Wylde’s late show lifts the Shrimps
A LAST- MINUTE goal from Gregg Wylde ensured both sides had to settle for a share of the spoils in this League 2 relegation battle.
Wylde produced a superb left-foot finish with virtually the last kick of normal time to give Morecambe a vital point and rob an improving Forest Green of a rare away win.
Morecambe boss Jim Bentley was understandably the happier of the two managers after the game and said his side got their rewards for a spirited comeback after Chris Clements had fired the visitors into a 14th minute lead.
“We were poor in the first half and they played the better football although we probably created the better chances and had a couple of penalty shouts,” he said.
“But we were much better in the second half and went close on a couple of occasions before Gregg’s late goal gave us the point we deserved for our second-half performance
“I said before the game that this was a real six-pointer and it was a match we could not afford to lose, which is why it was so important that we battled to the death and I've got to give the lads great credit for that.”
Rovers’ boss Mark Cooper admitted that his side were disappointed not to have made more of their first-half dominance.
He said: “We were much the better side in the first half and we should have put the game to bed. On the day we just didn’t have that killer quality we needed in their box and we had to settle for a point when three would obviously have been much better.
“Chris Clements scored a great goal but while it is only 1-0 the opposition always have a chance and when you don’t get the goals when you are on top you put yourself under pressure.”
It was another loan man who struck first with Grimsby midfielder Clements beating Morecambe keeper Dan Nizic with a 25-yarder that flew into the top right corner. The Shrimps’ goal threat continued at the start of the second half with Collins grateful to Gunning for ensuring Kevin Ellison could not take advantage of his fumble as he looked set to score from close in.
Wylde then saw a shot deflected into the side netting before Old and Winnard went close again from dangerous Rose set pieces.
With time running out Cooper’s side looked set for a third successive win until Wylde drilled a sweetly-struck low shot into the bottom right hand corner of Collins' goal.