Morecambe strike late for safe passage

ROCHDALE were beaten 2-1 by Morecambe in the first round of the Lancashire Senior Cup at the Globe Arena.

After a goalless first-half, the hosts took the lead through Joe Lynch’s penalty shortly after the break.

Fabio Tavares, captaining the side, equalised with four minutes remaining, but Morecambe grabbed a 93rd minute winner through Carlos Mendes Gomes.

A quiet and even opening to the game didn’t produce much by way of chances, with Dale stopper Jay Lynch dealing comfortably with the Morecambe efforts that came his way.

He was called into action on a few occasions in the opening half an hour, holding on to efforts from Michael Howard, Carlos Mendes Gomes and Lynch.

Dale created a decent chance just after the half hour mark, when Fabio Tavares, captaining the side, broke away down the right. He sent a low cross in for Morgan Moreland, who fired a first-time effort over the crossbar from just inside the area.

First-year scholar Harry Lee fired an effort goalwards after a corner reached him on the edge of the area, forcing Morecambe stopper Harry O’Brien to turn the ball around the post.

Dale’s best chance came a minute before the break, when Lewis Bradley found Moreland on the left edge of the penalty area. He cut inside and curled an effort beyond the Morecambe goalkeeper, but there was a defender on the line to head away.

Jay Lynch pulled off a fine save in the final minute of the first-half, flying to his right to palm away Jack Greenwood’s fizzing effort from distance.

The deadlock was broken from the penalty spot four minutes after the