Preview: Morecambe

19 October 2021

Morecambe line up at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium as familiar opponents this evening for Cheltenham Town (kick-off: 7.45pm).

It's the first time since regaining promotion to League One that the Robins have faced a side who were also playing their football in League Two last season.

Both sides have made good starts to their campaigns at this level and the match promises to provide another tight encounter between the two teams.

Tickets are available to purchase online and from the different ticket collection points around the Jonny-Rocks Stadium for the game. The turnstiles are cashless so advance tickets are required to gain entry into the stadium.

Team news

Midfield man Liam Sercombe is back fit and available after a recent injury problem.

Fellow midfielder Taylor Perry (pictured) is out after he was forced off at the weekend.

Callum Wright is definitely out with his long-term knee injury.

Media talk

Boss Michael Duff is well aware of the attacking threat Tuesday's opponents possess in front of goal.

"Morecambe are a really good team. They surprised everyone last year but they've built on that," he said in his press conference on Monday.

"I think only Ipswich have scored more goals than them. We know we're going to be right up against it."

Watch Duff's pre-match thoughts on iFollow where you can also watch goalkeeper Scott Flinders previewing the game.

Opposition

Play-off final victory over Newport County AFC earned Morecambe their first ever promotion to League One and the team from Lancashire have made a good start at the level.

They've collected 14 points from 12 games so far and sit in mid-table after a 3-2 defeat to Burton Albion on Friday night.

Many of last season's squad remain, though there was a change right at the top. Upon their promotion last season manager Derek Adams quit to join Bradford City, and he was replaced by 46-year-old Stephen Robinson.

Front man Cole Stockton is one of those players who has made the step up after winning promotion last season and a return of 12 goals from 14 games in all competitions this season has seen him twice named the Player of the Month in League One so far.

Others such as goalkeeper Kyle Letheren, powerful midfielder Toumani Diagouraga and left-sided defender Liam Gibson have also continued to build on last season's success.

They did turn to the transfer market though to bring in the likes of Wes McDonald from Walsall, Northern Ireland international Alfie McCalmont on loan from Leeds United, the experienced Scott Wootton from Plymouth Argyle and Adam Phillips on loan from Burnley - the 23-year-old having had two previous loan stints at the Mazuma Stadium.

The manager: Stephen Robinson

Appointed boss at the start of June on a three-year deal, Stephen Robinson is in his third managerial position but his second in English football having previously taken charge at Oldham Athletic. Sandwiched in between his two English managerial spells he led Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership.

As a player he was a midfielder who represented his home country of Northern Ireland seven times while spending most of his career at AFC Bournemouth and Luton Town.

Tickets

Tickets are available to purchase online but will also be available to buy at the stadium ahead of kick-off. Tickets must be bought before heading to the turnstiles which are cashless.

Colin Farmer Stand tickets can be bought from the ticket point next to the Parklands turnstiles. Autovillage Stand tickets are available to buy from the ticket office and standing tickets from the portakabin in the car park.

Pre-paid tickets are available to collect from the portakabin except for Colin Farmer tickets which must be picked up by the point next to the Parklands turnstiles.

Match programme

Tuesday's match programme will be on sale around the stadium and is priced at £3.

It features a big interview with Stoke City loanee Christian Norton reflecting on his career so far and his experiences in his short time at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium.

There are also features with Kyle Vassell and Michael Duff as well as a look around some of the latest goings on around the club.

The programme is also available to buy online.

Coverage

Watch live: The game is available to watch online by purchasing an iFollow match pass which is available to buy for £10.

Social media: Follow @CTFCofficial on Twitter for team news and updates, CTFC on Facebook for score updates and @CTFCofficial on Instagram.

Website: Read the match report post-match and see reaction to the result from inside the camp.

Radio: Tune in to live commentary on BBC Radio Gloucestershire and on iFollow.

Highlights: Watch extended highlights on iFollow, on YouTube, Quest and on Sky Sports.

Match Reports

Report & highlights: Robins 3-1 Morecambe

19 October 2021

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Cheltenham Town v Morecambe - Extended highlights - Tue 19th October 2021

Extended highlights of Cheltenham Town v Morecambe, Tue 19th October 2021 in the Sky Bet League One

Cheltenham Town continued their winning ways in League One as they beat Morecambe 3-1 after a first half strike from Liam Sercombe and a second half brace by Kyle Joseph.

