Morecambe draw with AFC Fylde in entertaining pre-season clash

Adam Lakeland’s first home game in charge of Morecambe ended in a hard-fought 1-1 draw with National League side, AFC Fylde.

Paul Lewis struck a late equaliser to earn the Shrimps a deserved share of the spoils in an entertaining encounter at the Halo Aerospace Stadium.

Adam Lakeland’s first home game in charge of Morecambe ended in a hard fought 1-1 with AFC Fylde. Paul Lewis equalised late on for the Shrimps, who faced their toughest test of pre-season so far.

Click below to watch reaction from manager Adam Lakeland:

Adam Lakeland post AFC Fylde.#UTS 🦐 https://t.co/MxpyYKZXeF

— Dave Salmon (@dpsalmon) July 28, 2026

Morecambe started brightly. Lewis Leigh hit the post in the second minute, as he won the ball off the defender inside the area and shot at goal, Teddy Collis hit the follow up over the bar. Cameron Coxe then came close the following minute, his effort saved well by Pat Boyes in the AFC Fylde goal.

Collis, who scored both goals at Bury, came close to opening the scoring in the 18th minute. Joe Young sent the ball long up the pitch, and Collis got on the end of it and managed to beat the keeper with his shot. However, it didn’t have the legs to get over the line, and Fylde cleared the ball.

Fylde controlled the possession in the first half, but the Shrimps still carried a threat going forward. Elliot Newby came very close to opening the scoring, as he rose highest to get on the end of a Collis ball in, but his header went just past the post.

Fylde’s biggest chance of the half fell to Tom Whelan, who had time to get his shot off inside the area but blazed it well over.  

Into the second half and Fylde upped the pressure and continued to dominate the ball. Dylan Allen-Hadley was a constant thorn in the Morecambe side and came close in the 54th minute but had to settle for a corner instead.

Two minutes later Fylde nearly opened the scoring, when Aaron Drewe crossed the ball and Danny Ormerod shot goalwards. Joe Young saved the ball, but it looped up and he couldn’t gather the ball. The goal-mouth scramble ended with a Morecambe clearance and the game remained at 0-0.  

Then in the 81st minute, Fylde finally opened the scoring. The dangerous Allen-Hadley was found just inside the area, and he cut back onto his right foot and fired a shot into the far corner.

The Shrimps didn’t need long to strike back though. Just two minutes later, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts danced round his defender in the box, before putting the ball across goal where Paul Lewis was on hand to tap in and set up a frantic end to the game.  

Morecambe return to the Halo Aerospace Stadium on Saturday, for their final pre-season game against Barrow, kick off at 3pm.

Morecambe: Young (Boney 78'), Coxe (Trialist A 78'), Williams (Fairclough 61'), Smith (C) (Hogan 46'), Baines, Collis (Blois 46'), Leigh, Daly (Illingworth 78'), Newby, Buckley-Ricketts, O'Kane (Lewis 26')

Subs Not Used: Vilchez, Newall.

Goals: Lewis 85'.

AFC Fylde: Boyes, Lewis (Fisher 70'), Mitchell, Merrie, T.Whelan (Taylor 61'), Ormerod (Morris 61'), Mayor (Trialist A 61'), Allen-Hadley, Lancaster, C.Whelan (Jackson 61'), Drewe (Main 61').

Subs Not Used: Jones, Meadowcroft, Dougall.

Goals: Allen-Hadley 83'.