Morecambe 2 (Phillips, Stockton) 0 Shrewsbury Town

[AndyReifman]

It's early and there's plenty of football left to play this season but barring an injury crisis I'm feeling relatively confident we won't be dragged in to a relegation fight.

Results aside just the way we've been playing is what's impressed me. Strong attacking football trying to take it to the other team instead of just sitting back and trying not to concede.

Mazuma looke dlike it was rocking today, everyone played great.

Loved seeing Robinson sprint out to keep Stockton from the Shrewbury player.

[Andy D]

just got back home, play that standard of football every week and we'll be in the play offs again!!

[black morse]

What was the size of the crowd?

[Freez]

3770 ish I think it was announced as.

[AndyReifman]

3770 ish I think it was announced as.

3772, wanna say it was a couple hundred visitors. Good crowd, hope we can maintain for weekend matches

[Little Shrimp]

Really excellent and comprehensive performance. Hard to single out anybody really as everyone played at a very good level.

We didn't knick a goal early on and nab another on the counter with our backs to the wall or anything like that. We were comfortably the better team against a relatively established League One side. That was so encouraging.

[BerlinWaller]

Over 400 from Shrewsbury.

Great performance without getting anywhere near top gear. The whole team looks solid and good options on the bench. A different style than Derekball which is a bit easier on the eye but you can tell the team is as well coached and organised. Robbo is a bundle of energy on the touchline. Cole has stepped up a gear and Cooney is just pure class.

Fans were brilliant once again, roll on Tuesday.

[Screenster]

We look a real side. No doubt the fantastic home support helped us today, but I just want to say how impressed I was with McLoughlin. Never stops running and isn't afraid to put a challenge in. I'd had a few doubts about Gnahoua before the season started but he loves to take his man on, even if the final ball isn't always there.

[BerlinWaller]

We look a real side. No doubt the fantastic home support helped us today, but I just want to say how impressed I was with McLoughlin. Never stops running and isn't afraid to put a challenge in. I'd had a few doubts about Gnahoua before the season started but he loves to take his man on, even if the final ball isn't always there.

Agree with your comments about Mcloughlin. His signing almost slipped under the radar a bit and didn't get as much attention as others but he was good on Tuesday and even better today. Full of running and competitive in the tackle which frees Toums up to the run the show.

I would love to see how many times we won the ball back today and the areas on the pitch, the pressing was relentless and Shrewsbury quickly ran out of ideas.

[Freez]

Agreed, hence bringing on two giant subs and attempting to bully us, that didn’t work either!!

[CityShrimp]

That was the most comfortable win I can remember seeing for us in a long time. We could/should have won by 3 or 4.

The 2 goal cushion obviously allowed us to play with bravery and confidence but that performance goes to show that we have more than enough quality to survive in this league.

Fantastic performance with positive football, everyone trusted their ability on the ball and we look a really good side. Based off the three games so far, we have nothing to be afraid of in league one this season.

[Shrimpman]

Well that was my first league game I’ve attended since 2017 & wow the football was brilliant to watch, the quality of players we have & style of play is fantastic. I never felt nervous like we were hanging on like it used to be. Shrews tried their best to take Stockton out of the game. The ref was hit & miss, should we have had another penalty or two in the second half? Looked like it from where I was stood.
COYS

[Sakhalin Shrimp]

Well that was my first league game I’ve attended since 2017 & wow the football was brilliant to watch, the quality of players we have & style of play is fantastic. I never felt nervous like we were hanging on like it used to be. Shrews tried their best to take Stockton out of the game. The ref was hit & miss, should we have had another penalty or two in the second half? Looked like it from where I was stood.
COYS

I think it would have been a big decision for the ref to give us a 2nd penalty, I don’t think he protected Cole though, at times it was like watching Cumberland wrestling

[Redalert1970]

What a day from start to finish ....thought the team played really well after first 20 minutes

Shrewsbury came light on numbers and tried to stop us playing which didn't work

Ref very poor and lost control in 2nd half

Was impressed with Cosgrove (no.9) for the shrews who came on 2nd half

4 points on the board in 1st week Happy days

[Phoenix Shrimp 2017]

