Morecambe maintain flying start

League Two Morecambe pulled off a shock at Highbury, beating last season's Northern Area finalists Fleetwood 3-1 in the JPT.

Fleetwood started with an unfamiliar three at the back formation - a decision which yielded an early dividend when Gareth Evans rifled home from a pinpoint long pass from Matty Blair. But the home side were vulnerable at the back, particularly when Morecambe bypassed the midfield. They levelled when Stephen Crainey was beaten for pace by Padraig Amond, who kept his cool to get on the end of Stewart Drummond's through ball and slot low past Chris Maxwell. Then a ball from deep left Town scrambling, Ryan Williams finding Jack Sampson in space on the left and his low cross was swept home by Jack Redshaw. The home side were forced to adopt a flat back four, Blair deputising at right-back as Town looked to claw their way back into the clash. They created a few half-chances, Blair heading well wide from Evans' cross, David Ball cutting inside his man and unleashing a curling shot straight into the body of Barry Roche. Attackers were thrown into the fray by Fleetwood in a desperate bid to get back into the tie. But it was Morecambe who wrapped things up with nine minutes remaining when Joe Widdowson's free-kick was headed neatly into the path of Sampson - his shot was scrambled away by Maxwell into the path of Amond and he stroked the ball into the open goal. Ball came close to pulling one back for Fleetwood but his 18-yard effort was tipped over by Roche.