Ten men Morecambe fall to defeat against League Two leaders Walsall

Morecambe fell to defeat against league-leaders Walsall at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, to remain in the League Two relegation zone.

The first real chance of the game came on ten minutes. Luke Hendrie's cross was flicked on by Marcus Dackers into the path of Andy Dallas who headed over.

Jamie JellIs and Taylor Allen both had speculative efforts for the visitors, before a huge chance went begging for the Shrimps on 34 minutes. Lee Angol broke through the Walsall back line following a long ball forward, but under pressure from a covering defender, couldn’t hit the target.

Then, following a corner, the Shrimps number 10 struck over again from the near post after a scramble in the box.

A few minutes before half time, Marcus Dackers did well to turn the defender and produce a powerful shot on target which Tommy Simkin held, before a Harvey Macadam corner was touched onto the crossbar by Simkin.

Into the second half, and Luke Hendrie played a one-two with Dallas before crossing with the outside of his foot to the head of Angol, he headed over.

Morecambe were then made to pay for being wasteful in front of goal, as on 50 minutes, the Shrimps were reduced to ten men.

Rhys Williams was shown a straight red following a pull back on Jamie Jellis as he broke through 25 yards out, the referee deeming the challenge to be the denial of an obvious goalscoring opportunity.

There was a double whammy for the Shrimps, as up stepped Taylor Allen to curl the free kick over wall and into the net off the post.

Morecambe enjoyed a spell of pressure after being reduced to ten men, but couldn’t muster much in the way of significant efforts on goal, other than on 75 minutes, when substitute Adam Lewis delivered a dangerous cross to Dackers who couldn't guide his header on target.

Harry Burgoyne was called into action to deny the visitors a second on 78 minutes. He did well to palm away Gordon's powerful effort from the left, before Jellis wrapped up the points with three minutes to play.

Albert Adomah did well down the left, and the ball was worked to Jellis, who manoeuvred the ball onto his right foot and fired home from just inside the area.

Morecambe remain two points from safety in the League Two relegation zone.

Morecambe: Burgoyne, Hendrie (Cooke, 68'), Taylor, Macadam, Angol (Garner, 68'), Williams, Dallas (Stott, 52'), P Lewis (Edwards, 86'), Dackers, Tutonda (A Lewis, 69'), Songo'o ©.

Subs not used: White, Tollitt.

Red Cards: Williams.

Walsall: Simkin, Barrett (Asiimwe, 90+4'), Gordon (Weir, 90+4'), McEntee, Matt © (Adomah, 72'), Comley, Allen, Jellis, Harrison (Amantchi, 72'), Stirk, Okagbue.

Subs not used: Hornby, Williams, Johnson.

Goals: Allen (53'), Jellis (87').

Attendance: 3,457 (837 away).