Well that was my first league game I’ve attended since 2017 & wow the football was brilliant to watch, the quality of players we have & style of play is fantastic. I never felt nervous like we were hanging on like it used to be. Shrews tried their best to take Stockton out of the game. The ref was hit & miss, should we have had another penalty or two in the second half? Looked like it from where I was stood.
COYS

I think it would have been a big decision for the ref to give us a 2nd penalty, I don’t think he protected Cole though, at times it was like watching Cumberland wrestling

The penalty shout in the second looked more of a penalty than the one given in the first half. Usual story though and the ref bottled it having already given us one. Cole is going to be targeted more and more particularly with his current form. He's a big lad though and looks more powerful than ever (has he been on the weights this summer)? He can certainly handle himself but it's the usual story and strikers playing his role seem to get the shitty end of the stick from refs. I guess central defenders would argue that he's giving as good as he gets.

[Little Shrimp]

Agreed, hence bringing on two giant subs and attempting to bully us, that didn’t work either!!

Thought Lavelle and O'Connor dealt with Cosgrove excellently - there was a tricky 5/10 mins or so then they sussed him out. They couldn't quite match him physically so just let him chuck himself about to win flick ons which they then gathered up.

Compare that to how Shrewsbury dealt with Stockton, which was fouling him for 75 mins until they finally worked out a decent way of handling him. Stockton likes to take a few steps back and take the ball into his body, so they let someone engage him with that and had a midfielder run in front and take a free header. Hopefully we can work out a tactic around that if teams start cottoning onto that.

[Andy D]

how Stockton invites players to foul him is top level stuff! free kicks, penalties, players getting booked galore.

[shrimp in cyprus]

Andy D. ----- How Stockton knocks in the goals is also pretty impressive!!!! Must say that he seems to be a hugely improved player this season.

And how great to see SR paying tribute to the "INCREDIBLE FANS" yesterday. Perhaps not always appreciated by all, but pleased that he gave that reaction.

There is no doubt that DA did a fantastic job last season, and I wish him all the best for the future, but I do feel that SR is more "in touch" with the fans and possibly more appreciative of the fact that he is an important part of a close-knit family club.

UTS.

[Keith]

From the Shrewsbury match thread:

"Pierre - spent a lot of the game with his arms around Stockton - which luckily the ref missed - but still never got to grips with him"

If even their fans recognised this, how did the ref & linesman not see it? Cooney got booked for far less (although his was a booking) while Cole barely got a free-kick all game.

[redrobo]

No doubt about it, but for me that was probably the most enjoyable Shrimps performance for many seasons.

The way we pressed and used both wings was a joy to watch but even more so is that we have squad full of real' footballers' who are comfortable on the ball and simply want to attack.

Brilliant stuff and although early days the season looks good going forward.

SR is like a cat on a hot tin roof in the dugout. Constantly on the go and full of enthusiasm for his charges. Not sure how he will react to a defeat but certainly is full of action along with his players.

Bloody excellent.

[CityShrimp]

From the Shrewsbury match thread:

"Pierre - spent a lot of the game with his arms around Stockton - which luckily the ref missed - but still never got to grips with him"

If even their fans recognised this, how did the ref & linesman not see it? Cooney got booked for far less (although his was a booking) while Cole barely got a free-kick all game.

Agreed - he should have had two yellows for persistent fouling. The ref also bottled a stonewall penalty in the second half because he didn’t want to give a second. Fortunately our 11 were still too good for their 12!

[AndyReifman]

Cole is going to be targeted more and more particularly with his current form. He's a big lad though and looks more powerful than ever (has he been on the weights this summer)? He can certainly handle himself but it's the usual story and strikers playing his role seem to get the shitty end of the stick from refs. I guess central defenders would argue that he's giving as good as he gets.

I'm sure SR is aware and hope the team have been drilling on how they can take advantage of the extra man free with Stockton often being marked by multiple people.

[fulwoodshrimp]

It’s hugely disappointing that despite promotion to League 1 we still suffer poor refereeing. Saturday’s referee was out of his depth and barely in control of the game. Stockton received no protection throughout and the referee was frightened to give us a clear penalty in the second half. Many of the referees are fit but have no feel for the game. Change is needed in the recruitment and training of referees. Too many seem to get promoted by bottling crucial decisions.