keep the ball on the edge of their own box and Campbell had the easiest of chances to score from 12 yards out.

The home side continued to look the sharper with Campbell diverting a Jay Benn cross inches wide and Danny Johnson forcing an excellent save with a shot from a tight angle down the left hand side.

Campbell again threatened when he looked to catch Jamal Blackman off his line with an audacious 30-yard lob which the keeper did well to react to.

After a flat start Morecambe came back strongly with Elijah Dixon-Bonner diverting a pinpoint cross from Lewis Payne over and then hitting the post with a similar effort from an excellent Emmerson Sutton cross.

Muskwe somehow failed to find the target from a close-range header from Jake Cain's corner, and referee Richard Aspinall waved away claims for a penalty when Muskwe's header seemed to strike the arm of a Hartlepool defender as the Shrimps finished the half on top.

They started the second half in the same way and were rewarded with a penalty on 50 minutes when Muskwe was bundled over in the box by Cameron John, and the same Morecambe player stepped up to score confidently.

The Shrimps had a golden chance to take the lead in the 67th minute when Tollitt was played in on goal by Azeez only for the winger to curl an effort wide with only George Evans to beat.

From there the Shrimps looked a threat but it was the home side who almost claimed victory in added time when Alex Reid was played in on goal but denied by a fine Blackman save, before Lewis Payne produced a superb clearance on the line from Nathan Shelton's follow-up as the Shrimps took a share of the spoils.

Hartlepool: Evans, Benn, Kouogun, John, Topallaj, Sheron, Hunter (Miley 61), Francis (Parkes 61), Campbell, Daly, Johnson. Subs not used: Smith, Ferguson, Fireman, Walker.

Morecambe: Blackman, Payne, Kacurri, Francillette, Williams (Sesay 90), Azeez, Cain (Songo'o 80) Sutton (Nuttall 80), Dixon-Bonner (Aarons 80), Tollitt, Muskwe. Subs not used: Mair, Raikhy, Nolan.

Referee: R Aspinall.

Attendance: 3,122