Morecambe manager sees good things in their pre-season defeat at Chorley

The only goal of the game came inside the last 10 minutes when Ryan Delaney was deemed to have fouled Harry Scarborough.

The teenager then picked himself up and sent Jokull Andresson the wrong way from the spot to settle matters at a hot and humid Victory Park.

Speaking to the club website afterwards, Robinson said: “The result’s irrelevant.

“The first half was very good at times. There was some really good play, really good football: the end product could have been better but there were lots of good things.

“There’s things that can be better of course, lots of things. Second half, we looked like a brand new team that hadn’t played with each other and that’s to be expected.

“I thought Gibbo (Liam Gibson) was very good, Aaron (Wildig) was very good, Toums (Toumani Diagouraga) was very good: there were four or five really good performances, Wes McDonald was outstanding.

“There’s plenty of competition for places: there’s people that can be better, will be better, as they get more game time and understanding into their legs and mind.”

An entertaining game saw both sides create openings during the first 45 minutes.

Jon Ustabasi struck the side netting for the Magpies, who also saw Harry Cardwell head off target and Billy Whitehouse test Morecambe keeper Kyle Letheren.

At the other end, Arthur Gnahoua brought a fine save from Chorley keeper Matty Urwin before the Shimps went closer still.

This time, it was Aaron Wildig who chanced his arm but saw his shot from the edge of the area strike the upright as the first half ended goalless.

That saw Robinson make seven changes to his line-up for the second period, while a further four followed through the remainder of the game.

Chorley also refreshed their line-up as the match developed, making 10 changes of their own.

However, both sides continued to create opportunities with Cardwell’s free-kick hitting the top of the Morecambe bar.

Ustabasi saw an effort go narrowly off target, while Urwin held a header from Anthony O’Connor before thwarting substitute Freddie Price.

Andresson, who replaced Letheren at half-time, denied Willem Tomlinson but was powerless to prevent Scarborough scoring from the spot.

Another replacement, Josh McPake, almost snatched an equaliser for the Shrimps but his effort flew inches wide.

Chorley: Urwin (Trialist 75), Henley (Shorrock 46), Smith (Baines, 63), Halls (Hall 75), Leather (Reeves 63), Whitehouse (Shenton 46), Calveley, Cardwell (Owens 63), Tomlinson (Okome 75), Ustabaşı (Scarborough 63), Blakeman (Trialist 63).

Morecambe: Letheren (Andresson 46), Jones (Mensah 46), Lavelle (Delaney 46), O’Connor, Gibson (Mayor 68), McDonald (McPake 46), Diagouraga (Rooney 68), Wildig (Pye 68), Gnahoua (Price 46, Jones 68), McLoughlin (McAlmont 46), Trialist (Stockton 46).

Referee: Aaron Jackson.

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