Morecambe 1 Sutton United 0: Garner on target again as early goal is decisive

​Garner scored his third goal in the last two games as he slid home Joel Senior's right-wing cross to see Brannan break his home hoodoo.

Brannan made two changes to the Shrimps' side that beat Crawley Town last week with Chris Stokes returning for the unwell Farrend Rawson, and Jake Taylor being handed a start with Yann Songo' dropping to the bench.

And the Shrimps' chief could not have wished for a better start with a superb opening goal. Senior played a neat one-two with Charlie Brown down the right before delivering a perfect cross for Garner to score from close range.

Second-bottom Sutton produced their first threatening moment on 12 minutes when QPR loanee Stephen Duke McKenna, who looked bright in the early stages, fired a free-kick over Archie Mair’s crossbar.

The Shrimps then dominated the chances. Brown was put through on goal by Joe Adams on 15 minutes but was well denied by Bouzanis. Brown then created another chance for himself seven minutes later when he took the ball on the right-hand side of the area but curled an effort just wide.

The second half saw the Shrimps step up the pace and create a string of openings.

Substitute Jordan Slew saw his left-wing cross just evade fellow sub Gwion Edwards at the far post. Moments later the latter did find the target as he slotted home another clever Adams lay-off only to see the effort ruled out for a narrow offside.

Nelson Khumbeni drilled an effort inches wide, Garner saw a shot on the turn well blocked by Joe Kizzi and Edwards forced Bouzanis into a decent save low to his right with a shot from the edge of the area.

But for all Morecambe's dominance, the lack of a second goal meant the visitors were always in the game and they should have levelled on 70 minutes when the ball fell kindly for skipper Craig Eastmond inside the box but he failed to find the target.

Sutton staged a late rally with Charlie Lakin and Omari Patrick forcing Archie Mair into regulation saves before the Shrimps missed a golden chance to add to their tally when Garner was put through by Senior but failed to beat Bouzanis.

Morecambe: Mair, Tutonda, Bedeau, Adams, Garner (Melbourne 87), Larsson (Slew 53), Senior, Stokes, Taylor, Brown (Edwards 52), Khumbeni (Songo’o 79). Subs not used: A Smith, C Smith, Harrack.

Sutton United: Bouzanis, Adom-Malaki (Patrick 46), Goodliffe, Eastmond, Kizzi, Jackson, Lakin, Angol (Smith 46), Sanderson (Beautyman 46), Hart, Duke-McKenna (Moore 90). Subs not used: Arnold, Sowunmi, John.

Attendance: 4,045.

Ref: P Wright.