Morecambe 3 Crawley 1: Reds fail to hold the Shrimps

Crawley Town V Luton Town - Crawley's Rhys Murphy equalises (Pic by Jon Rigby) SUS-151019-003235008

The Shrimps had lost their last three at the Globe Arena but Kevin Ellison’s header after Darryl Flahavan’s error and Shaun Miller’s seventh in five games put them in command.

Rhys Murphy did set nerves jangling with a goal on 84 minutes but Paul Mullin’s penalty settled the game as Jim Bentley’s side continued their rise up League 2.

After a cagey opening The Shrimps had the game’s first chance shortly before the quarter hour, Alex Kenyon bringing a low save from Flahavan after meeting Ellison’s cross with a left-foot shot at the near post.

But it was a first half low on chances, in-form front man Miller poking Tom Barkhuizen’s pull back straight at Flahavan 10 minutes before the interval after the winger had burst in on the right side of the area.

Out of nothing the hosts were in front on 41 minutes with a big helping hand from Flahavan.

Barkhuizen’s cross was deflected off the head of Lewis Young towards the Crawley stopper but Flahavan was only able to spill the catch under his crossbar onto the head of Ellison who couldn’t believe his luck and nodded in from a yard out.

Crawley were on top at the start of the second half as they looked to hit back, Matt Harrold and Roarie Deacon seeing half chances come and go.

Jimmy Smith was the next to go close for the visitors on the hour mark but saw his low shot from 20 yards helped round the post by Barry Roche.

Despite having had a quiet game Miller was to come to the party 25 minutes from time.

With nothing seemingly on and heading away from goal, Miller turned two defenders in the area and drilled a shot beyond Flahavan to double The Shrimps’ advantage.

The visitors nearly reduced the arrears immediately but Murphy’s half volley on the turn from 20 yards skimmed the top of the bar and went over.

Shamir Fenelon also came close to pulling a goal back on 78 minutes but after breaking into the area down the left he saw his effort cleared off the line by Aaron McGowan.

Crawley got their goal six minutes from time with Roche only able to parry Mitch Hancox’s cross into the path of Murphy who couldn’t miss from close range.

It set up a frantic finale but it was The Shrimps who got the game’s next goal as the game entered stoppage-time.

Aaron Wildig robbed Hancox of possession in the area and was tripped with Mullin sending Flahavan the wrong way from 12 yards to seal all three points.

Morecambe: Roche, Beeley (capt), Edwards, Parrish, McGowan, Goodall, Kenyon, Barkhuizen, Devitt (Wildig 60), Ellison, Miller (Mullin 76). Subs not used: Thompson, Molyneux, Fleming, Bailey, Ryan.

Booked: Miller, Beeley, Ellison

Crawley: Flahavan, Young, Bradley (capt), Yorwerth, Hancox, Deacon (Fenelon 65), Walton, Smith, Edwards, Harrold (Rooney 70), Murphy. Subs not used: Preston, Barnard, Ashton, Jenkins, Donnelly.

Booked: Edwards

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 1,098 (33 away)

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Morecambe 3 Crawley 1: Reds fail to hold the Shrimps

Crawley Town suffered their second successive defeat on the road when they lost 3-1 at Morecambe on Tuesday night.