Southport 1 Morecambe 0 MORECAMBE had two players sent off for the third time this season on this Bank Holiday Monday seaside derby.

But manager Jim Harvey - reported to be close to signing a new contract with the club - could still take heart from this game ahead of next week's ATS cup final against Darwen and Saturday's home match against Kidderminster.

John Norman could easily have forced a hat trick, the depleted team still held their own and all without several first teamers including striker Neil Morton.

The referee, Ken Haycock, was heavily criticised for sending off Dave McKearney and Tony Hughes after he replaced Graham Atkins as the man in the middle at the start of the second half. Harvey reportedly described the decision to send off McKearney in particular as "atrocious."

McKearney, who had not been booked, was sent off first just three minutes from the restart when he badly mistimed a sliding tackle and knocked over Lee Trundle who went on to score the winning goal. Tony Hughes followed him afterwards for a second bookable offence.

With nine men Morecambe settled down to defend as the Southport crowd sensed victory and noisily urged their team on. But they were disappointed as the game turned into a scrappy stalemate with Southport making no progress and Morecambe dogged even after Trundle's well taken head goal on 58 minutes.

Shrimp's top scorer John Norman will be disappointed he didn't take one of three good chances that would have given his side a draw. The first came on just six minutes when he shot just wide, the second on 15 minutes when he hit the near post with the goal at his mercy and the third on 33 minutes when he was clear but poked it wide.

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