Sobering start as Mcalinden returns to haunt former club
gloslivesport@reachplc.com
CHELTENHAM Town suffered a 2-1 home defeat by Morecambe in their opening League Two match of the 2020/21 season.
They led 1-0 at half-time thanks to Alfie May’s 28th minute strike, but Liam Mcalinden went on for the Shrimps at half-time and helping swing the game in their favour against his old club.
Adam Phillips levelled from the spot after he was fouled in the box by Chris Clements with 12 minutes left.
And Mcalinden teed up Carlos Mendes Gomes for the winner in the second minute of time added on to earn Morecambe their first win at Whaddon Road since 2011.
For around half an hour, Cheltenham played with all the confidence of a team who were imperious at home for the vast majority of last season.
Finn Azaz saw plenty of the ball in his attacking central midfield role and there was very little to trouble goalkeeper Josh Griffiths, who like his West Brom loan colleague, was handed a Football League debut.
Andy Williams was close to opening his account on his first home appearance, heading just wide at the far post after some trickery from Azaz.
The only scare was a deflected cross from Stephen Hendrie which Griffiths did well to keep out with his foot.
The breakthrough came in the 28th minute when a cross from Conor Thomas looped beyond the reach of Jake Turner and bounced off the bar, falling to Alfie May, who found the net to give him his seventh goal in 13 League Two starts for the club.
Morecambe were forced into a tactical switch in a bid to starve Azaz of the ball, moving Ben Pringle into a deeper central role next to holding midfielder Toumani Diagouraga.
The alteration worked - but it was a half-time change of personnel which really sparked the Shrimps into life.
Liam Mcalinden went on for Cole Stockton up front and he caused his former club all sorts of problems both in the air and on the floor throughout the second period.
Mcalinden was brought in by Gary Johnson on a two-year deal in the summer of 2018, but he made only four League Two starts and two substitute appearances for Cheltenham before being loaned to Brackley Town and then Kidderminster Harriers.
He then left to join Halifax Town on a permanent basis in August 2019, with most Robins fans barely noticing.
He has since impressed at Halifax and Stockport County, earning a return to the Football League with Morecambe this summer.
Cheltenham’s back three of Charlie Raglan, Ben Tozer and Will Boyle (or Jacob Greaves) was almost impregnable at times last season, conceding only 27 times in 36 matches - at least 10 fewer than any other club.
But in the second half they were made to look shaky and although the equaliser did not arrive until 12 minutes before the end, it was coming.
Michael Duff had berated his backline at half-time for leaving too many spaces, but Mcalinden’s introduction presented a whole new problem and he saw one effort saved and another two flash past either post.
A header from Boyle was well saved by Turner, but that was as good as the second half got for the hosts.
Morecambe were applying all the pressure, but the penalty they were awarded seemed totally unnecessary as Chris Clements shoved Adam Phillips as they tried to reach a high ball into the box from Hendrie.
Phillips converted calmly and Clements was replaced by Matty Blair before Reuben Reid went on for Williams in the 85th minute and had a chance to restore Cheltenham’s lead, firing just wide of the left post after Thomas’ pass and Morecambe took full advantage.
In the second minute of time added on Mcalinden latched onto a punt forward from the back and occupied the attentions of Tozer and Raglan, allowing him to square for Carlos Mendes Gomes, who made room for a shot and beat Griffiths to win it.
Cheltenham Town: Griffiths; Raglan, Tozer, Boyle; Thomas, Clements (Blair 81), Sercombe, Azaz, Hussey; Williams (Reid 85), May (Addai 74). Subs not used: Bowry, Reid, Lloyd, Harris, Bonds.
Morecambe: Turner; Davis, Lavelle, Knightpercival; Mellor, Diagouraga, Pringle (Kenyon 82), Phillips (O’sullivan 88), Hendrie; Mendes Gomes, Stockton (Mcalinden 46). Subs not used: Slew, Halstead, Cooney, Price.
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