Back in time: When Morecambe’s second-half show stunned Chesterfield

With football still in lockdown, we thought we’d dip into the Visitor archives over the next few weeks and take a look at some classic matches.
Padraig Amond scores with his head to win the game for the ShrimpsPadraig Amond scores with his head to win the game for the Shrimps
Padraig Amond scores with his head to win the game for the Shrimps

We’re starting back in October 2013 when a second-half fightback brought a 4-3 win against Chesterfield at the Globe Arena.

This is how ADAM LORD described the action on that afternoon....

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Remarkable, ridiculous, historic, amazing, fantastic, unforgettable.

Plenty of adjectives have been used to describe Morecambe’s comeback against League 2 leaders Chesterfield at the Globe Arena on Saturday.

The Shrimps were truly down and out as they were thoroughly outplayed in a first-half that saw them trail 3-0 after 22 minutes.

But as soon as Kevin Ellison pulled a goal back a minute into the second half there was something in the air.

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The dream became a reality five minutes from time as Padraig Amond headed in the winner to scenes of pure euphoria for a victory that will live long in the memory.

In the short term it extended the Shrimps’ impressive unbeaten League 2 run to seven games and moved them up to sixth.

But it had all started so poorly as Jim Bentley’s side went behind after four minutes.

The otherwise dependable Andy Parrish swung and missed at a Jay O’Shea centre from the right allowing Eoin Doyle the chance to finish past Barry Roche for his first of the afternoon.

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Gary McSheffrey nearly made it two five minutes later with a speculative volley that beat Roche and the bar before doubling the lead on 11 minutes, converting Tendayi Darikwa’s cross from 15 yards after the wide man had profited on a Mark Hughes error.

Ellison saw a volley deflected wide at the other end but it was the visitors who looked likely to increase their lead whenever they ventured forward.

They did just that on 22 minutes with a fine individual goal from Doyle who jinked past a host of Shrimps players before lifting the ball over Roche.

Paul Cook’s side then felt they should have had a penalty but Rushton waved away their appeals despite Hughes appearing to handle.

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In perhaps a sign of things to come Amond was then denied by Tommy Lee when he found himself in, one-on-one, three minutes before the break.

Then the transformation came, Ellison bundling the ball past Lee from close range to start the unbelievable sequence of events.

Amond and Sampson both then came close as the crowd sensed what was to come.

The visitors weren’t without chances of their own, O’Shea shooting high and wide when he should have done better.

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But it was a rare moment of danger as captain Hughes capitalised on some slack defending to hammer the ball home from close in after a corner had only been half-cleared.

The Shrimps were level on 69 minutes, Sampson stretching to convert a Williams free-kick, the fact it went in off the post only adding to the drama at the Globe Arena.

It looked like there was only going to be one winner as Amond headed over a Sampson long throw 10 minutes from time but Doyle then brought a good save from Roche before hitting the outside of the post in the next attack.

It was the Shrimps who sensationally got their noses in front however five minutes from time, Amond stooping low to head home Sampson’s whipped left-wing cross as a remarkable game took another twist.

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And Sampson nearly made it five with time almost up but his volley flew past the angle of post and crossbar.

It meant it was a nervy five minutes of added on time, but the hosts held on for a victory that those present will never forget.

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