The Robins opened the scoring through captain Sercombe, who rifled the ball following a Sean Long long throw which caused chaos in the Morecambe penalty area.

The Shrimps levelled before half time with an indirect free kick setting up Adam Phillips to blast the ball past Scott Flinders, who conceded the set piece after some miscommunication with Chris Hussey.

Joseph stole the show and the three points in the second half with a quick brace. The first a smart volley from Matty Blair’s cross down the right channel, but his second was a sensational strike on the edge of the box which clipped the far post and nestled into the goal.

Michael Duff’s side dominated following the fourth goal of the match, with many chances from Joseph and Sercombe keeping Shrimps keeper Jökull Andrésson busy until the final whistle.

“I thought we were excellent tonight against a dangerous team,” said Duff. “They’ve had some really good results, Morecambe are top goal scorers in the league, with the top goal scorer in the league Cole Stockton.

“It felt like a clean sheet because their goal has come from an absolute anomaly,” added Duff.

Cheltenham made a fast start with Kyle Vassell having a shot blocked by Shrimps skipper O’Connor, and then moments later a quick corner evaded the feet of Joseph and Vassell in the away box.

A clever through ball by Dan Crowley sent Joseph one on one with Shrimps keeper Andrésson, but the keeper makes a smart diving save to keep the Robins at bay.

Immediately from the corner, Chris Hussey’s cross finds Vassell, however the forwards header went wide of the goal.

Long’s long throw led to Sercombe smashing the ball past the Shrimps keeper, with Mattie Pollock playing a big part in the opening goal as the on-loan defender headed it down into the path of the captain.

Morecambe got level through an indirect free kick setting up Phillips to curl the ball through the Robins wall and into the far-right corner of Flinders’ net.

Moments before, Long slipped down the opposite end of the pitch and went down, creating a gap in the backline of the defence, plus the pressure of Stockton caused Flinders to pick the ball up leading to the awarding of the decisive free kick.

Jamaican international Greg Leigh nearly put the travellers in front after jumping above Blair, however it followed with a sigh of relief by Robins fans as the ball clipped the outside of the near post.

Morecambe thought they’d taken the lead in the 49th minute after Jonah Ayunga clipped a Shrimps corner into the path of Stockton, although instead of it being his eleventh league goal, it was deemed offside.

The away side pushed on for a second as Ayunga continued to be a problem for the Robins, but the forward’s shot dragged well wide of The Hazlewoods Stand goal.

Star midfielder Crowley set up Vassell following a lofted ball in the back of the box, and it looked like the striker would double his league goal tally for the season, but Andrésson made a diving save to prevent the home side from going in front.

The Robins pushed forward with Sercombe looking to score a second, however the midfielder’s shot rose high over the Speedy Skips Stand.

Crowley yet again ran forward at the Morecambe backline, before setting up Thomas to fizz the ball towards Joseph to strike it into the net. Despite it being behind him, the Scotsman connected well and gave the Robins a well-deserved lead.

The striker on-loan from Swansea City wasn’t satisfied with just the one goal and pulled off a sensational strike outside the box that clipped off the far post to put Cheltenham in a comfortable position.

Confidence was flowing from Joseph as the young striker charged forward but his shot inside the Morecambe area drifted into the side netting of the near post, denying him of his first hat-trick for the club.

Cheltenham didn’t stop at three, with multiple chances in the final half, as Sercombe came close again with another long-range strike, but again the Shrimps keeper made another save.

CHELTENHAM TOWN (4-4-2): Flinders; Long, Hussey, Pollock, Thomas, Sercombe (c), Vassell (Norton 83), Chapman, Blair, Crowley (Barkers 77), Joseph (May 90).

Subs not used: Evans (Gk), Freestone, Williams, Horton.

MORECAMBE (3-4-1-2): Andrésson; Leigh, O’Connor (c), Diagouraga (McDonald 71), Stockton, Delaney, Ayunga, Philips, McLoughlin, Gibson (Cooney 64), Wootton (Gnahoua 71).

Subs not used: Letheren (Gk), McLaughlin, Jones, Mensah.

REFEREE: Benjamin Speedie

ATTENDANCE: 2909 (105)