SLIDESHOW: Morecambe 3-0 Luton

Morecambe made it back-to-back home League 2 wins with victory over 10-man Luton on Saturday.
Morecambe FC.Morecambe FC.
Morecambe FC.

The high-flying Hatters had to play more than an hour with 10 men after captain Steve McNulty was sent off for two yellow cards in two first half minutes.

Kevin Ellison had already given the Shrimps the lead just after the quarter hour with Mark Hughes adding a second on the stroke of half-time.

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Padraig Amond then added a late third, the least the Shrimps the deserved, as they became the first winners of the Eric Morecambe Trophy.

Morecambe FC.Morecambe FC.
Morecambe FC.

It all happened without boss Jim Bentley who missed the game due to illness.

It was a scrappy opening before Ellison fired the Shrimps ahead 17 minutes in.

Jamie Devitt’s deep free-kick was headed back into the mix by Alex Kenyon with Ellison pouncing on the loose ball to hammer home his eighth goal of the season from 10 yards.

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The Shrimps looked a real threat going forward and soon had a man advantage.

Skipper McNulty was first booked for bringing down Kevin Ellison before being done by a Paul Mullin turn on 28 minutes, the big central defender felling the Morecambe striker with referee Andy D’Urso having no hesitation in showing a second yellow card 92 seconds after the first.

Assistant boss McKenna looked on as Morecambe looked to press home their advantage before the interval.

Luton were ragged with the Shrimps well on top, Kenyon seeing a header from a Devitt corner hacked off the line by former Dagenham man Luke Wilkinson.

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But Morecambe didn’t have to wait long to double their advantage and got a second on the stroke of half-time.

After forcing a series of corners, one was kept alive with Shaun Beeley chipping to the far post where Hughes arrived to head past Mark Tyler at his near post.

Luton had to regroup and were quickest out of the blocks in the second half, Scott Davies beating Mark Cullen’s effort round the post.

But it was as good as things got for the visitors as once the Shrimps warmed into the second period they looked like they would score at will.

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The hosts had a series of half chances before Ellison forced Tyler into a save at full stretch on 73 minutes and Laurence Wilson drilled over the follow-up.

Tyler then saved well low to his left from Ellison 10 minutes from time before Amond made sure of the points 60 seconds later with his second goal in as many games.

Ryan Edwards rose highest to head down Devitt’s corner with Amond turning and firing home from close range.

The Shrimps could have had more but had the three goals were enough for three League 2 points in the second impressive home display on the bounce.

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Morecambe: Davies, Parrish, Hughes (capt), Edwards, Beeley, Drummond, Kenyon, Wilson, Devitt, Ellison, Mullin (Amond 59). Subs not used: Arestidou, Redshaw, Williams, Goodall, McGowan, McCready.

Booked: Edwards, Ellison

Luton: Tyler, Franks, McNulty (capt), Wilkinson, Harriman (Miller 73), Doyle, Smith, Howells, Drury (Lacey 46), Whalley, Cullen (Lafayette 68). Subs not used: Justham, Griffiths, Rooney, Stevenson.

Booked: McNulty, Lafayette

Sent off: McNulty

Referee: Andy D’Urso

Attendance: 2,263 (731)