Shrimps go for a Burton

MORECAMBE'S mystifying run against their play-off rivals continued on Saturday as the Shrimps were beaten at Burton despite dominating the game.

As this most enthralling of Conference seasons continues to throw up more twists and turns than your average Agatha Christie mystery, the Shrimps were the architects of their own downfall at the Pirelli Stadium as the Brewers were handed two goals in three first-half minutes.

Those two defensive blunders were dire moments - but Morecambe's lack of cutting edge, despite the Herculean efforts of Matty Blinkhorn and David McNiven, is a real worry.

The talented twosome were forced to drop deeper and deeper as the quality of service wasn't there and Burton's strong defence escaped despite a real battering.

But it is no time to press the panic button. The defeat may have seen the Shrimps deposited from the play-off zone - but this side has the quality and talent to make that end-of-season jamboree no doubt.

Morecambe actually started well on an unfeasibly cold afternoon and Garry Hunter's delicious through ball after just 58 seconds put Blinkhorn through. Unfortunately he went wide and veteran keeper Kevin Poole made a comfortable but sprawling save.

Then the midfielder cleverly flicked the ball over Albion skipper Darren Stride, playing a record 569th game, only to blaze his shot over the top when, perhaps, a ball into the unmarked McNiven may have afforded the better opportunity.

As Burton got into gear, Stride sent a looping header against the outside of a post from Keith Gilroy's free-kick - but that was a rare attack as the midfields slugged it out.

Then, on 27 minutes, Jamie Burns threaded through and Hunter raced towards the box only to be stopped in his tracks by a smart Danny Holmes tackle.

Holmes then thumped the ball forward - and the Brewers couldn't believe their luck when Jim Bentley got into a right pickle and missed his kick.

Jon Shaw anticipated well and raced on to give Steven Drench no chance. It was a goal against the run of play and an uncharacteristic mistake from Bentley - but it was still a howler.

The, just two minutes later, the tricky Gilroy made good ground down the left as he ghosted past Garry Thompson and Adam Yates before swinging in a deep cross. No one had picked up the lethal Daryl Clare at the back post - a bad move - and the hotshot made no mistake with a planted header.

The Shrimps were suddenly 2-0 down and no one could quite explain how or why...but why was Clare not marked?

Poole made a routine save from McNiven, who did remarkably well to get a shot on target despite the tight angle before Blinkhorn nodded wide in stoppage time as Thompson's free-kick was headed back inside by Bentley.

Sammy McIlroy hauled off the ineffective Burns at the break, sending Wayne Curtis on and suddenly there was a threat down the left.

He pushed the ball through on 52 minutes and McNiven and Hunter fought for their lives on the edge of the box before the ball broke for Blinkhorn - but the 40-something Poole was out in a flash, then McNiven tried his luck from distance but didn't get enough on it to trouble the keeper.

Danny Adams then went on a marauding run down the left but got too much on his cross before Neil Sorvel's speed of though saw him roll a quick free-kick to Yates and his 25-yarder zipped just over the bar.

It was all Morecambe at this stage and poor old Drench, so busy in the midweek win over Aldershot, was in real danger of suffering hypothermia as a biting wind blew across the ground to take the temperature even lower.

McNiven then turned provider as his sublime control fed Curtis - but the big man couldn't get a shot off as Alex Nicholls dived in to poke the ball away.

Burton were no threat at all and Holmes blazed a shot high, high over the bar before the Shrimps were handed a lifeline 11 minutes from time.

Yates dinked the ball into the box and Stride inexplicably handled. It was the clearest of penalties, illustrated by Stride's lack of protest.

Curtis stepped up and sent Poole the wrong way - and that set up a real finale.

Albion boss Nigel Clough did something his late father would never dreamed of and subbed his two strikers to look for a more defensive option as the Shrimps turned the screw.

Sorvel's cross was almost diverted into his own net by Stride before the captain atoned by clearing under pressure as Poole flapped.

But the Shrimps didn't work an opening and the final whistle signalled another blip. There is still a long way to go though in this wonderfully dramatic season. Do not write the Shrimps off just yet.