Morecambe 0 Walsall 1: Shrimps’ woes continue with another defeat
Stuart Sinclair’s fourth minute goal was enough to separate the sides on Tuesday evening and give the Saddlers three points.
It also meant the Shrimps are without a win in seven league and cup games after a night where they failed to put one shot on target.
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Hide AdJim Bentley had made two changes from the side beaten at Scunthorpe United with Adam Buxton and Kevin Ellison recalled in place of Ritchie Sutton and Jordan Cranston.
Those changes also meant switching from a back three to a back four but it was the same old story from a defensive point of view.
Three rebounds cost the Shrimps at the weekend and it was another loose ball that did for them again.
On this occasion, Barry Roche used his foot to keep out Rory Gaffney’s shot but Sinclair was first to the loose ball and fired home.
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Hide AdIt was a suitable scruffy way to win a match in which Walsall were the better team but didn’t have to work that hard for it to be the case.
While there was no denying the effort that Morecambe’s players put in, there was a lack of quality on show when they got in the final third.
On the rare occasions that they fashioned a sight of goal, too often the ball – as well as the buck – was passed from team-mate to team-mate and, as a consequence, any chance was lost.
Buxton, Shaun Miller and George Tanner were off target from distance in the opening 45 minutes as the Shrimps sought a way back into proceedings.
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Hide AdAt the other end, the lively Gaffney forced Tanner into a last-ditch clearance, Liam Kinsella shot wide from 18 yards and Rory Holden’s effort was held by Roche as the first half mercifully drew to a close.
Not that the second period was much better.
Holden fired over from a decent position and Roche again used his feet, this time to thwart Caolan Lavery.
That at least sparked a spell of Morecambe pressure with an offside flag denying Miller, while an Andrew Tutte corner bobbled around the area without anyone being able to capitalise.
Gaffney twice chanced his arm from distance before John O’Sullivan got free down the Shrimps’ right-hand side.
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Hide AdInstead of taking a touch and waiting for team-mates, he tried a first-time cross that went straight to the keeper; it was that sort of night.
Morecambe: Roche, Buxton, Lavelle, Old, Tanner, O’Sullivan, Tutte, Wildig (Oates 83), Ellison (Leitch-Smith 73), Alessandra, Miller (Stockton 73). Subs not used: Halstead, Sutton, Cranston.
Walsall: Roberts, Liddle, Clarke, Scarr, Jules, Holden (Sadler 84), Guthrie, Sinclair, Kinsella, Lavery (Gordon 84), Gaffney. Subs not used: Rose, Norman, Hardy, Bates, McDonald.
Referee: James Oldham.
Attendance: 1,616.