Morecambe 2 Gillingham 3: Fourth straight defeat for the Shrimps
and live on Freeview channel 276
The Shrimps had led twice through Jordan Slew and Charlie Brown but a string of individual errors proved costly as goals from Oli Hawkins, Tim Dieng and Connor Mahoney meant a fourth successive defeat.
Brown and Slew made the quickest of impacts as they combined to fire the Shrimps into an 11th-minute lead.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBrown latched onto a poor defensive clearance and drove forward before playing a perfectly-weighted pass into the path of Slew, who produced a superb first-time finish.
The lead was to last just eight minutes as keeper Archie Mair parried Remeao Hutton’s cross into the path of Hawkins, who drilled home from eight yards.
Both sides then struggled to create clear chances with the swirling wind making progress difficult.
Slew produced the biggest moment of threat on the stroke of half-time with a curling cross that almost caught out keeper Glenn Morris but grazed the top of the netting.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdMorecambe looked more of a threat playing into the wind in the second half with Slew seeing a back post header well saved by Morris.
The Shrimps very nearly scored a fine goal moments later as a four-pass move cut open the visitors, only for Morris to tip away Brown’s shot.
Their pressure paid off as they regained the lead on 64 minutes, Brown sliding home Ged Garner’s effort after the ball had pinballed around the Gillingham area.
However, Morecambe failed to keep their lead as Dieng tried his luck from 25 yards and Mair misjudged the ball’s path on its way into the net.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThat gave Gillingham the momentum with Jake Taylor producing a superb defensive challenge to block Max Ehmer’s shot.
They sealed the win four minutes from time when Mair’s attempted clearance went straight to Mahoney, who drilled home via a huge deflection from Chris Stokes.
Morecambe: Mair, Senior, Bedeau, Stokes, Tutonda, Khumbeni, Adams (Edwards 76), Taylor, Brown (Hiwula 89), Garner, Slew. Subs not used: A Smith, Songo’o, Larsson, C Smith, Harrack.
Gillingham: Morris, Hutton, Ehmer, Ogie, Clark (Malone 68), McKenzie (Coleman 68), Dieng, Williams (Walker 60), Lapslie (Clarke 79), Mahoney, Hawkins (Andrews 79). Subs not used: Turner, Masterson.
Referee: Paul Howard.
Attendance: 3,408.