Morecambe players can't keep playing catch-up

The teams shared a 1-1 draw at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium where the Shrimps, yet again, conceded the first goal.

They fell behind after 80 seconds, when Grimsby’s top scorer Danny Rose was left unmarked in the box to score his 14th of the campaign.

It left Brannan’s players facing an uphill task once again before Jordan Slew levelled eight minutes into the second half.

His fifth of the season kept Morecambe in 10th position in League Two, three points adrift of the play-offs ahead of Saturday’s trip to third-placed Crewe Alexandra.

Both sides had chances to win it, Jordy Hiwula spurning an opportunity on his Shrimps debut, before Grimsby’s Gavan Holohan scooped the ball over from two yards in added time.

Brannan said afterwards: “It was a tough one to take really because it was criminal to give a player like that (Rose) so much space in the box like we did.

“We have been conceding early goals far too often this season and we can’t expect to come back and win games all the time.

“I can’t fault the lads for their efforts to get back into the game – and some of our football was excellent after a poor start – but you can’t keep putting yourself under pressure week in week out.

“There were lots of positives but we couldn’t get the second goal and they almost won it at the end.

“At the end of the day, it is a point in the right direction and we will keep pushing up that table.”