Stevenage 2 Morecambe 2: Late goal denies the Shrimps three points

The Shrimps had looked set for a rare three points at the Lamex Stadium, which would have taken them into the top three, but Luke Norris’ header denied them the victory their excellent first-half performance promised.

Boss Derek Adams made two changes from the side that lost to Tranmere Rovers last week with Aaron Wildig and Alex Kenyon coming in for the suspended Yann Songo’o and the departed Adam Phillips.

The returning Wildig was soon involved with two chances in the opening five minutes.

The first saw him played in by Cole Stockton’s neat flick with the midfielder only finding the side netting from an angle.

In the next move, Stephen Hendrie delivered a fine cross to the far post which Wildig chested over.

Stevenage took the lead when a free-kick was cleared to the edge of the box before Elliot List’s volley took a deflection off Wildig and went through a crowd of bodies to beat Kyle Letheren.

They threatened a second shortly afterwards as Matty Stevens broke into the Morecambe area but was denied by an excellent double save from Letheren.

The Shrimps hit back with Carlos Mendes Gomes firing over from the edge of the area and Toumani Diagouraga heading another excellent Hendrie cross just over.

Morecambe’s pressure paid off when they equalised on 27 minutes.

Hendrie, who had an excellent first half, produced another fine low cross from the left and Diagouraga ran in ahead of his marker to sidefoot the ball past David Stockdale.

Stevenage threatened to go ahead for a second time a minute later when Joe Martin’s free-kick was excellently tipped over by Letheren.

Five minutes later, the Shrimps were ahead with a well-worked goal after John O’Sullivan found Stockton with a long-range through ball.

Stockton took the ball on his chest and made an opening for himself before curling a shot past Stockdale.

After an excellent first-half display, the Shrimps struggled to find top gear after the break and had to defend for long periods.

Sam Lavelle and Nathaniel Knight-Percival both produced fine blocks from Jack Aitchison and Danny Newton.

Norris looked Stevenage’s most dangerous outlet, and on 78 minutes, he produced a neat turn in the box to create a chance but blazed his effort over the bar.

He made no mistake two minutes later, however, as he scored the goal to deny the Shrimps victory.

Newton’s shot was blocked but the ball looped to Norris at the far post and his header squeezed under Letheren.

Stevenage maintained the pressure and almost snatched victory in injury time when Ben Coker’s cross was headed over by Newton as both sides shared the spoils.

Stevenage: Stockdale, James-Wildin, Vancooten, Marshall (Coker 80), Martin, List (Carter 67), Lines, Read (Pett 80), Aitchison, Stevens (Newton 76), Norris. Subs not used: Vincelot, Prosser, Johnson.

Morecambe: Letheren, Cooney, Lavelle, Knight-Percival, Hendrie, Kenyon (Davis 59), Diagouraga, O’Sullivan (Lyons 77), Wildig, Mendes-Gomes, Stockton. Subs not used: Halstead, Slew, McAlinden, Denny, Gibson.

Referee: James Oldham.

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