Morecambe 0 Southend United 3: Visitors break their league duck against the Shrimps
Morecambe’s poor run of form continued with a home defeat to Southend United on Saturday.
After the disappointment of their FA Cup exit in midweek, the Shrimps suffered a first league defeat to the Shrimpers and conceded another three goals in the process.
First-half goals from Slavi Spasov and Ben Goodliffe, as well as Josh Walker’s injury-time strike, earned Southend a third successive win with Morecambe remaining at the foot of the National League table.
It was Morecambe who started the better as, after three minutes, Miguel Azeez played in George Thomas who rounded the Southend keeper but could only find the side netting from a tight angle.
Nine minutes later, Azeez created a great chance for Jack Nolan but he dragged an effort wide when he should have done better.
It proved to be an important miss as Southend took the lead on 26 minutes, when Spasov broke quickly and beat Jamal Blackman with a well-struck shot from the edge of the area that flew into the bottom corner.
The Shrimps’ defence was undone for a second time five minutes before the break as some shocking defending allowed the unmarked Goodliffe to volley home Harry Boyes’ free-kick.
Morecambe enjoyed the greater share of possession in the second half, with Azeez drilling a low effort inches wide of the right-hand post and Elijah Dixon-Bonner forcing Collin Andeng-Ndi into his first save of note.
The Southend keeper almost gifted Morecambe a way back into the game on 74 minutes, when his scuffed clearance presented Gwion Edwards with an open goal 30 yards out – only for the striker to hit the post.
Edwards almost made amends with a fine shot that was tipped over before the Shrimps’ day was spoiled even further four minutes into added time, when substitute Walker turned sharply in the box and fired past Blackman from 12 yards.
Morecambe: Blackman, Payne (Sutton 86), Francillette, Kacurri, Cain, Azeez, Dixon-Bonner (Williams 61), Thomas, Nolan (Tollitt 70), Edwards, Nuttall (Muskwe 79). Subs not used: Mair, Songo’o, Raikhy.
Southend United: Andeng-Ndi, Scott-Morriss, Goodliffe, Taylor, Austin, Boyes, Appiah-Forson (Miley 79), Austin (Coker 64), Spasov (Parillon 64), Morton, Dallas (Walker 64). Subs not used: Hayes, Bridge, Gubbins.
Referee: Paul Marsden.
Attendance: 3,042.