Wes Burns scored an 86th-minute equaliser as the Blues drew 1-1 with Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium. Town dominated throughout but the Shrimps went ahead via Aaron Wildig with their first shot on target in the 59th minute as the Blues once again struggled to turn their possession into goals.

Town boss Kieran McKenna made four changes from Tuesday’s 0-0 home draw with Cheltenham with Tyreeq Bakinson, Sone Aluko, James Norwood and Macauley Bonne all starting.

Bakinson came into the midfield for Tom Carroll, who was on the bench, alongside skipper Sam Morsy. Aluko and Norwood were to the right and left of Bonne, with the Nigerian international dropping deeper, with Conor Chaplin, Bersant Celina and Kayden Jackson also among the subs.

Morecambe, with returning former manager Derek Adams back in charge for the first time, were unchanged from Tuesday’s 2-0 defeat at Rotherham with former Blues midfielder Shane McLoughlin and ex-loanee Toumani Diagoraga both starting and one-time Blues winger Dylan Connolly on the bench.

Following a minute’s silence for Morecambe life vice-president and former club secretary Ken Ormrod, who died this week, on a bumpy pitch of a type familiar to Sunday morning footballers, Town dominated the early stages.

The Blues, wearing all blue on their first visit to the Mazuma Stadium with the 2001 FA Cup tie having been at Morecambe’s previous ground Christie Park, created their first chance in the ninth minute when Bakinson found Norwood at the far post but the striker shot over from a tight angle.

As the game reached the 14th minute, the Blues surpassed the previous club record of 547 minutes without conceding a goal, Christian Walton having had a quiet afternoon.

The Blues went close to going in front in the 18th minute when Aluko turned Janoi Donacien’s ball into the area wide to Burns, whose cross fell to Aluko, who appeared to have a sight at goal before being closed down and his effort at goal was deflected weakly back to home keeper Trevor Carson.

Seven minutes later, Morsy brought the ball forward before finding Aluko on the edge of the box, but the forward’s shot looped over off a defender.

From the resultant corner, the ball was half-cleared to Aluko on the edge of the box and his low shot was diverted wide. His reaction suggested that it had been on its way into the net.

The Blues weren’t far away again in the 28th minute when Morsy came very close to scoring his first goal for the club. The Town captain brought the ball forward before curling a shot which looked destined for the top corner until Carson palmed it away. The ball came out to Bonne but the striker was unable to direct his header the right side of the post, a chance it looked like he should have taken.

Morecambe struck their first shot in the 32nd minute, ex-Blue McLoughlin curling a shot wide after a free-kick - harshly awarded against Bakinson - had been touched to him by Diagouraga.

Two minutes later, Bonne will again feel he should have put Town in front when Bakinson chipped a ball to the far post from the right and the striker once more sent his header wide.

The Blues continued to dominate, Burns overhitting a cross from the right in the 36th minute.

Soon after, Bakinson brought the ball forward to the edge of the box before hitting a low strike which Carson superbly tipped past the post.

In the 43rd minute, following a rare Morecambe attack, Aluko almost played in Norwood but a defender’s toe just managed to divert the ball back to Carson.

Just prior to the fourth official’s board signalling one additional minute, a Dominic Thompson free-kick from the left flicked off Edmundson’s head and wide.

There was a scare for Town in the dying moments when an Edmundson slip allowed Jonah Ayunga a run at goal but the centre-half got back to snuff out the danger.

Aside from that late incident, the first half had been all Town with the possession percentage of 75-25 a reflection of the level of control.

The Blues had had plenty of chances and really ought to have been in front with Aluko having a number of shots blocked, Morsy and Bakinson strikes saved and Bonne a couple of headers that he will feel he should have scored.

At the other end, Town had now taken their total minutes without conceding to 578.

Morecambe made two changes ahead of the second half with Wildig and Adam Phillips replacing Ryan Cooney and Ayunga.

The second half continued in the same pattern as the first with the Blues seeing most of the ball. However, on 54, Shrimps 21-goal top scorer Cole Stockton got his first sight at goal but curled his shot from the edge of the box well over.

