ROBINS OFF TO FLYING START
McDermott’s strike earns table-toppers all three points with screamer
NO ONE would have lived with Swindon the way they started this clash at the Globe Arena according to boss David Flitcroft but he admitted the Robins didn’t make it easy for themselves thereafter.
Donal McDermott scored the only goal of the game just 13 minutes in, as Swindon flew out of the blocks against the previously unbeaten Shrimps.
However, midway through the first half, Morecambe started to come into their own and caused the league leaders plenty of problems – with Flitcroft impressed by the spirit shown by his team to hang on for all three points on the road.
He said: “It was a good win because we showed both sides to our game.
“For the first 25 minutes I don’t think anyone would have lived with us. We did everything right and played some great stuff, created chances and scored a great goal.
“But then we gave Morecambe a bit of momentum because we got a bit sloppy. The crowd got a bit of a lift and we had to show the other side of our game to keep a priceless clean sheet.
“They made us work really hard and we had to dig in and do the part of the game that people don’t always talk about.
“We had chances to finish it off but didn’t and that is why we had to work so hard at the end.
“Jim Bentley’s teams don’t lie down and I told the lads that before the game.
“We had to weather a storm for the last five or ten minutes but we showed that we could contain that threat and every player to a man deserves credit for shutting the game out and getting the win.”
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley wasn’t quite as impressed by Swindon, feeling his team should have got something out of the game.
He said bluntly: “I would rather have lost 5-0 and been outclassed because then I wouldn’t feel a down as I do now.
“Some games leave you frustrated because you know you could have done better.
“Everyone says Swindon are a team that should get promoted while we are favourites to go down but I don’t see it that way.
“I know we have some really good players in the squad who will cause any team problems and I want more.
“Their goal came from a catalogue of errors and that was really frustrating because we just didn’t do our jobs.
“We played some good stuff and created some chances but I want more and I think the lads can produce more.
“It seemed too nice at the end, as if everyone expected Swindon to win but I don’t see it that way and I want us to set our sights higher.”
McDermott scored the only goal of the game on 13 minutes with a fine strike. The midfielder cut in from the right and curled a delightful effort past Barry Roche and into the bottom right hand corner of the net from the edge of the box.
Before then the visitors had gone close twice with their former Morecambe striker Paul Mullin never too far away from the action on his return.
On four minutes he was inches away from connecting with McDermott’s dangerous right wing cross that flew across the Morecambe sixyard box. And two minutes later he headed a Chris Hussey corner wide when he should have done better.
After a sluggish start Morecambe grew into the game and Swindon keeper Lawrence Vigouroux had to be at his best to produce a fine save from a Andy Fleming volley that was heading for the bottom righthand corner.
He then had to react sharply to deny Aaron Wildig who had made a late run from midfield behind the Swindon defence to get onto the end of Michael Brough’s long ball.
The visitors regained their composure at the start of the second half with Hussey testing Roche from distance before they should have added a second on 66 minutes when substitute James Brophy headed over when unmarked just six yards out.
The final stages saw Morecambe lay siege to the Swindon goal with Garry Thompson twice firing wide but Swindon held firm to take the points.
And that was enough to keep them top of the league, with two wins from three so far this campaign.