Morecambe Youth 1 Lancaster City Youth 1 (AET)

Morecambe win 4-1 on penalties

Morecambe Youth team booked their big FA Youth Cup date with Darlington when they beat local rivals Lancaster City on penalties after a thriller under lights at Christie Park on Wednesday.

Despite looking the better side for most of the game, Lancaster failed to take their opportunities even when the Shrimps were reduced to 10 men when Jack Helm was shown a straight red card for dissent in extra time.

Morecambe went 1-0 ahead after 19 minutes of the keenly contested Lune derby when Callum Routlidge a dead ringer for senior Shrimp Wayne Curtis headed home in style after escaping the clutches of Lloyd Balsaz.

But not be be outdone, Lancaster battled back with Michael Barnes causing all manner of problems on the left.

His crosses were a real pain for Morecambe to deal with but the Dolly Blues, playing in a bizarre green and white hooped kit trailed at the break.

They levelled the match shortly after the restart when Darren Green slammed home after Morecambe goalkeeper Kevin Atherton saved breathtakingly from Tom Kelsall.

Lancaster were still the dominant force but manager Sean Haselgrave switched Barnes to the right flank, where he was totally ineffective.

And perhaps that allowed Morecambe the chance to survive a torrid time.

It was a strange move from the manager as Barnes, the best player on display by a long shot, was destroying Morecambe full back Andy Leigh until the manager sent out the order to go right.

And when he got to that right flank he was not in the game, In fact, all he needed was a warm coat and he would have been the perfect spectator on the car wash side.

Both sides could have won the match in normal time but Morecambe appeared stronger without really threatening in extra-time.

So it came down to penalties with Routledge, Andy Langford, Paul Jarvis and Gary Ball scoring for Morecambe while Jim Slater converted for City as Barnes and Ryan Moat missed.

Morecambe: Atherton, Leigh, Sheath, Langford, Meeks, Jennis, Helm, West, Routledge, Pickersgill, Jarvis. Subs: Wisdom, Wilkes, Wharf, McLuskie, Ball.

Lancaster City: Stone, Ponde, Slater, Balsaz, Moart, Butler, Kelsall, Harvey, Green, Tapper, Barnes. Subs: Burke, Derbyshire, Monks, Park.

Referee: P Hodskinson