Embarrassed Shrimps hit by Gill force

4:54pm Saturday 11th October 2008

Gillingham 5 Morecambe 0
Coca Cola League 2
Full-time

SHELL-shocked and sloppy Morecambe were blown away by a Gill force wind as their first visit to the Priestfield Stadium turned into one to forget as Gillingham went nap to give the Shrimps sleepless nights.

Morecambe started well at Gillingham – but fell behind to a goal with more than a hint of suspicion of offside on 21 minutes…and then it went seriously wrong as they hit the self-destruct button big style.

They lost their shape and rhythm – and their spirit and it could so easily have been a much bigger margin as Morecambe went down to their biggest defeat as a Football League club.

With the sun beating down on the five dozen or so travelling Shrimps in the giant temporary stand behind the goal, Morecambe started with poise and could have gone ahead inside two minutes.

Craig Stanley delivered a lovely free-kick into the danger zone but, under pressure, Rene Howe couldn’t keep his header on target.

And with a five-man midfield putting the stranglers on the home side, Wayne Curtis saw a header smothered by Simon Royce from Andrew Parrish’s deep cross.

At the other end, Ryan McCann had to be alert to break-up Gillingham’s first attack of note as he covered well to clear the danger from Nicky Southall.

But it was the Shrimps bossing the game and were unlucky not to take the lead on 15 minutes. A smart passing move finished with McCann delivering the perfect cross onto the head of Dave Artell but Royce saved magnificently.

Then Stewart Drummond’s ball set Howe free and he held off Simon King before back-heeling to McCann – getting well forward from his midfield spot – but his shot was bravely charged down with Royce on the deck.

There had been little of concern for Morecambe – but hearts were in mouths on 20 minutes when keeper Barry Roche made a mess of a back-pass and was relieved to see the ball spin for a corner as he looked at a divot.

The disaster struck. McCann was harshly booked for a nothing challenge and from the free-kick, Mark Bentley steered a header home. Bentley, however, was clearly in an offside position but no flag came and the Shrimps were behind.

That was bad – but when Simeon Jackson picked his spot from 20 yards three minutes later, it was keystone cops time for Morecambe.

The Gills had mustered just two efforts on goal – and were 2-0 ahead with Sammy McIlroy still wanting a word with the assistant referee over his lack of flag for the opener.

The Shrimps were stunned but tried to rally and Artell stung the hands of Royce with a block-busting free-kick, while Howe was only just wide of the target.

It was so frustrating. Morecambe had been well on top and were now staring down the barrel and it took a splendid Roche save to push an Andy Barcham shot for a corner.

From that kick, the Gills threw two dummies and Roche saved well with his legs with Gary Mulligan heading the rebound against the post with Jackson sending that follow-up high over the top.

It was an astonishing escape. But a short-lived one as Jackson did well to cut into the box and shooting home a third through Roche nine minutes before the break.

The marking wasn’t the best – but the big keeper really should have done better – and that error left Morecambe broken.

And it could have been worse as Southall rose well only to plant a header wide with Roche rooted to his line.

It had gone seriously wrong and Roche did well to keep out another Jackson effort before the break.

McIlroy sent on young Aaron Taylor and Neil Wainwright at the break – and Wainwright was almost on target on 53 minutes, albeit at the wrong end.

The Gills broke well and Wainwright stuck a leg out and then looked on anxiously as the ball looped just wide of his own post and out for a corner.

Curtis forced a smart save out of Royce while Taylor was out-muscled as he tried to force an opportunity – but Morecambe were out on confidence.

Howe turned well and shot over on 62 minutes but Gillingham should have made it 4-0 when King couldn’t finish and allowed Roche to gather after a spot of head tennis.

Jackson then beat Roche to a cross but his header was just wide, while Mark McCammon did all the hard work before finishing woefully.

The giant McCammon then raced through into a challenge with Roche, who got there first. But his clearance went only as far as Southall and his effort from 40-yards his the luckless Artell and rolled into the unguarded net. It was a freak goal.

There was more pinball in the Morecambe box and McCammon crashed home a fifth 10 minutes from time with the Shrimps praying for the full-time whistle.

Roche then saved well from a McCammon header and a Fuller drive as the Gills attacked at will.

Gillingham: Royce; Fuller, Mills, King, Nutter; Southall, Weston (Lewis 86), M Bentley, Jarrett (Barcham 23); Jackson, Mulligan (McCammon 66). Subs: LewiRichards, Julian (GK).
Goals: M Bentley 21, Jackson 24, 36, Artell (OG) 74, McCammon 80

Morecambe
Roche - Kept it in single figures 7
Parrish - tough afternoon 5
Artell - bad day 5
J Bentley - tough time 5
Adams - not a lot wrong 6
McCann - bright start but faded 5
Hunter - never got going 5
Stanley - off the pace 5
Drummond - disappeared second-half 5
Curtis - fought a losing battle 5
Howe - lacks punch 5
Subs: WAINWRIGHT (McCann 46) little impact 5, TAYLOR (Hunter 46) tried so hard 6; Davies (GK), O’Carroll, McStay.
Booking: McCann 20 (foul)

Referee
Mike Thorpe (Suffolk) - blameless 6

Attendance: 4,316

Shots on target
Shrimps 5 Gills 12
Shots off target
Shrimps 5 Gills 5
Woodwork
Shrimps 0 Gills 1
Corners
Shrimps 3 Gills 8
Fouls
Shrimps 12 Gills 14
Offside
Shrimps 4 Gills 4

Shot of the match
A good effort from Artell in the first-half

Save of the match
Barry Roche made several fine stops

Verdict
Morecambe's worst day in the League

Star Shrimp
Barry Roche kept the score down