Plymouth 1, Morecambe 0
The Shrimps produced a better performance but were undone by a moment of quality from Graham Carey who scored the only goal of the game on 16 minutes.
The midfielder, who was earmarked as Argyle’s danger man before the game, received the ball 20 yards from goal and after taking a touch to set himself up he curled a superb effort over Barry Roche.
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Hide AdThe goal gave the home side a lift and they went on to dominate most of the first half.with former Shrimps’ loan striker Jimmy Spencer volleying a close range effort into the side netting and Oscar Threlkeld heading onto the roof of the Morecambe net.
Roche was forced into two decent saves from Jake Jervis and Gary Miller as the home side got in behind the Morecambe back four on several occasions.
The Shrimps began to find their feet towards the end of the first half and began to create chances of their own.
The best in the first half came when Lee Molyneux drilled a low shot inches wide of the right hand post though he may have been better playing in Paul Mullin who was in space to his right hand side.
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Hide AdThe Shrimps maintained that form after the break and were much the better side in the second half.
They dominated possession for long periods but only tested Luke McCormick once in the Plymouth goal when Michael Rose swung in a curling free kick from the right hand side that was heading for the bottom right hand corner of the Argyle goal.
There were several chances but the final ball let them down on several occasions. Molyneux volleyed over when he should have done better and the same player was almost played in by Ryan Edwards but just failed to reach the ball.
Plymouth were forced to rely on the counter attack and went close with efforts from Jordan Slew and Ryan Taylor before Roche saved smartly from Jervis after he cut in from the left.
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Hide AdThe Shrimps ended the game on the front foot but despite their best efforts could not find their way through a packed Plymouth defence.
Plymouth: McCormick, Miller, Bradley, Sokolik, Threlkeld, Fox, Sarcevik (rep Songo’o 80), Carey, Kennedy (rep Slew 66),Jervis, Spencer (rep Taylor 61). Subs not used: Dorel, Sawyer, Donaldson, Blissett.
Booked: Kennedy.
Morecambe: Roche, Duckworth, Edwards, Whitmore, Conlan, Rose, Murphy,. Turner (rep Jordan 77), Wildig (re Ellison 70), Molyneux, Mullin. Subs not used: Nizic, Wakefield, Fleming, McGowan..
Booked: Ellison, Whitmore, Roche
Ref: D Whtestone
Att: 8,785