Derek Adams says Morecambe’s defeat at Bradford City was a ‘travesty’

Despite a much improved performance where the Shrimps dominated for long periods they were undone by a late goal from Aramide Oteh

The on-loan QPR striker, who scored in the victory over the Shrimps at the Globe Arena, was the home side’s hero with the opening goal 10 minutes from time.

A quick free-kick caught out George Tanner as Dylan Connolly was given space to cross from the left for Oteh to stab the ball past Mark Halstead at the second attempt.

Boss Derek Adams described his side’s defeat as a “travesty.’’

Adams said: “It was probably the best performance I’ve seen since I came to the club. We dominated them and the way the home supporters turned against their side at half time said everything.

“We were on top and created the better opportunities and should have been a couple of goals ahead but were unlucky to see Steven Old hit the crossbar and we were denied a penalty.

“We coped with their shape well and they didn’t cause us too many problems while we got into a lot of good positions and it is a travesty that we came away with nothing.The Shrimps started the game on the front foot with A-Jay Leitch-Smith seeing an effort blocked by Ben Richards-Everton before the home defence was forced to clear a goalmouth scramble.

The early pressure almost paid off on 11 minutes when Steven Old saw a header from Luke Conlan’s left-wing free-kick beat Richard O’Donnell but hit the Bradford crossbar and bounced to safety.

Bradford came back with the experienced James Vaughan flashing a shot wide and Matty Palmer seeing a shot blocked by Tanner before the Shrimps began to look the more threatening again.

John O’Sullivan delivered a superb cross that flashed across the Bradford six-yard box and claims for a penalty were turned away when a Leitch-Smith cross seemed to hit a Bradford hand.

But as the half came to an end Bradford threatened again with Vaughan looping a header over and then putting the ball into a dangerous area with Richards-Everton almost connecting at full stretch.

The game followed a similar pattern in the second period with Morecambe looking the more threatening.

Carlos Mendes-Gomes fired straight at Richard O’Donnell from the edge of the area and Tom Brewitt saw an effort superbly blocked by Paudie O’Connor.

Ritchie Sutton the saw an effort on the turn go close before Bradford took the lead with a rare foray on the Morecambe goal.

From there, Zeli Ismail hit the crossbar with a well-struck volley for there home side and the Shrimps were unable to find that one chance they needed to get something from the game.

Despite the defeat, Adams says he believes his side are improving but need to show more quality in the final third.

“There is no doubt that the players are taking on board the information but we do need to do better in the final third and make sure we score when we are on top in games,” he said.

Bradford: O’Donnell, Henley (Oteh 60), Wood, P O’Connor, A O’Connor, Richards-Everton, Reeves ( Taylor 77), Palmer, McCartan ( Ismail 60), Connolly, Vaughan. Subs not used: Sykes-Kenworthy, Gibson, Anderson, Cooke.

Morecambe: Halstead, Tanner, Old, Sutton, Conlan, Kenyon, Brewitt, O’Sullivan, Wildig ( Ellison 86), Mendes-Gomes, Leitch-Smith. Subs not used: Da Silva Mendes, Howard, Lavelle, Cranston, Alessandra.

Referee: A Haines.

Attendance: 14,111.