Match report: Morecambe 1 Forest Green Rovers 1

Gregg Wylde capped his home debut for the Shrimps with what could be a priceless 90th minute equaliser at the Globe Arena.
Gregg Wylde salvaged a point for MorecambeGregg Wylde salvaged a point for Morecambe
Gregg Wylde salvaged a point for Morecambe

Morecambe looked down and out after trailing to Chris Clements’ early goal but Wylde hauled them level with a fine strike 10 seconds from the end of normal time.

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Shrimps’ boss Jim Bentley had made three changes from the side which drew at Port Vale a fortnight earlier.

Steve Old, Luke Conlan and Kevin Ellison were back in the starting XI with family commitments ensuring Max Muller was unavailable.

Injury to Morecambe keeper Barry Roche also meant that Bentley was unable to name a substitute keeper for good measure.

However, those changes and unavailabilities were not responsible for a Morecambe display which huffed and puffed before a late second-half charge saw them, belatedly, put pressure on their visitors.

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Gavin Gunning had already headed off target before Clements fired them into a 13th minute lead, beating Dan Nizic from 25 yards after the Shrimps had lost possession.

Alex Kenyon saw a header comfortably held by Rovers’ keeper Bradley Collins but, with Morecambe’s direct approach not yielding much in the way of chances, set pieces seemed the likeliest route to goal.

Sam Lavelle headed just over from one Michael Rose corner before another saw Old’s effort kept out by Collins and the loose ball somehow back in the keeper’s arms.

Gunning headed wide again early in the second half before changes to the Shrimps’ line-up and formation saw them finally begin to pose a threat.

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Lavelle and Vadaine Oliver were both brought off with Adam McGurk and Garry Thompson introduced as well as a change to a back four from the initial three.

Kenyon had a shot spilled, Ellison went to ground in trying to reach the loose ball and Wylde’s shot was deflected into the side netting.

Aaron McGowan looked to be fouled on the edge of the box, only to be cautioned for diving, while Kenyon sent another pair of headers off target.

Yet another corner brought yet another header over, this time from Dean Winnard, before Wylde salvaged a point.

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Just as seven minutes of added time were announced, he latched onto Thompson’s flick before driving forward and firing past Collins with the aid of the woodwork.

Morecambe: Nizic, Old, Lavelle (McGurk 55), Winnard, McGowan, Kenyon, Rose, Conlan, Wylde, Ellison, Oliver (Thompson 69). Subs not used: Brough, Fleming, A Campbell, Lund, Hedley.

Forest Green Rovers: Collins, Bennett, Gunning, Rawson, Hollis, Grubb, Clements, Osbourne, Wishart (Bray 60), Doidge, Reid (Cooper 77). Subs not used: Belford, Laird, Brown, Simpson, T Campbell.

Referee: Ross Joyce.

Attendance: 1,447.