GARNER GETS BRANNAN UP AND RUNNING
GED BRANNAN praised his Morecambe side’s spirit and determination as he sealed his first home win since replacing Derek Adams.
The Shrimps had to overcome a stubborn performance from the bottom club to take the points in Brannan’s seventh game at the Mazuma Stadium.
A fourth minute goal from Barrow loanee Ged Garner, his third in two games, was enough to earn the Shrimps a third win in four games.
Brannan said: “I’m delighted to get the first win here under my belt. The lads and the fans who have been magnificent.
“I thought the lads were terrific and we should have won by more. We created a load of chances and should have won by three or four really – with a perfectly good goal disallowed – but the three points is what we were after and the win keeps our little run going.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game because Sutton made it hard for us. But we stayed strong and won a lot of second balls and coped really well with
the height they had up front.’’ Garner scored his third goal in two matches in the fourth minute when he slid home Joel Senior’s excellent right wing cross to give the Shrimps their first home win since October.
Charlie Brown had a
golden chance to double the advantage after 15 minutes when played in by Joe Adams but Dean Bouzanis saved well.
Brown continued to look the Shrimps’ biggest threat and curled an effort inches wide from the edge of the box.
They thought they had a second in the 57th minute when Gwion Edwards slotted home Joe Adams’s layoff but it was disallowed for offside.
Edwards then saw a shot well blocked by Joe Kizzi before Sutton created their first clear opening after 70 minutes when the ball fell nicely for Craig Eastmond in the box but the midfielder
could only shoot over. Omari Patrick and Charlie Lakin tested Archie Mair from distance but the Shrimps held on.
The defeat left Sutton second from bottom and seven points from safety with boss Steve Morison disappointed with his side’s performance after recent improvements over their last few games.
He said: “That wasn’t the team we’ve seen in the last five games. I would say Morecambe are the best team we have played in the six games we have had since coming here but we are better than today and if we had played like we have been doing I think we could have got a result. We have to move on though, reflect on this and put it to bed, then look to our next games. We know we can be better. We have to be better.’’
Garner’s winner came in the first real move of the game as Brown played in Senior who produced a superb cross for a stretching Garner to score from close range.
Brown went close to adding to the score on two separate occasions, before Edwards had his goal disallowed.
Sutton’s best chance came in the second half when skipper Eastmond found space in the box but blazed an effort over from eight yards out.
Garner had the chance to double the Shrimps’ advantage in the final moments but was denied by Dean Bouzanis who spread himself well to foil the striker.