First-half no-show costs Morecambe dear at Scunthorpe

And despite an improved second half they could not fight their way back into the game and missed yet another penalty to compound their misery.

Morecambe, who made one change with Jordan Cranston coming in for the injured Luke Conlan, actually started the game the better.

Aaron Wildig forced home keeper Rory Watson into a smart save with a side foot shot from the edge of the area after some neat link up play with John O’Sullivan.

A few moments later Andrew Tutte forced the young keeper into a flying save to his left.

But the Shrimps went behind to a penalty on 25 minutes. After the two conceded against Salford last week they saw the referee point to the spot again when O’Sullivan bundled over Kevin van Veen in the box.

Jamie Proctor saw his spot-kick saved by Barry Roche but he reacted sharply to stroke home the rebound.

Scunthorpe suddenly looked a different team and began to play some neat football and soon doubled their lead. On 31 minutes Alex Gilliead saw a shot from the edge of the area well saved by Roche low to his left but once again it was Scunthorpe’s strikers who reacted quickest and Van Veen fired high into the net from a tight angle.

Ten minutes later the Shrimps were shocked again as Scunthorpe added a third.

Gilliead was again involved forcing Roche to make another excellent save only for midfielder Matthew Lund to force home the rebound from the edge of the six yard box.

The Shrimps were much better after the break as they looked to get a goal that may have caused the home side some nerves.

On 48 minutes O’Sullivan let fly with a volley that went straight into the arms of Watson and Cole Stockton, a half-time sub after Bentley changed his formation to a back four, saw a looping header also fall nicely for the keeper.

Scunthorpe hit back with James Perch having a shot blocked by Lewis Alessandra and former North End man Proctor volley acrobatically over from a right-wing corner.

On the hour, Morecambe saw Watson again deny them with two excellent saves, the first from a diving Stockton header and then the best save of he afternoon to tip over a close-range Alessandra shot.

The home team survived that onslaught until the final minute of the game when Rory McCardle fouled Stockton in the box.

But once again the Shrimps failed to make the most of things with yet another penalty miss as Adam Buxton’s effort was well saved by Watson who kept his first ever league clean sheet as Morecambe moved into the bottom three.

Scunthorpe: Watson, Lund, Songo’o, van Veen (Slater 83), Perch, Gilliead, McArdle, McGahey, Brown, Eisa (McAtee 89), Proctor. Subs unused: Eastwood, Clarke, Ntlhe, Miller.

Morecambe: Roche, Old, Tutte, O’Sullivan, Alessandra, Sutton (Buxton 45), Wildig, Lavelle, Miller (Ellison 83), Tanner, Cranston (Stockton 45). Subs unused:Leitch-Smith, Oates, Jagne.

Ref: N Kinseley. Att: 3,017.