Salford City 2 Morecambe 1: Shrimps fall short after conceding two first-half goals

Morecambe were by far the better side until former Fleetwood Town man Hunter changed the game with two goals in the final five minutes of the first half.

His first was a special strike from 20 yards out as he superbly curled a right-footed effort over Jake Turner and into the top left-hand corner of the Morecambe goal.

Four minutes later Hunter doubled the score with another long-range effort.

This time he tried his luck from 30 yards out and found the back of the net with Turner slow to get down to his right.

The Shrimps came back into the game with a Cole Stockton goal on 54 minutes.

Adam Phillips won the ball in midfield, saw Stockton to his left, and the striker kept his cool to get the ball onto his right foot and clip an effort over the Salford keeper, Vaclav Hladky.

Morecambe continued to look dangerous but wasted two golden chances to draw level.

Carlos Mendes-Gomes was played through on goal, and when Hladky slipped, he looked sure to score but volleyed wastefully over the bar.

The Shrimps had started the game sharply with Salford second best.

They harried and chased the Salford defence and wouldn’t give them time to get on the ball.

The home side’s frustrations were borne out by four yellow cards for late tackles as Morecambe threatened repeatedly.

Sam Lavelle saw a volley blocked by Ash Eastham and Ryan Cooney volleyed the follow-up just wide before Hladky saved at full stretch from Kelvin Mellor.

Aaron Wildig was the next to go close when he was found at the far post but, once again, he was denied by the home keeper who got down low at his near post to make a vital block.

The Shrimps ended the game on the front foot with Salford left defending in numbers but the home side held on to take the three points.

Salford City: Hladky, Denny (Asante 73), Eastham, Clarke, Touray, Bernard, Burgess (Elliott 64), Smith (Threlkeld 54), Hunter, Henderson, Andrade (Turnbull 74). Subs not used: Evans, Boyd.

Morecambe: Turner, Mellor, Davis, Lavelle, Cooney, Songo’o, Mendes-Gomes, Wildig, Phillips, Slew, Stockton. Subs not used: Halstead, Hendrie, Knight-Percival, Diagouraga, O’Sullivan, Pringle, Price.

Referee: Neil Hair.

Thanks for reading. If you value what we do and are able to support us, a digital subscription is just £1 per month for the first two months. Try us today by clicking here