Preston North End 3-1 Morecambe: Shrimps bow out of Carabao Cup

Morecambe bowed out of the League Cup with defeat to Preston North End at Deepdale on Tuesday night.
Liam Mandeville scored Morecambe's goal against PrestonLiam Mandeville scored Morecambe's goal against Preston
Liam Mandeville scored Morecambe's goal against Preston

AS IT HAPPENED: Preston North End 3-1 MorecambeLiam Mandeville scored the Shrimps’ first goal of the season in first-half stoppage time but strikes from Brandon Barker and Louis Moult had already put the Championship side well in command.

Republic of Ireland international Graham Burke’s goal just before the hour mark made sure it was PNE who took their place in the second round.

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It was an entertaining enough contest between the two Lancashire sides, this their third meeting in the competition in its various sponsors' guises.

For much of the first half, PNE were in cruise control as they bossed the play.

Showing a full 11 changes from their defeat at Swansea on Saturday, the home side carried the game to Jim Bentley’s men.

Jordan Storey had the first chance of the game, meeting a Paul Gallagher corner at the near post and volleying over the bar.

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Gallagher was inches away from finding the net in the ninth minute, his curling right-foot shot from the edge of the box whistling just beyond the far post.

There was a sense of inevitability about PNE taking the lead in the 13th minute, such had been their control of the early play.

Ledson fed a pass to Barker who collect the ball on the half turn, stepped forward a few paces before finding the bottom corner of the net with a left-foot shot from 20 yards which beat the dive of Barry Roche.

It took a fine save from Roche to keep Ryan Ledson off the scoreline, the long-serving keeper spreading himself at the near post to block the midfielder's volley - the ball coming to him after Burke's shot had hit a Morecambe foot and spun into his path.

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North End doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute, Moult breaking down a Morecambe move in front of the dugouts and moving in field.

He exchanged passes with Burke on the outside of him before taking the return pass into the box and steering a low shot across Roche into the far corner.,

Morecambe's first effort of the first period saw them reduce the deficit 90 seconds into stoppage-time.

Jason Oswell and Paul Huntington contested a high ball just outside the box, it falling into the path of Mandeville who drove a first-time shot past Chris Maxwell.

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The Shrimps looked more confident in the early stages of the second period, moving the ball and working the Preston defence far more than they had been doing.

But North End re-established their two-goal cushion in the 58th minute with a well-worked team goal involving four players.

Barker made inroads down the left channel and worked the ball to Daniel Johnson who played in Moult in the box.

Moult was forced slightly wide which prevented him shooting, the striker instead squaring it inside to Burke who side-stepped his marker before hammering a shot into the roof of the net from close range.

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They should have had a fourth goal soon after, Darnell Fisher having won a free-kick to the right of the box.

Johnson rolled it square into the path of the unmarked Gallagher in the box but the midfielder lifted his first-time shot over the bar.

Another chance came Preston's way in the 75th minute when the ball came off the top of Josef Yarney's head and left Burke with a clear run at goal.

As the Irishman got into the box he seemed caught in two minds whether to play in Moult to the side of him. He chose to shoot, Roche getting down to push it behind for a corner.

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Another stray header in the Shrimps back line, this time from Steven Old, let in Moult but his lob cleared the bar.

Substitute Josh Harrop tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the box which travelled the wrong side of the far post.

PNE: Maxwell, Woods (Fisher 39), Huntington, Storey, Earl, Ledson, Gallagher, Barker (Harrop 62), Burke, Johnson (Nmecha 84), Moult. Subs (not used): Davies, Robinson, O'Reilly, Rudd.

Morecambe: Roche, Sinclair, Old, Yarney, Conlan, Fleming, Kenyon (Leitch-Smith 46), Mandeville (Ellison 65), Wildig, Oates (Mendes-Gomes 65), Oswell. Subs (not used): Oliver, Jagne, Cranston, Halstead.

Referee: Tom Nield (West Yorkshire)

Attendance: 6,077 (622 away)