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Morecambe 1-1 Ipswich Town - Match Report
Saturday, 26th Feb 2022 17:01

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



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BromleyBloo added 17:02 - Feb 26

Like Cheltenham, except worse - 75% possession, 12 corners, dominated as much as you can, but we can't score!!! Then a stupid goal just given away.

Celina must start every game!

4 points lost - so frustrating and rapidly heading to the last chance saloon.

We are a striker short of being a good team - none of Nors, Bonne, Pig or Jackson good enough………………….

COYB - turn this around ASAP!!!
15

ImAbeliever added 17:02 - Feb 26
Next
1

Tractor_Boy_in_HK added 17:04 - Feb 26
We just can't score...

Credit to Trevor Carson who made a few top class saves (but a better side would have tapped in the rebound on two of them).
8

Billericay12 added 17:08 - Feb 26
Great football to watch. I now feel entertained . Remember the McCarthy days ?
Just lacking in the final third.
14

ImAbeliever added 17:09 - Feb 26
Step up Simpson?
12

Bert added 17:09 - Feb 26
Playing well, classy and dominating….. but we cannot find the net. Would Stockton be an even better player in our squad ? Could have been worse today but still disappointing. At least the opposition tried to play football when eventually they got sight of the ball. Hope they stay up.

1

jas0999 added 17:11 - Feb 26
We need to sign a striker in the summer. Bones record over past twenty games is shocking. Norwood, Piggot no better.

Two disappointing results this week. Play offs looking less likely.
12

hyperbrit added 17:12 - Feb 26
strikers must be clutch players and Town have none at the moment. Watch for Bonne and Nors to be shipped out in the summer and maybe more.
7

Nobbysnuts added 17:13 - Feb 26
Garbage....enough said
-15

Pezzer added 17:15 - Feb 26
Goodnight Vienna for this season, but we clearly have an excellent coach for next year.
12

Saxonblue74 added 17:17 - Feb 26
Simply cannot harbour any hope of play offs with 2 points from the likes of Cheltnham and Morecombe. Pretty football, entertaining maybe. This is the business end of the season now and time is rapidly running out. Cwlina is far, far too good to be starting on the bench. We're only hanging in by the skin of our teeth because others around us have also faltered a little of late.
12

TimmyH added 17:17 - Feb 26
Well that's a large nail in the coffin of our play-offs hopes (if we genuinely could be considered that)...same old problems reoccurring of struggling to find the net from our strikers or to create enough clear cut chances to win games.

I have faith in McK to turn the clubs fortunes around but it won't be done this season and lets face it too many points dropped against 'minnow' clubs in this league and if you can't be the likes of Cheltenham or Morecambe forget about the play-offs!
7

runningout added 17:17 - Feb 26
Our forwards haven't had their Weetabix
3

SoCalTownFan added 17:21 - Feb 26
4 points dropped from 2 easy games- if we hadn't drawn the last two we would be 7th with a really strong chance of leapfrogging up a couple of places and evn a slight hope of second.

But this is ipswich- we blew it. Again

We are not going up this year. it's away to "Forest Green Rovers" for us. get your atlas out!
5

Stato added 17:22 - Feb 26
Aluko hasn't yet managed what 12 other players have ...... an assist in the league. That's not good enough for a number 10 who only has 3 league goals which puts him behind both Chaplin and Celina who both beat him for assists too.
-1

Suffolkboy added 17:25 - Feb 26
It'll be really interesting to not only read KM's comments and no doubt cool assessment : he's far too sharp a cookie to be unaware of shortcomings of any nature , let alone amongst our ‘ strike force' ? and we may have to read between the lines ,whilst recognising the steel within the scabbard .
IF this season we do not succeed ( and if we do it'd still be necessary to ship out several ) then no doubt personnel changes will already have been pencilled in and potential recruits identified .
Obviously lovely Football to watch ,but frustratingly inadequate to witness !
COYB – you can do better ,and do us all proud !
4

SickParrot added 17:28 - Feb 26
We just need a prolific goal scorer. We've inproved so much under McKenna - we're dominating games and don't concede many goals but we don't score enough. We needed 20 attempts at goal to score today and had nearly as many against Cheltenham without scoring. I'm sure that we will sugn another striker in the summer. Maybe Stockton from Morecambe?
5

blues1 added 17:30 - Feb 26
Nobbysnuts. How was it garbage? Their keeper man of the match, so clearly chances were created and had attempts on target. As well as dominating the game in general. Of course we been to start taking more of our chances. Very frustrating when we don't. On the other hand, in the past, before mckenna arrived, we'd likely have not got back into the game at all. Really don't see how anyone can still moan. That's 6 games unbeaten, and only 1 goal conceded. All we are lacking at the moment, is the killer touch in front of goal.
9

algarvefan added 17:30 - Feb 26
How flippin frustrating!!!! Bossed the entire game again and just the 1 point, but this league is unpredictable and we are still in with a shout of a top 6 finish if we can start finding the net! I think we have about 11 games left , so keep the faith. 33 points to play for, I know he is fighting over contract but would it hurt to give Simpson a game up front, if none of the others are scoring what's the point rotating them?
5

ButchersBrokenNose added 17:31 - Feb 26
What is there to say? Today was like Tuesday which was like so many other games this season: lots of possession; pretty, passing football; but unable to get through ten men in the final third; and when we did, we couldn't take our chances.

Some people will cite our excellent stats, but, there's only one that counts: goals, and we can't score them right now. What about the number of corners we've scored from; how's that stat looking? Here's another one for you: the league table, and it doesn't lie. The teams in the play-offs are there because they finish teams like Cheltenham and Morecambe. We can't, and that's why we'll get to play them again next season.

I hate to admit it, but that's our season over. Mr. McKenna has made great improvements on the mess left for him by Mr. Cook, but he now has a transfer window and pre-season that he can put his mark on, and that is the silver lining in today's cloud. As much as today hurts, I remain optimistic. The club's moving in the right direction, and I'm going to be putting money on us going up as champions next season.
12

ITFC_Singapore added 17:37 - Feb 26
McKenna has to take some responsibility for that. Why on earth drop Jackson, who was exceptional last weekend, for us to have to watch Bonne doing his usual of being offside and missing chance for fun. Have to say though that the approach football up to the box is probably the best i have seen all season.....and Morsy was superb.
0

blues1 added 17:39 - Feb 26
So Cal Town fan. 2 easy games? Why are they? Bcse we are ipswich town and they are cheltenham and Morecambe? If u hadn't noticed, we are all in the same lge. And there are no easy games, especially at this time of the season, when everyone is fighting for much needed points. Of course we all wanted more than the 2 points and it's frustrating we haven't.
3

Rimsy added 17:40 - Feb 26
How can Celina not be starting? Strike force woeful. Still a good performance though up to their box.
1

Nobbysnuts added 17:41 - Feb 26
Goals win games....its not difficult to understand...if you score you may win the game..if you don't score you definitely do not win the game..simple really. Understand now? Good.
4

Barty added 17:42 - Feb 26
Real shame as all of our front men are off form at a critical time.
5


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