Old boy is back to haunt Morecambe

Rhys Oates was one of the Morecambe players thwarted by Carlisle United keeper Adam Collin

Morecambe 0 Carlisle United 2Two moments of quality were the difference as Morecambe began the New Year with defeat at the Globe Arena.

Long-range strikes in each half from Jamie Devitt and Jack Sowerby were enough to give Carlisle a fifth consecutive league victory.

In contrast, Jim Bentley’s players now go into Saturday’s home game with Crewe Alexandra on the back of only one victory in their last nine league and cup outings.

The highest home crowd of the season for Morecambe – boosted by almost 1,800 travelling fans – saw a game where the Shrimps huffed and puffed but paid the price for the lack of an end product.

Both sides had efforts blocked before Devitt fired Carlisle into a 15th-minute lead.

The former Shrimps favourite let a throw-in run across his body before unleashing a dipping 20-yarder past Morecambe keeper Mark Halstead.

That triggered a spell in the ascendancy for the visitors with Kelvin Etuhu’s shot blocked by Steve Old and Tom Parkes heading over from a corner. At the other end, Morecambe struggled to create much in the first half with long-range efforts from Jordan Cranston their main attacking threat.

Bentley’s players upped their game after the break but, nevertheless, failed to create any clear opportunities.

Carlisle keeper Adam Collin kept out shots from Rhys Oates and Carlos Mendes Gomes before Sowerby made it 2-0 on 75 minutes.

In similar fashion to Devitt, the midfielder cut in from the left-hand side before lashing an unstoppable 20-yarder beyond Halstead. It could have been worse for Morecambe as Ashley Nadesan and Hallam Hope both fired across the face of goal when well placed.

Collin needed two attempts to keep out another Cranston shot at the other end as the Shrimps could not find a way through.

Morecambe: Halstead, Mills, Lavelle, Old, Conlan, Mendes Gomes (Mandeville 83), Kenyon (Tutte 66), Cranston, Ellison, Oates (Leitch-Smith 66), Oliver. Subs not used: Szczepaniak, Oswell, Yarney, Hedley.

Carlisle: Collin, Liddle, Gerrard, Parkes, Gillesphey (Bennett 87), Sowerby (Kennedy 90), Etuhu, Devitt (Slater 83), Nadesan, Hope, Grainger. Subs not used: Gray, Miller, Jones, McCarron.

Referee: Ben Toner.

Attendance: 3,749.