Morecambe make it five straight home wins after Darlington FA Cup triumph

Morecambe booked their place in the final qualifying round of the FA Cup after a 3-0 victory over Darlington at the Halo Aerospace Stadium.

Goals from Elliot Newby, Matty Daly and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts helped Adam Lakeland’s side in Monday lunchtime’s draw, making it five straight home wins for the club for the first time since December 2020.

Click here for the latest episode of The Shrimps Verdict Podcast

Here’s the full reaction of the @MorecambeFC manager Adam Lakeland after a 3-0 victory over Darlington in the FA Cup that gave the Shrimps their fifth straight home win for the first time since December 2020.#UTS 🦐 | #MORvDAR | #ShrimpsLive | @BeyondRadio pic.twitter.com/Barb0MRuA9

— Dave Salmon (@dpsalmon) October 3, 2026

Morecambe started the half brightly and asserted their dominance early. A string of early chances started with Matty Daly in the sixth minute; his looping effort went over the bar. Lewis Leigh then should have done better five minutes later, after good work from the Shrimps, but his effort also went over the bar.

Daly then nearly opened the scoring in the 16th minute after Elliot Newby cut inside and shot at goal. The Darlington ‘keeper saved the shot but pushed the ball straight at Daly who couldn’t sort his feet and the ball trickled past the post.

Paul Lewis occupied a more advanced role in the side with the late withdrawal of Joe Garner before kick-off. He looked at home though, as he often proved a good outlet and held the ball up well. He nearly got his rewards in the 35th minute after Lewis Leigh picked him out with a pinpoint cross, but he headed straight at the keeper.

Morecambe did have the ball in the back of the net in the 38th minute, Daly stroked the ball into the far corner, but the offside flag kept the scores level. Still time to score the opener, Daly again could have scored when Newby’s cross/shot hit him again, but again the ball ended up with the keeper and the scores were level at the break.  

The second half followed the trend of recent home games, with Morecambe coming out and blowing their opponents away with clinical finishing. Daly finally broke the deadlock in the 50th minute, after Isaac Buckley-Ricketts kept the ball alive inside the box. He teed up Daly, who fired home to give Morecambe a well-deserved lead.

Newby doubled the lead nine minutes later and what a goal it was. Curley played a fantastic defence-splitting pass to set Newby up with a one-on-one with Darlington’s ‘keeper. He calmy rolled the ball past the on-rushing keeper and Morecambe finally had the goals on the scoreboard to reflect their dominance.

The game was wrapped up in the 68th minute with a third goal for the Shrimps. Newby drove forward with the ball, and slipped Buckley-Ricketts in. He too showed great composure to slot home and finish the game off.  Teddy Collis should have made it 4-0 in the 86th minute, but he dragged his shot wide.

📽️ Comm Cam

Myself and @CassBen1 reflect on-the-whistle after @MorecambeFC made it five straight home wins for the first time since December 2020 following a 3-0 victory over Darlington in the FA Cup, for @BeyondRadio.#UTS 🦐 | #MORvDAR | #ShrimpsLive | https://t.co/YKESMLlkyo pic.twitter.com/UvHIuKVuTS

— Dave Salmon (@dpsalmon) October 4, 2026

Morecambe progress to the next stage of the FA Cup and look forward to Worksop away next weekend back in the National League North.

Morecambe: Boney, Coxe, Williams (Dobson 89’), Hogan, Baines, Leigh, Daly, Newby (Collis 78’), Buckley-Ricketts (Fairclough 87’), Lewis, Curley.

Substitutes Not Used: Scales, Cain, Goodyear.

Goals: Daly 50’, Newby 59’, Buckley-Ricketts 68’.

Bookings: None.

Darlington: Jones, Hedley, Lees, Beck, Stanton, Walker, Render (Bryant 62’), Fitzhugh (Hetherington 52’), Thompson, Rutledge (Stephenson 62’), Mclaughlin.

Substitutes Not Used: Mason, Kilsby.

Goals: None.

Bookings: None.