Blackpool 3-1 Morecambe

Morecambe suffered their first away loss of 2017 when they went down to a derby-day defeat to Blackpool.
Antony Evans scored his first Morecambe goal at Blackpool.Antony Evans scored his first Morecambe goal at Blackpool.
Antony Evans scored his first Morecambe goal at Blackpool.

Goals from Mark Cullen and Brad Potts in either half before an unfortunate late Ryan Edwards own goal were enough to see the Shrimps lose on their travels for the first time since December 30 despite a late consolation from Antony Evans.

Blackpool took the lead on 14 minutes when former Luton striker Cullen scored his first home goal of the campaign.

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Potts swung in a dangerous cross from the right that Cullen got the faintest of touches on to divert the ball past a stranded Barry Roche.

The home side continued to dominate with Potts forcing Roche into a neat save low to his right with a shot from the edge of the box.

Potts then produced a superb cross that flew across the Morecambe six-yard box before missing a glorious chance on 28 minutes when he flicked the ball past Edwards but dragged his shot wide when he should have hit the target.

Morecambe hit back towards the end of the first half and Paul Mullin had a golden chance to level on 38 minutes when the ball broke free to him in the Blackpool box.

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His shot was easily saved by Dean Lyness however and Alex Whitmore’s follow up was well-blocked by Will Aimson.

Edwards then flashed a shot over from the angle and Michael Duckworth just failed to get on the end of Liam Wakefield’s cross as the Shrimps ended the half strongly.

The important second goal came on 54 minutes and crucially went the way of Gary Bowyer’s side.

There was more than a hint of controversy as Andy Fleming looked to have been fouled before Blackpool staged a fine counter attack with Kelvin Mellor threading a perfectly-placed ball through for Potts to finish past Roche.

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Blackpool should have scored a third when Peter Murphy’s mistake allowed Jordan Flores a free run on goal but Roche saved smartly.

Morecambe tried to get back into the game with Rhys Turner looking particularly threatening with two crosses that flew across the goal before Mullin fired over from the edge of the area after a neat turn.

Armand Gnanduillet wasted a glorious chance to extend Blackpool’s lead further when he was foiled bv Roche before the Seasiders added a third 10 minutes from the end.

Bright Osayi-Samuel’s cross took a wicked deflection off Edwards and looped into the Morecambe goal as the hosts made sure of the points.

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The Shrimps pulled one back on 83 minutes when Mullin’s shot was saved by Lyness and the ball bounced neatly for Everton loanee Evans to score his first Football League goal but it was too little, too late for Jim Bentley’s side as Blackpool won at home for the first time since November

Blackpool: Lyness, Aimson, Aldred, Robertson, Mellor, Potts, Payne (Black 84), Flores ( Bright-Samuel 67), Daniel, Cullen (Gnanduillet 73), Delfouneso, Subs not used: Boney, Nolan, Odelusi, Correia.

Booked: Daniel.

Morecambe: Roche, Wakefield (Turner 60), Edwards, Whitmore, Rose, Duckworth, Murphy, Fleming (McGowan 71) Molyneux, Wildig (Evans 78), Ellison, Mullin. Subs not used: Nizic, Winnard, Conlan, Jordan.

Booked: Murphy, Roche.

Attendance: 3,453 (763 Morecambe)

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