In the 58th minute, Bonne ran on to a Thompson throw and hit a shot which Carson could only parry. Burns was first to the loose ball but was forced wide and was unable to find a Town player with his cutback.

A minute later, Town were made to pay for their missed chances. Phillips took the ball in from the right and chipped a cross to sub Wildig, who planted a header in the corner of the net, ending the Blues’ record period without conceding at 592 minutes with the Shrimps first shot on target of the afternoon.

Town went about getting back on terms, Bakinson shooting over from the edge of the box. On 62 Bonne was booked after berating a linesman having had a foul given against him when he felt he had initially been fouled himself.

The Blues once again went close to scoring in the 67th minute when Burns rolled the ball into the path of Aluko breaking into the area on the right. The forward’s low cross-shot might have found its way in until it hit Norwood, then the loose ball fell to Bonne and his strike was blocked.

Town made a triple substitution in the 69th minute with Celina, Jackson and Chaplin replacing Aluko, Bonne and Norwood.

Jackson’s pace quickly had an impact, the striker running in behind and reaching a Burns pass before laying back to Chaplin as he broke into the area, however, the ball was stabbed behind by a defender.

As the game moved into its final quarter of an hour, Celina curled a shot towards the top corner following a poor Chaplin corner, but again Carson got across to claw it behind.

In the 80th minute a 30-yard Celina free-kick struck the top of the Morecambe wall and looped to Carson.

Town continued to push and look for an opening, with Celina at the heart of most of their attacks, but were unable to find space in the box against a determined Morecambe backline.

Just as it was looking as if Town would fall to a defeat, they found an equaliser, Thompson sent a low ball into the area which reached Burns, whose initial back-heeled pass was blocked fell loose to the Welshman, who turned his 10th goal of the season into the corner of the net to send the 1,270 Blues fans at that end wild.

Two minutes later, the Town went close to a winner. Jackson crossed from the left and Donacien chested goalwards only to find Carson in the way, like so many of his team-mates over the course of the afternoon.

The Blues continued to look for a winner in the closing stages but were unable to threaten man of the match Carson’s goal again before the end.

For much of the game it was the same story as Tuesday’s 0-0 draw with Cheltenham with the Blues having all the ball and plenty of chances without finding the net.

When a side is failing to take their opportunities there’s always a danger the opposition will find a goal however rare their chances and that proved to be the case with the Shrimps scoring via their first shot on target.

Town kept pressing for a goal with the substitutions making a difference and eventually the goal came.

The Blues might have won it after that with Donacien going very close to his first ever Town goal.

A second draw in succession sees Town stay ninth, now five points from the play-offs ahead of another trip to the North-West next weekend to face Fleetwood.

Morecambe: Carson, Leigh, O'Connor (c), Bedeau, Diagouraga, Stockton, Ayunga (Phillips 46), McLoughlin, Cooney (Wildig 46), Fane, Bennett. Unused: Smith, Connolly, Obika, Gibson, Duffus.

Town: Walton, Donacien, Woolfenden, Edmundson, Burns, Morsy (c), Bakinson, Thompson, Aluko (Celina 69), Bonne (Jackson 69), Norwood (Chaplin 69). Unused: Hladky, Burgess, Carroll, Pigott. Referee: Matthew Donohue (Manchester). Att: 4,928 (Town: 1,270).

