Point on the road for Morecambe in thrilling high scoring draw in National League

Leicester City loan striker Chris Popov scored a hat-trick as Morecambe played out a thrilling 4-4 draw against Gateshead in the National League.

The Shrimps made one change from the side that beat Eastleigh 4-0 on Saturday, with veteran defender Liam Hogan making his debut in defence.

Click here for the full post match reaction of Morecambe manager, Jim Bentley.

Here’s the full post match reaction of @MorecambeFC manager Jim Bentley after the 4-4 draw at Gateshead in the National League.

Includes content you won’t hear elsewhere about Liam Hogan, Dan Ogwuru, York and more.#UTS 🦐 | #GATvMOR | #ShrimpsLive | @BeyondRadio pic.twitter.com/xMlFPcP1De

— Dave Salmon (@dpsalmon) February 26, 2026

It took just three minutes for the hosts to take the lead, as a cross from the left was nodded into the path of Keaton Ward who slotted it low past Jamal Blackman.

The response came in the 17th minute through that man Chris Popov. Lewis Payne drove down the wing, his perfect ball into the box found Popov who buried a bullet header at the near post.

Ten minutes later, Morecambe took the lead, and it was Chris Popov this time with the assist. He found space on the right side of the penalty area, and crossed for Jack Nolan to nod home for his tenth goal of the season.

And it got better for the Shrimps soon after, as Azeez slipped in Nolan on the left, and he squared the ball across the six yard area for Popov to tap in at the back post.

After then looking comfortable, the Shrimps’ lead was halved in first half stoppage time, as Billy Chadwick dispatched a penalty after Yann Songo’o was adjudged to have handled in the area after a scramble from a corner.

Gateshead came out in the second half looking to find an equaliser instantly, and did so six minutes after the restart. Paul Lewis was deemed to have upended a Heed player in the area, and up stepped Chadwick again to send Blackman the wrong way from 12 yards.

Within minutes, Morecambe hit the front once more, as Popov claimed the first senior hat trick of his career and became the first Shrimp to score three goals in one game since Michael Mellon in October 2023.

Miguel Azeez found a perfectly weighted ball over the top, and Popov ran on, took it round the goalkeeper and found the net from a tight angle, despite the best efforts of a covering defender on the line to keep it out.

But, Gateshead denied the Shrimps their first back to back league wins of the season, as Chadwick also completed his hat trick to level the game up once more, finding the far corner with a cross-shot from the right side of the penalty area.

A chance to win the game fell to Chris Popov in the 88th minute after a Harlee Dean throw was headed inches over the crossbar.

The Shrimps are eight points from safety inside the National League relegation zone ahead of the visit of table toppers York City to the Mazuma on Saturday.