Morecambe 3 Barrow 1: Shrimps get off the mark in EFL Trophy

Charlie Brown, Cameron Rooney and Cammy Smith all scored their first goals for the club with Ben Whitfield producing the Bluebirds' consolation on a good night for the much changed Shrimps.

Boss Derek Adams made 10 changes to the side that beat Colchester at the weekend with James Connolly the only Saturday starter to keep his place.

Morecambe always looked the more threatening side on the night and deserved the three points that followed their defeat to Liverpool U21s in the first round of games in the same competition a few weeks ago.

The Shrimps produced the first chance of note when a smart one-two between Smith and Brown saw the latter break through into the box, only to lose his footing before the goalkeeper smothered the danger.

Brown and Walker looked sharp up front with a string of crosses causing the visitors' defence some issues and the former going close with a shot from distance that was just too high to test Josh Lillis in the Barrow goal.

Brown was rewarded for his efforts with the game's opening goal seven minutes before the break. Academy graduate Rooney provided the assist with a fine through ball for Brown who confidently slid the ball past Lillis.

The Shrimps continued to press and went close again before the break with Smith forcing Lillis into a smart save with his feet at close range and Jacob Davenport firing straight at Lillis after more good work from Rooney.

After a slow first half Barrow started the second period well with Dom Telford blazing over.

But it was the Shrimps who scored the all-important second of the game with a breakthrough goal for the impressive Rooney, who was in the perfect place to poke the ball into the goal from close range after a goalmouth scramble.

The visitors hit back when they scored on 69 minutes when Whitfield’s corner curled straight in.

And they almost levelled shortly afterwards when David Worrall found the side netting with a back post header when he should have done better.

That miss proved costly as the Shrimps added a third in the next move forward as Smith saw his first effort saved by Lillis but reacted sharply to drill home the rebound.

Smith went close to making it four for the Shrimps in the closing stages with a shot that was smartly saved by Lillis but the home side took the spoils.

Morecambe: A Smith, Rawson, Songo’o (Love 70), Stokes, Davenport, C Smith, Walker (Bloxham 79), Brown (Mayor 79), Connolly (Senior 70), Melbourne, Rooney (Slew 79).

Subs not used: Moore, Tutonda.

Barrow: Lillis, Ogungbo, Worrall (Bray 82), Spence (Stephenson 61), White, Telford, Feely, Tiensia, Whitfield, Reeve (Canavan 62), Bellis (Duffus 61).

Subs not used: Farman, Etaluku.

Attendance: 1,203.