Morecambe 2 Leyton Orient 1: Three home wins on the spin!

After going behind to an 18th-minute goal from Danny Johnson, the Shrimps hit back with second-half goals from Sam Lavelle and Carlos Mendes-Gomes to seal the win over a side that had beaten league leaders Newport at the weekend – and won four of their last five games.

Morecambe boss Derek Adams named the same side that beat Harrogate Town 1-0 at the Mazuma Stadium on Saturday, with the only change coming on the bench as Stephen Hendrie returned from his one match ban.

It was Orient who started the brighter with Conor Wilkinson making some good runs and seeing one move end with a shot thatwas blocked by the Shrimps’ defence.

Moments later he looked set to run through to Hector Kyprianou’s through ball before Ryan Cooney produced a superb sliding intervention.

Wilkinson saw another effort superbly blocked by Cooney before the visitors took a deserved lead in the 18th minute when Danny Johnson volleyed home a neat right wing cross from Hector Kyprianou from eight yards out after a flowing move.

After a sluggish start the Shrimps ended the half on to.

Cole Stockton was the man at the centre of most of the action with three shots well blocked by the Orient defence after some good football from the home side.

Aaron Wildig also went through on goal after a fine move but his final ball failed to find anyone in the box and the Orient defence were able to clear their lines.

Morecambe’s best moment came on the stroke of half-time when Stockton was being pulled back as the ran on goal but stayed on his feet to force a save from Lawrence Vigouroux at his near post.

The half-time whistle came at a good time for Orient who regrouped after the beak and went close to doubling their lead on 50 minutes with a superb free-kick from Wilkinson, who curled an effort from 30 yards against the top of the Morecambe crossbar.

Six minutes later the Shrimps were level.

A Wildig corner ended with a close-range header that was superbly saved by Vigouroux but after a goalmouth scramble Sam Lavelle was the quickest to react to slam the ball over the line from six yards out.

Orient hit back with the dangerous Wilkinson volleying inches over from the edge of the area.

The game then swung from end to end and it was the Shrimps who got the winner.

Adam Phillips was once again the creator as he found the run of Mendes-Gomes with a superb through ball, and the midfielder took a good touch to set himself up and then produce a fine finish.

Mendes-Gomes almost added another with a dipping header from another Phillips through ball before Orient staged a late rally.

The dangerous Wilkinson went close with another free-kick before central defender Josh Coulson headed a late chance straight at Mark Halstead when he should have done better.

The Shrimps almost added a third themselves deep in injury time when Phillips’ right-wing cross was just too far ahead of sliding sub A-Jay Leitch-Smith.

Morecambe: Halstead, Mellor, Lavelle, Davis, Cooney, Wildig, Songo’o, O’Sullivan (Kenyon 88), Mendes-Gomes, Phillips, Stockton (Leitch-Smith 80). Subs not used: Turner, Knight-Percival, Diagouraga, McAlinden, Hendrie

Leyton Orient: Vigouroux, Ling, Coulson, Happe, Brophy, Clay (Dennis 78), Cisse (Dayton 83), Kyprianou (McAnuff 66), Wilkinson, Johnson, Angel (Sotiriou 66). Sus not used: Sargent, Akinola, Wright.

Referee: S Stockbridge.