McIlroy says Shrimps are 'back on Track'

Garry Thompson was the hero with his sixth strike of the season on the hour to give the Shrimps their first win in five games and keep them in the League Two play-off pack.

Against a side who had beaten top dogs MK Dons and Hereford in the past two games the Shrimps gave an assured performance.

It left boss Sammy McIlroy delighted at full-time.

He said: "We had big performances all over the park and Barnet, who have had a good run of late, never really troubled us.

"We knew a win was important to get us back on the right track and once we went ahead I couldn't see us losing the lead.

"I was really pleased with the way we went about the game and to get a clean sheet was a real boost as well.''

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The game itself saw both sides play decent football with Barnet passing the ball around neatly without hurting the Morecambe defence, which was marshalled superbly by skipper Jim Bentley.

Former York midfielder Neale Bishop linked well with fellow middle man Josh Wright but with the Bees' star man Jason Puncheon playing surprisingly deep, the home side lacked a cutting edge with a display that 'perplexed and disturbed' home boss Paul Fairclough.

The game may have totally different it Barnet had made the most of a golden opening on four minutes when an unmarked Albert Adomah sidefooted Cliff Akurang's low cross wide from 12 yards out when he really should have scored.

In contrast, Morecambe always countered with purpose.

Wayne Curtis, who kept his place in the side with Michael Twiss unavailable for personal reasons, gave Barnet a warning with a goal on 16 minutes that was chalked out for offside.

Carl Baker and Craig Stanley showed the directness that Barnet lacked with the latter firing over on two occasions before Baker forced Lee Harrison into the first save of the game in the 37th minute.

>> We've met before: Morecambe 0-0 Barnet

Bentley came close to scoring another of his trademark right-foot volleys after latching on to a fine Curtis cross before forcing Harrison into a neat block low to his right from a header.

The Shrimps were given a brief scare at the start of the second half when Puncheon drilled a low shot against the foot of Jalal's left-hand post after a clever free-kick from Wright. But in the next move, Morecambe were on the front foot again with Baker forcing Harrison into a save at full stretch with a sweetly-struck shot from 25 yards out.

The busy Baker was denied by Harrison for a third time on the hour but the home keeper could do nothing to prevent the Shrimps' eventual winner.

Baker swung over a corner to the far post and Thompson found himself all alone. His first-time volley was smartly blocked by Harrison but Thompson had the speed of thought to follow up the loose ball and bundle it over the line to put Morecambe 1-0 up.

It was a goal that the Shrimps deserved as they always looked the more likely side to score.

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Barnet continued to play neat football as they looked to get back into the game but apart from a long-range Wright effort, Shwan Jalal had little to do as the Shrimps recorded a welcome victory.

Wright was booked for diving after claiming a late penalty and a spot of fisticuffs between Danny Adams and Bishop helped bring the game to something of an explosive end.


Morecambe


Jalal 7

Yates 7

Artell 7

Bentley 8

Adams 7

Thompson 7

Drummond 7

Stanley 7

Curtis 7

Baker 7

Blinkhorn 7

Subs
Burns (for Curtis 46)
Hunter (for Baker 79)
Unused subs: Newby, McStay, Davies

Barnet: Harrison, Devera, Nicolau, Bishop, Yakubu, Adomah (Birchall 64), Puncheon (St Aimie 74), Porter, Gillet, Wright, Akurang (Thomas 63). Unused subs: Carew, Hendon. Booked: Wright.

Att: 1,619
Referee: Andy D'Urso 9
Premiership ref had a great game

Barnet Mcbe
On target 2 5
Off target5 6
Fouls 12 11
Corner 5 2
Offsides 4 6

Starman:
Jim Bentley – won every header and always looked comfortable