mollyfamwatAs Morecambe broke their dreadful play-off duck with a win over Exeter on Saturday, they’re now firmly in with a shout of promotion. The Shrimps needed a win and a Portsmouth draw to beat Bradford in their final game to win the three points, but they instead lost out, while the Blues won 2-1 at home to Crawley, meaning that Morecambe’s victory put them in the drivers seat.
There were goals in abundance as Morecambe went out to play-off final defeat to Championship side Newport County.
As I’m sure you’re all aware, Morecambe are going to be promoted to the Football League this weekend. The crucial game to make the promotion was against Newport County at the Globe Arena. The Shrimps started with a bang in the opening 10 minutes, as on 11 minutes they were one up, thanks to a brilliant free-kick by Danny Foster. From that point onwards, Morecambe dominated the game, and on the 90th minute they were winning by one goal to nil, which means they will return to League One next season.
Carlos Mendes Gomes (left) scored the only goal of the final in the second period of extra time 
Morecambe will play in the Football League’s third tier for the first time in their history, after Carlos Mendes Gomes’ contentious penalty sent them to League One at Newport County’s expense. The Shrimps’ magic moment came in the second period of extra time, when referee Bobby Madley judged Ryan Haynes had fouled John O’Sullivan. Newport saw a first-half penalty appeal of their own controversially not given. The Exiles also saw Joss Labadie blaze over in extra time with the score 0-0. There is little doubt this contest will be remembered as a tale of two penalties, the one not awarded to Newport and the one awarded to Morecambe in the second half of extra time that seemed at best questionable, as Haynes’ challenge appeared to be outside the area. Newport’s frustration was compounded as they had an extremely credible penalty shout waved away with the game’s first big moment, with Welsh goalkeeper Kyle Letheren missing his punch and connecting squarely with Newport’s Scot Bennett, but referee Madley was unmoved. The Exiles shaded the first half with a succession of half-chances, the best of which saw Bennett’s shot from 20 yards take a huge deflection and wrong-foot Letheren, only to nestle in the side-netting. The Shrimps were also restricted in their opportunities, with Liam Gibson coming closest when his shot beat goalkeeper Tom King but not covering defender Liam Shephard. Lewis Collins and Josh Sheehan both tested Letheren from range after the break, while King – who like Sheehan played fresh from the heartache of missing out on Wales’ Euro 2020 squad, had to react sharply to save Ryan Cooney’s stinging effort. Liam Shephard’s curling effort almost brought the opener with 13 minutes remaining in normal time but Letheren saved brilliantly, also tipping away Ryan Haynes’ injury time free-kick. At the other end, Sam Lavelle had headed wide leaving the Shrimps also frustrated. Extra time was much more even, with Labadie’s big miss followed by Morecambe’s contentious winner.
Dreamland for the Shrimps
Morecambe would have been happy enough to see former player Kevin Ellison taking most of the pre-match focus away from them as they sought a first appearance in English’s football’s third tier. The Shrimps, whose budget among the lowest in the Football League, had narrowly missed out on a top-three spot on the final day of the regular season. Morecambe finished five points in front of fifth-placed Newport, despite losing to the Exiles home and away, as they prepared for a contest between two teams whose fortunes have been transformed. Mike Flynn led Newport’s great escape in 2016-17 as they narrowly stayed up in League Two, while Jim Bentley kept Morecambe from the drop on the final day of the following season. The Shrimps were in the League Two relegation places when Derek Adams took charge at the club in November 2019, with Morecambe’s season an unquestionable success irrespective of the result at Wembley. However, Adams’ side were able to complete their dream when Mendes Gomes kept his cool to send King the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Exiles’ Wembley misery continues
Newport were looking to complete their mission to get back to where they came from, having gone out of business in 1989 over debts amounting to less than £500,000. The road back to the Football League’s third tier, via the Hellenic Leagues, a period of playing in Gloucestershire and a march up the leagues from tier eight, culminated in a chance for Newport to reach League One (the old Division Three) for the first time since 1986-87. The progress has at times been slow, with Newport very nearly losing their Football League place in 2017 – only to pull off a miraculous escape in the last minute of the season, having been 11 points adrift with eight games remaining. However, Wembley has not been a happy hunting ground for Newport who have now lost on four of their five appearances at the home of English football. It could have been so different had they taken a huge chance just before Morecambe’s winner. Ellison – at 42 the oldest player to play in an EFL play-off final – might have had a say against his former club, especially having left under a cloud after a falling out with manager Adams, who Ellison has admitted he “doesn’t like”. The veteran was finally introduced with five minutes remaining in normal time and almost enjoyed a big moment just before the interval in extra time, but missed Nicky Maynard’s teasing cross and Joss Labadie fired over. That miss – not to mention the penalty they saw turned down – will surely haunt Newport fans for many a year, the kind of moments you see in your nightmares. For Morecambe the dream is now reality after reaching unprecedented heights. Morecambe manager Derek Adams told Radio Lancashire: “I’m absolutely delighted to come to Wembley and win. It’s probably the best way to win promotion. “Everyone would like to win automatic but to come to the national stadium to do it in the manner we’ve done today, the team spirit, the camaraderie it’s a fantastic achievement for Morecambe. “It was a difficult game today. For us to get the penalty kick and then for Carlos to take it so well is fantastic for everyone in Lancashire and Morecambe.”
