Rare away defeat for Bentley boys

Plymouth 2 Morecambe 0Morecambe went down to their first away defeat since the opening day of the season as two early goals gave league leaders Plymouth the points.
Jim Bentley saw his side beaten at PlymouthJim Bentley saw his side beaten at Plymouth
Jim Bentley saw his side beaten at Plymouth

Goals from the excellent Graham Carey and Craig Tanner in the opening 11 minutes of the game were enough to give an impressive Argyle three points that extended their lead at the top of the table.

Jim Bentley’s side had the worst possible start and found themselves two goals down after just 11 minutes.

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Carey was the first to strike with just two minutes on the clock.

The midfielder collected the ball on the right-hand side of the area and let fly with a left footed effort that left keeper Barry Roche rooted to the spot.

The Shrimps hit back with Shaun Miller, back in the side after missing the defeat against Orient last week, testing Luke McCormick 
with a shot that the keeper spilled from the edge of the box.

Morecambe’s hopes of a quick comeback were dashed, however when the home side doubled their lead on 11 minutes with another fine strike.

Jake Jervis crossed to the far post for Craig Tanner.

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He cut inside from the edge of the area and clipped a delightful effort into the bottom corner of Roche’s goal.

From there on in, Morecambe did produce some moments of threat as they tried to reduce the arrears.

McCormick did well to hold on to Kevin Ellison’s cross come shot.

Then Tom Barkhuizen directed a volley just wide of the right hand post.

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Shrimps’ Aaron Wildig 
saw a shot deflected over the bar by a Plymouth 
defender.

Miller tested McCormick again from the edge of the area.

But the home side went close to a third when Peter Hartley fired into the side netting from an acute angle after the Shrimps failed to clear a corner.

After a decent first half, the Shrimps struggled to worry a well-organised Argyle defence too often.

Their only clear chance came in the 69th minute 
when the ball dropped in the box for Paul Mullin, only for the substitute to 
miss the target from six yards out.

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It was the home side who created the better chances with Shrimps shot-stopper Roche saving superbly from Carey’s right-foot shot before the home side went close to adding to their lead on several occasions.

The ever dangerous Carey clipped an effort inches wide of the post.

And Ryan Brunt’s flick was just off target with Roche beaten as the home side finished the game as strongly as they started to condemn 
the Shrimps to a rare away defeat.

PLYMOUTH: McCormick, Mellor, McHugh, Nelson, Hartley, Sawyer (Purrington 88), Tanner (Threlkeld 80), Hartley, Carey, Boateng (Simpson 54), Jervis, Brunt. Subs (not used): Bittner, Cox, Rooney, Harvey

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MORECAMBE: Roche, Beeley, Parrish, Edwards, McGowan, Goodall (Molyneux 75), Wildig, Barkhuizen, Devitt (Fleming 65), Ellison, Miller (Mullin 65). Subs (not used): Thompson, Kelleher, Kenyon, 
Wilson

Referee: M Bull

Attendance: 7,574

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