Morecambe manager's frustration with defeat at Harrogate Town

Joyce awarded the home side a debatable penalty and sent off Farrend Rawson just after the hour.

A first-half elbow on JJ McKiernan was missed, an incident that saw the Morecambe midfielder forced to leave the field.

Adams said: “We didn’t do enough to win the game but a few big decisions went against us.

“I thought we started the game the better of the two teams and we got into some nice areas, but were unfortunate not to get a clear sight of goal.

“We lost JJ, who got an elbow to his head in an incident that was missed by the referee and his assistants.

“That could have been a red card and then the referee gives Harrogate a penalty for handball when, after seeing the video footage, it looks like it has come off Rawson’s chest rather than what the referee seems to think was his arm.

“In the second half, we had to make a couple of substitutions and we wanted to take off a centre-half as both had been booked.

“We took off Jacob Bedeau and, in hindsight, that may have been wrong as Farrend was booked and sent off just after.

“We worked ever so hard with 10 men after that to try and get back in the game but it was a difficult game for us.

“We changed a few things and we kept on pushing but, in the end, we couldn’t get the goal that might have given them a scare at the end.”