Morecambe slip to Boxing Day defeat to top of the table Rochdale

A spirited Morecambe fell to a 2-1 defeat against table topping Rochdale in the National League in their Boxing Day clash at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

Click below to watch reaction to the game from manager Ashvir Singh Johal.

Morecambe manager Ashvir Singh Johal reacts to a 2-1 defeat for the Shrimps against top of the table Rochdale in the National League.#UTS 🦐 | #MORvROC | #ShrimpsLive pic.twitter.com/bQAUO61zga

— Dave Salmon (@dpsalmon) December 26, 2025

The Shrimps, who came into the game with back-to-back victories, made two changes for the game from the starting line up that beat Brackley last Sunday, with Emerson Sutton and Ludwig Francillette coming into the side for Lewis Payne and Raheem Conte.

In the first half, George Thomas saw an effort from range tipped over the crossbar by visiting goalkeeper Nathan Broome, while a Francillette header was also well saved.

But it was the Dale who had the chance to draw first blood, after Maldini Kacurri was judged to have brought down a Dale player in the area. Jamal Blackman saved Conor McBride’s spot kick, only for the assistant referee to judge that the goalkeeper had encroached off his line, so the kick had to be retaken.

Up stepped Joe Pritchard this time, but his effort was met with more Blackman heroics, as the sprung to his left to keep the retaken penalty out.

Five minutes later, Rochdale took the lead through veteran striker Ian Henderson, who latched onto a long punt upfield by Broome, and his sublime lob beat Jamal Blackman and gave the Dale the lead going into the break, despite Morecambe’s appeals for offside.

It took Morecambe only three minutes to find the equaliser after returning for the second half. Jack Nolan bent a free-kick in from 25 yards out through a crowded penalty area and past Broome to nestle into the far corner for his sixth goal of the season.

Blackman was again called into action on the 65th minute with another unbelievable save, as Charlie Waller thought he had restored the lead for Dale, but the Shrimps 'keeper pushed his header onto the crossbar and over.

Morecambe were proving more than a match for their table topping opponents, and as the half wore on, looked set for at least a point.

That was until ten minutes from time, when substitute Devante Rodney found space down the right. His low cross was recycled on the left, and the ball worked to Jake Burger, who found Harvey Gilmour who bent the ball into the top corner from 20 yards.

Looking for an equaliser, Nolan had the chance to equalise in added time with a free kick, but his effort was inches past the right post. Ben Tollitt also saw a late curling effort from range fly wide of target.

The Shrimps remain in the National League relegation zone ahead of a trip to Carlisle United on Tuesday, December 30, kick off at 7:45pm.

Morecambe FC: Blackman, Kacurri, Francillette, Azeez, Aarons (Muskwe 74'), Sesay (Sangare 74'), Tollitt, Sutton, Thomas (Dixon-Bonner 88'), Raikhy (Lewis 63'), Nolan.

Subs not used: Mair, Payne, Conte. 

Goals: Nolan 48'.

Bookings: Francillette 86'.

Rochdale AFC: Broome, Gordon, East (Petitt 85'), Ebanks-Landell, Gilmour, Adebayo-Rowling, Pritchard (Burger 45'), Mcbride (Rodney 71'), Waller, Galvin (Moss 85'), Henderson (Smith 63').

Subs not used: Tutonda, Gomez, Mancini.

Goals: Henderson 45', Gilmour 80'.

Bookings: Pritchard 28', Ebanks-Landell 78'.

Attendance: 4266 (1400 Away)