Morecambe make it six straight home wins after Darlington victory

Morecambe made it six straight home wins after a 1-0 victory over Darlington at the Halo Aerospace Stadium in National League North.

Morecambe made it six straight home wins after a 1-0 victory over Darlington at the Halo Aerospace Stadium in National League North.

Teddy Collis was the hero as his late strike helped the Shrimps to back-to-back wins and record six wins in a row for the first time ever at their current stadium, and the first time since 2010, when the club achieved the feat at Christie Park.

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Morecambe started very brightly and could have taken the lead inside three minutes. Liam Hogan found himself in space at the back post, but his hooked effort at goal was saved. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts then cut inside and shot a minute later, but that was saved easily.  

Elliot Newby was next to try his luck at goal in the 12th minute, after Taylor O’Kane stole the ball and fed the winger, but his shot was again met by Bobby Jones in the Darlington goal. Liam Hogan then had a great chance from a corner, but once again his header was kept out.

The final few minutes of the half brought big chances for both sides. Firstly, O’Kane found himself all alone in the box from a Jake Cain free kick, but he headed the ball into the ground and over the bar from two yards out. The hosts then could have taken the lead. Ethan Fitzhugh sent a wicked ball across the Morecambe box, but Myles Boney did brilliantly to smother the effort from Jacob Hazel to keep the scores level at half time.

The trend for most home games this season has been that the shrimps come out flying in the second half and blow teams away. This game was different however, and Darlington made clear cut chances hard to come by. Hogan again had a great chance to open the scoring from a corner, but his header went just wide.

Buckley-Ricketts then had the biggest chance for either side in the game at the time. Ruben Curley played a lovely through ball, which the winger took in his stride brilliantly. He drove into the box and found himself one-on-one with the keeper but hit his shot straight at him.  

As the game ticked on, Morecambe continued to push for the opening goal. In the 73rd minute, debutant Marcus Neil went through on goal and was brought down in the box, but the referee immediately waved away any appeals. Boss Adam Lakeland threw on more attackers hoping to find the winner, and that’s exactly what transpired.

In the 84th minute, Curley sent a long ball forward that managed to find Teddy Collis in the box. He calmly brought the ball down, cut inside and fired into the net to send the Halo Terrace into rapture, and secure all three points and a record-equalling sixth home win in a row.

Morecambe: Boney, Coxe, Hogan ©, Baines, Garner (Neill 70’), Newby (Collis 80’), Buckley-Ricketts (Blois 80’), Lewis, O’Kane (Williams 70’), Cain, Curley.

Substitutes Not Used: Young, Davis, Dobson.

Goals: Collis 84’.

Bookings: Williams 90+4’.

Darlington: Jones, Lees, Kilsby, Stephenson, Bell, Atkinson, Fitzhugh (Render 79’), Hazel (Beck 81’), Lowes (Hatfield 71’), Rutledge (Platt 63’), Mclaughlin © (Henson 89’).

Substitutes Not Used: Beck, Stanton, Thompson.

Goals: None.

Bookings: Atkinson 44’.

Attendance: 2185 (106 away)