Swindon Town 4, Morecambe 0: Shrimps suffer big defeat

The Shrimps produced a poor display as they went down to a heavy defeat at the County Ground.
Morecambe boss Jim BentleyMorecambe boss Jim Bentley
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley

The home side played some decent football but they were given a helping hand by some woeful Shrimps’ defending as their recent run of improved form came to a crushing end.

Shrimps’ boss Jim Bentley made three changes to the side that drew 0-0 at Notts County with recalls for Sam Lavelle, Aaron Wildig and Rhys Oates but they looked disjointed at the start and were made to pay as the Robins took an early lead with a goal the Morecambe defence will not want to see again.

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Alex Kenyon cut out a Kyle Bennett short corner but then gave the ball away cheaply and after two more woeful attempted clearances Theo Robinson was in the right place at the right time to head past Mark Halstead from close range.

The Morecambe defence were then grateful to Halstead for a fine close range save to deny Keshi Anderson’s close range attempt and from there Bentley’s side began to show some promise.

Aaron Collins should have levelled the scores on 19 minutes when played through one on one but was denied well by home keeper Luke McCormick.

Collins was made to pay as Swindon doubled their advantage on 43 minutes through Kayne Woollery. The dangerous wide man was given too much time and space on the right side of the area to switch the ball onto his left foot and drill a low shot past Halstead’s left hand.

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The Shrimps almost hit back straight away when Richie Bennett sent a header goal wards only to see his effort superbly tipped over by McCormick. From the resulting corner Steven Old headed straight at McCormick and there was some hope for a second half comeback.

The Shrimps did start the second half on the front foot with Piero Mingoia firing over before being denied a clear penalty when Swindon defender Ali Koiki handled his cross at full stretch.

The comeback hopes were well and true dashed when Swindon made it 3-0 on 68 minutes when the Shrimps once again failed to deal with a corner and Dion Conroy scored with a right footed shot from just inside the six yard box.

Swindon brought on prolific striker Marc Richards who went close to an early goal when he headed over from close range before the Robins did add a fourth on 81 minutes when Kyle Bennett fired a right foot shot past Halstead from the edge of the area.

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Canice Carroll and Robinson threatened a fifth against the shell shocked Shrimps on a da to forget for Bentley’s side who remain eight points clear of the bottom two with seven games to go.

Swindon: McCormick, Knoyle, Conroy, Woolfenden, Koiki (rep Taylor 71), Rose, Bennett, Carroll (rep Dunne 86), Anderson, Robinson, Woolery (rep Richards 79). Subs not used: McCourt, Diagouraga, Broadbent, Matthews.

Morecambe: Halstead, Mills, Old, Lavelle (rep Brownsword 71) Conlan, Mingoia, Wildig, Kenyon (rep Fleming 53), Oates (rep Ellison 74), Collins, Bennett. Subs not used: Roche, Mandeville, McKay, Cranston.

Ref: N Kinseley.

Att: 5,707