Mainy’s Verdict: A good attacking display for the Shrimps against Everton U21s but some poor defensive errors

Papa John’s Trophy Group Stage

Morecambe 3-3 Everton U21s (Morecambe won 7-6 on penalties)

Weir 17 McAllister 32

Watts 34 Price 48

Rawson 84 Cannon 57

What happened

Morecambe started off their Papa John’s Trophy campaign with a penalty shootout win over Everton Under 21s at the Mazuma Stadium last night.

Jensen Weir put the Shrimps in front in the first 20 minutes, before Sean McAllister equalised for the visitors.

Morecambe responded almost instantly thanks to Caleb Watts, but goals from Isaac Price and Thomas Cannon early in the second half gave Everton the lead, before Farrend Rawson equalised to send the game to penalties.

Everton had an early chance through Cannon, but his shot was pushed over by Shrimps ‘keeper Adam Smith just three minutes in.

Kieran Phillips’ 16th minute header went onto the top netting, and then moments later Morecambe took the lead when Weir picked up on the loose ball and his well-driven shot came off ‘keeper Billy Crellin on its way in.

McAllister swiped home at the far post to equalise for Everton on the end of a good cross from Charlie Whitaker 15 minutes later.

But moments later, the Shrimps had the lead again when Caleb Watts headed home from close range on the end of an inch-perfect corner from Weir.

Four minutes before the break, it was almost 3-1 for the Shrimps but Phillips’ diving header was parried by Crellin.

Everton started the second-half on top, and Isaac Price headed home on the end of McAllister’s cross to equalise for the visitors.

Just short of ten minutes later, the Toffees had the lead when Farrend Rawson lost the ball to Cannon and he blasted the ball past Smith into the bottom-left corner.

Both teams were a threat going forward, and Morecambe equalised on 84 minutes when Rawson’s powerful header on the end of Watts’ cross raced past Crellin.

The game then went to a penalty shootout with the Shrimps winning 7-6, gaining a second point. Anthony O’Connor scored the winning penalty.

Talking points

The Shrimps looked excellent at times on the attack

Derek Adams’ side played some good-looking fast, fluid, passing football, making use of both flanks and the space that Everton allowed them. Caleb Watts had a very good game, and looked very quick on the break, and was key to many of the attacking moves – it’d be great to see him given some more game time in the league soon.

Defensively however, we were shaky

We never really looked comfortable at the back, and at least one of the three goals we conceded was preventable. Farrend Rawson just had to do better for Everton’s third goal – it was a poor lapse in concentration from him. Everton weren’t exactly a great side, so to concede three goals to them last night doesn’t exactly bode well going forward.

Academy lad Adam Mayor didn’t look out of place when he came on

Derek Adams named a number of scholars on his bench, and the only one that came on was Adam Mayor. Mayor played on the left-hand side, and was afforded a good half-hour. He looked rather comfortable when he came on, and in the shootout took his penalty really well. Perhaps one for the future?

Morecambe: Smith, Cooney, Bedeau (Rawson 45), O’Connor, Gibson (Love 45), Taylor (Mayor 63), Weir (Fane 69), Watts, McLoughlin, Connolly, Phillips.

Booked: O’Connor, Watts and Love

Subs not used: Ripley, Foden and Rooney.

Everton Under 21s: Crellin, John, Campbell, Anderson, Hunt, Quirk (Kouyate 71), Warrington, Price, Whitaker (Okoronkwo 70), McAllister (Djankpata 76), Cannon.

Booked: Price and John.

Subs not used: Leban, Mallon, Samuels-Smith and Barker.

Attendance: 912

Saffron Jordan strike seals Blackburn Ladies win over Sheffield United on opening day

Barclays Women’s Championship

Blackburn Rovers Ladies 1-0 Sheffield United Women

Jordan 45+3

Blackburn Rovers captain Saffron Jordan scored the only goal of the game as her side beat Sheffield United on the opening day of the season at Ewood Park.

Blackburn named two debutants in Evie Smith and Faith Nokuthula in their lineup, while Sheffield United manager Neil Redfearn named four debutants in his lineup with summer signings Bethan Davies, Naomi Hartley, Grace Riglar and Sophie Haywood all starting.

The visitors had a penalty shout in the 23^rd minute when Courtney Sweetman-Kirk went down in the box but the referee didn’t give anything.

United piled on the pressure, and six minutes later Bex Rayner was on the receiving end of a good ball from the right but her shot was deflected wide for a corner.

Another chance came for Redfearn’s side when Chene Muir’s shot on 31 minutes was tipped onto the crossbar by Brooks.

Against the run of play, Rovers took the lead on the brink of half-time when Jordan headed home at the far post on the end of Natasha Fenton’s long-range free kick into the box.

Sheffield United’s first real chance of the second half came when Bex Rayner squared the ball to Alethea Paul but her effort from close range went wide of the mark on 58 minutes.

Moments later, Paul put the ball into the box and Tamara Wilcock attempted to slide the ball past the ‘keeper but Brooks nullified the threat while shouts for handball after a defender got in-between it were waved away.

Sweetman-Kirk had a late chance when her long-range strike on 86 minutes hit the bar for Sheffield United but Rovers held on for the win.

Blackburn Rovers Ladies: Brooks, Nokuthula, Seed, Coan, Smith (Murphy 61), Fenton, Chandarana, Crompton (Williams 61), Leek (McDonald 80), Thomas, Jordan.

Subs not used: Richards.

Sheffield United Women: Davies, Newsham, Riglar, Hartley, Paul (Walters 79), Cusack, Rayner, Muir (Wilcock 58), Lord-Mears, Sweetman-Kirk, Haywood (Docherty 45).

Subs not used: Wilson, Francis-Jones, Brown.

Attendance: 1,001

REACTION

Blackburn Rovers manager Gemma Donnelly said: “I can’t say it was the most attractive of games but we did the job and we got a goal from not many attacks I don’t think but you know what, I think we’ve had probably one shot on target throughout the whole of the game but it’s counted and we’ve scored. We’ve got a clean sheet playing at Ewood, three points, one goal, what more can you ask for.

“We spent quite a chunk of the first half in our half and Sheffield United have created a number of chances and probably are a bit disappointed to go in at half time having not scored any of those chances or converted them but all it takes is an opportunity. Tasha [Natasha Fenton] has whipped the ball over somebody’s head and Saff [Saffron Jordan] has just followed it up and nodded it in and it’s evaded their goalkeeper.”

Sheffield United manager Neil Redfearn said: “We dominated the game and must’ve had about 80% of possession. The goal is a sucker punch just before half time. We changed the shape to get after them and go on the front foot – we went three at the back. We dominated again, had enough chances, we’ve hit the bar about three or four times.

“We should be coming away with at least a point, probably winning it to be honest with you with the amount of possession we’ve had. We’ve got to do better in the final third.

“We were the better side by a country mile, and we’ve got to turn those chances into goals. We’ve hit the woodwork three times. Two or three times we’ve got to do better in the final third, when we’ve exposed them at the back so it’s disappointing.

“You’ve got to put your chances away. If we’d put those chances away we would’ve won three or four nil. If you don’t put them away then you’re always open to the sucker punch but to be fair to Blackburn they hung in there. They took the goal well and then hung on in there, so fair play to them, sometimes you’ve got to do that at this level.”