Professional Morecambe push City back into battle

Morecambe's 3-1 win at Sincil Bank on Easter Monday has left the Imps looking at a difficult run in with trepedation. The Imps are 9 points clear of Grimsby but have numerous games against sides chasing promotion, meaning that the Imps are now far from comfortable.

The Imps have an annoying habit of ending the season poorly. Other than the 2007/8 season, City have ended each of the seasons since the last Playoff Final poorly. It's cost us promotion in the past and with the Imps having a very tough run in which includes games against Notts County, Bournemouth, Aldershot, Bury and Shrewsbury, we shouldn't rule out the possibility of definitely being safe yet.

Earlier in the season Morecambe showed City how to win by using the basics, a lesson that the Imps appear to have ignored as the last three games have shown just how poor the Imps can be on occasions. The 3-2 win over Torquay seems like a long time ago. Since then the previous six/seven weeks of good performances have gone out of the window.

I can't even say it started well for the Imps as the visitors controlled the opening periods and they deservedly took the lead through Stanley, although the midfielder's long range effort took a heavy deflection on the way through. Herd should have equalised a few minutes later after being put through one-on-one, but he hit it straight at the goalkeeper.

It was a game where neither side created much and the Imps equaliser in the second half came completely out of the blue. Saunders all of a sudden found himself through, one to see his effort rebound to Somma and the striker laid it off to Hughton. The youngster hit it first time into the corner of the net to bring City undeservedly level.

A goal would normally have been the impetus for an onslaught for a winner, but the Imps couldn't really force their possession into chances and it was the visitors who found the game's vital third goal. A throw in was eventually hit against the under side of the bar and Mullin headed in the rebound. Burch was adamant it hadn't gone over the line but he was the only player protesting and it was 2-1.

Morecambe's professional performance was complete in added on time as Curtis easily rounded two City defenders to tap in beyond a statuesque Burch.