Morecambe 0-0 Luton Town

Aaron Wildig battles for the ball at the Globe Arena on Tuesday night. Picture: Clean Sheet Media

Both sides played some excellent football but also defended superbly to keep clear-cut chances at a minimum.

Shrimps boss Jim Bentley had asked his side to be more ruthless in defence after their 2-1 defeat at Stevenage on Saturday and his request was granted with a solid display that kept the league’s top scorers at bay and earned a second clean sheet of the season.

Both sides went close with Barry Roche producing a stunning first-half save from Dan Potts just before the break while Morecambe substitute Callum Lang was inches away from his first Football League goal with a 90th minute header that looped just over.

Luton shaded the chances in the first half with Morecambe ‘keeper Roche making a fine save on 36 minutes from a Harry Cornick snapshot before saving Potts’ volley from 10 yards out.

At the other end Marek Stetch was called into action himself on 33 minutes he tipped over a fierce drive from Adam Campbell at full stretch.

The ‘keeper also did well to smother a Vadaine Oliver effort from a Mitchell Lund cross before Steven Old headed over a well-placed Michael Rose free-kick.

The visitors started the second half the brighter with Danny Hylton seeing a shot superbly blocked by Patrick Brough before the Shrimps had a good penalty claim waved away when Campbell was bundled over clumsily in the box by Potts.

The teams then shared chances with Luke Gambin and Glen Rea firing over from distance and James Collins seeing a neat shot on the turn easily smothered by Roche.

The Shrimps ended the game on top with Kevin Ellison drawing another excellent save from Stech from a close-range shot before fellow substitute Andy Fleming forced another excellent defensive block, this time from Glen Rea.

Both sides pushed for the win in the final stages with Potts fizzing a left-foot shot from the edge of the box inches wide of the left-hand post before Lang headed just over from Fleming’s cross after the move of the game.

Morecambe: Roche, Lund, Old, Muller, Brough, Rose, Osborne (Fleming 60), Thompson, Wildig (Ellison 38) , Campbell (Lang 76), Oliver. Subs not used: Nizic, McGowan, Lavelle, Kenyon.

Luton: Stech, Stacey, Cuthbert, Sheehan, Potts, Lee, Rea, Gambin, Cornick (Cook 81), Collins (Jarvis 87), Hylton. Subs not used: Shea, Justin, Senior, Musonda, Famewo.

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 1,354