Morecambe boss Derek Adams rues refereeing decisions in Salford defeat

Morecambe manager Derek Adams felt his side were hard done by in their defeat at Salford City.

Adams said he felt Salford should have had a man sent off and Morecambe were denied a clear penalty in their 1-0 defeat on Sunday afternoon.

The result left the Shrimps once again at the bottom of League 2.

Half-time substitute Matty Lund headed home the only goal of the game early in the second-half, with one of his first touches of the afternoon.

In the first-half, Shrimps goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne made crucial saves but Morecambe themselves could have gone ahead when Gwion Edwards came agonisingly close to getting a touch on Ben Tollitt's cross.

Both sides had chances in the second-half but in the end, it was the home team who took the points.

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"I thought it was a very strong performance from us," said Adams afterwards.

"We played in Salford's half for much of that first-half. Second-half they got a quick goal, but we kept on going, kept on getting the ball into the final third and crosses into the box.

"We were just unfortunate that we couldn't get the goal that we deserved.

"We have to have a goal threat from different areas. Today, we had balls in the box. We should have scored today, there's no doubt about that. The amount of opportunities that we had in the 18 yard box that didn't fall for us.

"The referee today didn't help himself. His decision-making was poor. They should have had a player sent off. And then there's a penalty towards the end, where Hallam Hope gets bundled in the box, it's a clear penalty kick, but he doesn't give it.

"The time-wasting from Salford, to say the least, was shocking in the second-half.

"But from our point of the view, we have to put the ball in the back of the net."

Morecambe's next game is at home to Tranmere Rovers on New Year's Day, kick-off 3pm.