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Shrewsbury eased to a 2-0 win and, in truth, it could have been more as Morecambe created little and struggled to cope with the Shrews' attacks throughout.

The Shrimps were second best in a first half that saw them fail to create more than a couple of half chances.

The home side, meanwhile, made progress down both flanks and were more positive when attacking, giving them a two-goal advantage at the break.

Morecambe had the worst possible start when Marc Pugh broke down the left, leaving Jim Bentley floundering in his wake before crossing to the penalty spot.

Shrews debutant, Asa Hall raced into the box to power home a neat header for a fifth minute goal.

Shrimps had plenty of the ball but struggled to make any headway into the box against a firm defence well-marshalled by Colin Murdock.

Bentley had two headers from free kicks but couldn't get them on target.

Pugh had a screaming shot just over the bar and was a constant threat on the left for the home side.

From another of his crosses the ball was only half cleared and it fell to Guy Madjo who hit it into the bottom corner of the net from the corner of the box to make it 2-0 on his home debut.

Shwan Jalal didn't inspire confidence in the visitors' net as he fumbled one corner and was badly positioned for another couple.

Sammy McIlroy made two changes for Morecambe as the hour mark approached, clipping his side's wings by replacing wide men, Carl Baker and Gary Thompson with Wayne Curtis and Damien Allen.

Curtis joined Blinkhorn up front with Allen joining a midfield supplemented by Michael Twiss.

But the home side continued to dominate with Humphrey and Pugh still causing problems on the flanks.

Morecambe had their best chance of the game so far when Adam Yates's attempted 75th minute cross was miscued and it cannoned off the top off the angle of post and crossbar.

A few minutes later Twiss hit a snap volley from 20 yards but it flew just wide.

But that was as close as they came on a day when there was a lack of spark and creativity from a team that had battled so well and made so many good chances in midweek.

They were unlucky to lose then but lucky not to lose by more today.


Morecambe made just one change from the side that lost to Darlington in midweek for the trip to Shrewsbury.

Garry Hunter regained his place at the expense of Stewart Drummond who was left out as part of the agreement between Shrimps boss Sammy McIlroy and Gary Peters, boss of Drummond's previous club.

Dave Artell has picked up a slight achilles injury in training and Craig Stanley also took a knock but came through a pre-match fitness test.

Att:5,036 (249 from Morecambe).

Morecambe have had a pattern of win three, lose one in recent months and, having come off second best despite creating a hatful of chances on Tuesday, they were looking to get that sequence going again today.

Shrewsbury Town: Garner, Pugh, Langmead, Herd, Davies, Hall, Humphrey, Madjo, Murdock, Tierney, McIntyre. Subs:Kempson,Hunt,Cooke, Briggs, Esson.

Briggs for Humphrey
73mins
Cooke for Pugh
81

Morecambe: Jalal, Yates, Grand, Bentley, Adams, Thompson, Stanley, Hunter, Baker, Twiss, Blinkhorn. Subs: Howard, Curtis, Allen, Newby. Davies.

Curtis for Baker
Allen for Thompson
58 mins

Stanley booked
Grand booked