Photo: Pagepix

abandon_hope1978 added 20:43 - Feb 26 Grinch… how do you think Simpson won't buy into the current set up ? He was doing well at Swindon on a season loan, only to be brought back and put in the U23's. If they brought him back, why doesn't KM include him in 1st team squad. If he had no intention of playing him, why not leave him at Swindon to get a full season if 1st team football under his belt?
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KiwiTractor added 21:38 - Feb 26 Come on KM, pick you best XI and stick with it - chopping and changing the front 3 can't be helping with the goals situation
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blueboy1981 added 21:41 - Feb 26 It all seems a bit strange around Simpson - we continue to drop points i.e. the last two games, our Strikers currently couldn't score in a Br#thel, Simpson was, and is scoring for fun - and not even in the Squad …. ??? Got to be a Contract Issue surely ? - has an Agent turned yet another young head … ???
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blueboy1981 added 22:43 - Feb 26 Just a reminder as to how great Cheltenham are - they lost at HOME today to CREWE …!!!
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chepstowblue added 22:52 - Feb 26 An incredible game to not win ! So totally dominant from start to finish. But for the first 45 we were painfully slow in possession, lacked movement up front and only looked dangerous when Burns overlapped. When Norwood and Bonne start together I never think we're going to score. They are both pitiful and angry right now. Chaplin and Celina come on and offer football brains too good for this level, intelligent movement, picking up balls between the lines, good first touch, and we were a totally different outfit. On the downside; Thompson had a shocker... poor delivery all afternoon, and Edmundson had possibly his must uncertain game since arriving. Whilst we didn't have a lot of defending to do I thought Woolfy was excellent. His staggering improvement continues. A damaging 5 days and 8 wins from 11 now required to get anywhere near the play offs. Doable but highly unlikely.

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Irishblueboy99 added 01:14 - Feb 27 Ffs we have 4 strikers who wouldn't finish their dinner. What's the point of recalling Simpson if you don't give him a chance and give youth a go, Bobby Robson did. Simpson better than Norwood and piggott surely at this stage, give Simpson a go km b4 it's too late
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Minneapolis_ITFC added 02:49 - Feb 27 you can argue it's four points dropped in the last two games. No team has a divine right to victories but over 180 minutes played against that caliber of opposition the team should have won at least one of them. we don't lose often now, we got a better defensive record since Cook left and while McKenna has done mighty fine work since coming in a number of previous problems remain. Always insist a promotion place is beyond us, said it since last fall and the belief remains. If only we had a pair of competent forwards the team could really have accomplished something by end of season. today was frustrating. We've improved without question but don't possess enough ruthless instinct.

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Help added 07:37 - Feb 27 You could question if you choose players to win games or not choose players because they may not be here next season. However, that would mean you dont choose Bonne or Norwood, nor Celina. I am beginning to wonder if the rotation policy up front is working. I would like to the stats for who has played with who. Clearly the Bash Bros is not working, so does who work best with who. Celina and Chaplin with Jackson and Piggott?, Celina and Aluko, Chaplin and Aluko???? Left side has been and is still our weak side all season. Thompson not any better than we have and Backinson, is he really better than Carroll?? Back line has been sorted, Midfield is sorted, when certain players are available, when not we struggle with replacements. Front line is a mess. A complete turn around from earlier in the season when certain strikers were on fire, and the back was leaking, now we are tight at the back and have very little up front.

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Orraman added 11:35 - Feb 27 Apart from current loss of form by all strikers, we are absolutely woeful at corners and set pieces. We don't necessarily need complicated routines at corners but something different now and again might lead to something. When did we last score from a corner? Free kicks should be free hits - can't expect Ward Prowse quality but at least let's try to benefit from some of them. Everything such a vast improvement in every department except strikers so a shame we can't improve on set pieces

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yorkieblue62 added 14:14 - Feb 27 First game seen live this season so these are my observations, for what they are worth. As many have said, possession alone does not win matches. You need good delivery from wide and set pieces together with lethal strikers and we have neither. I know Burns has had a good season but he was not at his best & I thought Thompson was poor. Aluko & Bakinson, whilst contributing to some pretty midfield play, too often slowed up the attack. Like others have said if Stockton had been in our team I think we would have won. At least when Celina came on he posed a threat and was prepared to shoot. So I would say 5 of the starting line up need changing before next season but with 3 of them on loan and some youngsters pressing for inclusion should not need too much of a shake up in the transfer market.

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johnwarksshorts added 14:53 - Feb 27 Blueboy to be fair Cheltenham probably didn't play a 1 9 1 formation against Crewe!
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