Chester FC 2 Morecambe 0: Defeat sees Shrimps fail to reach FA Cup first round
Morecambe bowed out of the FA Cup as two late goals earned Chester victory in Tuesday’s replay and a round one tie at Cambridge United.
On a miserable night for the Shrimps, goals from Dylan Mottley-Henry and Jack Bainbridge sealed victory for the National League North side after a performance that will leave Morecambe boss Ashvir Singh Johal with plenty to consider.
Johal made two changes from the team which drew at the weekend with Miguel Azeez and Elijah Dixon-Bonner starting in place of Yann Songo’o and George Thomas.
The Shrimps were soon on the back foot as, with just 50 seconds on the clock, Lewis Payne was forced to make a last-minute block as Pat Jones threatened to run on goal.
Moments later, Kevin Roberts headed a corner straight at Jamal Blackman when he was left unmarked.
Chester continued to threaten, Jones testing the keeper with a shot low to his right before Tom Peers went close with a curling shot from the edge of the box that beat Blackman but hit the angle of crossbar and post.
Morecambe had plenty of possession but only threatened in the final stages of the half, when Ben Tollitt was played in on goal by Payne and rounded the keeper but found the side netting.
Chester were on the front foot after the break without creating too many chances.
Jones fired wide with a snapshot and the Shrimps were left to scramble the ball away from danger before creating their only real chance when Jack Nolan’s cross was headed wide by Dixon-Bonner.
With the game seemingly set for extra time, Chester took the lead on 79 minutes when Mottley-Henry’s strike deflected past Blackman.
As the Shrimps pushed forward, they conceded a second in added time as Bainbridge scored with a 30-yard screamer that flew into Blackman’s top corner.
Chester: Murray-Jones; K Roberts, Leak, Carson, Woodthorpe; Peers (F Roberts 90), Bainbridge, Murray, Jones (Zanzala 84), Shrimpton, Woods (Mottley-Henry 64). Subs not used: Barlow, Kelly-Evans, Rawlinson, Burgess.
Morecambe: Blackman; Payne, Kacurri, Francillette, Cain; Raikhy (Songo’o 57), Azeez, Nolan (Aarons 75), Dixon-Bonner, Edwards (Sutton 75), Tollitt (Panayiotou 57). Subs not used: Mair, Sesay, Conte.
Referee: Steven Copeland.
Attendance: 2,979.