Cambridge United 7-0 Morecambe

Morecambe officially waved the white flag on a wretched season as they were put to the sword by Cambridge United on Tuesday night.
Cambridge United v Morecambe - Shrimps Live.Cambridge United v Morecambe - Shrimps Live.
Cambridge United v Morecambe - Shrimps Live.

The hosts had only scored two goals in their previous five games but were 5-0 up by half-time as they ran riot.

Harrison Dunk was the main architect of The Shrimps’ spectacular downfall, winning an early penalty that was converted by Luke Berry before scoring twice himself.

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Ben Williamson and Mark Roberts were also on target in the first 45 minutes with Zeli Ismail adding the sixth just before the hour mark.

Berry scored a second spot kick with time almost up to complete The Shrimps' heaviest Football League defeat.

Morecambe made a decent enough start, Lee Molyneux seeing a shot from 20 yards saved, but were behind just five minutes in.

Dunk cut into the area and was fouled by Aaron McGowan right on the edge, referee James Adcock adjudging it to be inside the box.

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Captain Berry stepped up and made no mistake, firing low to Kieran O’Hara’s right to give his side a sixth-minute lead.

The goal galvanised the hosts with O’Hara keeping out Williamson’s close-range effort before the U’s doubled their lead on 18 minutes thanks to a large slice of luck.

Danger man Dunk broke in on the left side of the area and his shot was blocked, only for the ball to loop over O’Hara and into the far corner.

Morecambe were nearly well back in the game in spectacular fashion two minutes later but Will Norris beat away Jamie Devitt’s swerving shot from 20 yards.

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It was soon three for the hosts though and it was that man Dunk again, the winger rising highest at the far post to head home Ismail’s cross on 25 minutes.

A poor start was soon an embarrassing one with Cambridge adding a fourth on 29 minutes, Ismail breezing past Luke Conlan down the right before firing in a low cross that was bundled home by Williamson from close range.

The hosts came within inches of a fifth seven minutes before the break but Chris Doyle produced a fine goal-line clearance to deny Berry a second.

The fifth did become before the end of a horrorshow of a first period though, arriving in stoppage time as Roberts nodded home from close range after Berry’s initial shot from a corner had been saved.

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The defensive charity from the visitors continued after the break, Berry seeing a free header from a corner come back off the post on 50 minutes.

The Shrimps did test Norris a couple of minutes later, the ‘keeper punching clear Doyle’s header as Kevin Ellison closed in.

The hosts were a constant threat though, Williamson seeing a near post effort saved before number six arrived on 58 minutes.

A corner wasn’t cleared with the ball sitting up for Ismail to hammer home from the edge of the area.

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The winger nearly had a second on 65 minutes but saw a thumping effort come back off the angle of post and crossbar.

The seventh came with the final kick of the game, Andy Fleming adjudged to have fouled Berry who picked himself up to convert his second spot kick.

Cambridge: Norris, Furlong, Roberts, Coulson, Clark, Dunne (Spencer 65), Isamil, Berry (capt), Ledson (Williams 78), Dunk, Williamson (Simpson 65). Subs not used: Beasant, Omozusi, Donaldson, O’Neill.

Morecambe: O’Hara, McGowan (Goodall 46), Edwards (capt), Doyle, Conlan (Ellison 46), Kenyon, Fleming, Barkhuizen, Devitt, Molyneux, Miller (Mullin 78). Subs not used: Maher, Wildig, Parrish, Stockton.

Booked: Conlan, EdwardsReferee: James AdcockAttendance: 3,941 (46 Morecambe fans)

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