Line-ups
Morecambe
Formation 4-1-4-1 1Letheren 21Cooney5Lavelle4Knight-Percival22Gibson 24Songo’o 19McAlinden10Wildig8Diagouraga11Mendes Gomes 9Stockton
- 1Letheren
- 21Cooney
- 5Lavelle
- 4Knight-Percival
- 22GibsonSubstituted forMellorat 105’minutes
- 24Songo’o
- 19McAlindenSubstituted forLyonsat 75’minutes
- 10WildigSubstituted forO’Sullivanat 90’minutesBooked at 112mins
- 8Diagouraga
- 11Mendes GomesBooked at 108minsSubstituted forKenyonat 114’minutes
- 9Stockton
Substitutes
- 2Mellor
- 6Davis
- 12Halstead
- 14Kenyon
- 15Lyons
- 16O’Sullivan
- 18Pringle
Newport
Formation 3-5-2 1King 32Shephard8Dolan28Demetriou 14Lewis4Labadie10Sheehan17Bennett3Haynes 9Amond21Collins
- 1King
- 32Shephard
- 8DolanSubstituted forHartiganat 63’minutes
- 28DemetriouBooked at 120mins
- 14LewisSubstituted forTaylorat 62’minutes
- 4LabadieBooked at 96mins
- 10Sheehan
- 17Bennett
- 3HaynesSubstituted forFarquharsonat 111’minutes
- 9AmondSubstituted forMaynardat 80’minutes
- 21CollinsSubstituted forEllisonat 86’minutes
Substitutes
- 6Farquharson
- 18Maynard
- 20Hartigan
- 22Ellison
- 29Taylor
- 30Townsend
- 34Ledley
Referee:Robert Madley Attendance:9,083
Live Text
- Match ends, Morecambe 1, Newport County 0.
- Second Half Extra Time ends, Morecambe 1, Newport County 0.
- Attempt missed. Joss Labadie (Newport County) header from the centre of the box misses to the left. Assisted by Anthony Hartigan with a cross.
- Offside, Morecambe. Kyle Letheren tries a through ball, but Cole Stockton is caught offside.
- Foul by Priestley Farquharson (Newport County).
- Ryan Cooney (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- Corner, Newport County. Conceded by Sam Lavelle.
- Mickey Demetriou (Newport County) is shown the yellow card.
- Foul by Mickey Demetriou (Newport County).
- Sam Lavelle (Morecambe) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- Attempt missed. Scot Bennett (Newport County) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Mickey Demetriou.
- Priestley Farquharson (Newport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
- Foul by Cole Stockton (Morecambe).
- Attempt missed. Scot Bennett (Newport County) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Josh Sheehan with a cross following a corner.
- Corner, Newport County. Conceded by Kelvin Mellor.
- Substitution, Morecambe. Alex Kenyon replaces Carlos Mendes Gomes.
- Attempt missed. Anthony Hartigan (Newport County) right footed shot from outside the box is too high.
- Attempt blocked. Anthony Hartigan (Newport County) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Priestley Farquharson.
- John O’Sullivan (Morecambe) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
- Joss Labadie (Newport County) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
The Shrimps returned to the Football League after a nine-year absence, and the celebrations were still very much in full swing in the early hours of Sunday morning, as fans from both teams joined in a spontaneous rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again” in the centre circle of the Globe Arena.. Read more about newport v morecambe live stream and let us know what you think.
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