Match Report: Morecambe 0 Wigan Athletic 2

Morecambe fell to defeat in their final pre-season game before their League Two campaign kicks off next weekend.

Goals either side of the break from Thelo Aasgaard and Luke Brennan gave the Latics the win.

Manager Derek Adams named the same starting XI which faced Blackpool in midweek, with the Shrimps' latest recruit Eli King an addition to the bench.

Morecambe started the livelier with Jacob Davenport in the thick of the action. On seven minutes, he flashed an effort from the edge of the area inches wide before following it up with a right-footed strike which flew over the crossbar.

After surviving those early opportunities, Shaun Maloney's men began to control possession and took the lead in the 18th minute when Baba Adeeko crossed from the right and midfielder Aasgaard timed his run into the box perfectly to direct a header low into the left-hand corner of Stuart Moore's goal.

The Latics had a golden chance to double their lead on the half hour when Chris Sze found space in the box, but he failed to make strong contact with a header.

Aasgaard threatened again four minutes later as he forged an opening for himself with a smart first touch and volley which just cleared the bar.

After a long period on the back foot, the Shrimps began to fight their way back into the game and were denied an equaliser; Michael Mellon took advantage of some poor defending to slot the ball past Sam Tickle, but referee Jeremy Simpson ruled it out following an alleged foul in the build up.

The visiting side wasted a golden chance to make it 2-0 seconds after the restart when a dangerous cross into the area should have been converted, but Baba Adeeko failed to make the touch to direct it past Moore.

From there, the home side enjoyed their best period of the game.

Adam Mayor forced a fine save from Tickle with a fiercely struck shot from the edge of the box, this coming before Jordan Slew fired an effort into the side netting from the left-hand side of the area.

Charlie Brown then forced his way into the box, beating a couple of Wigan defenders in the process, but took one touch too many, and Cam Smith saw a shot well saved by Tickle as the home side looked to level.

It was Wigan who recorded the second and final goal of the contest in the second minute of three added on at the end of the second half. Brennan tried his luck from distance with a long range effort which dipped over Adam Smith and ended up in the back of the Morecambe goal. 

Morecambe: Moore (Smith, 69'), Love, Bedeau, Rawson (Stokes, 69'), Senior (King, 69'), Songo'o (Melbourne, 46'), Davenport (Smith, 61'), McKiernan (Taylor, 60'), Mayor, Mellon (Slew, 46'), Bloxham (Brown, 69').

Goals: None.

Bookings: Songo'o.

Wigan Athletic: Tickle, Adeeko, Morrison, Pearce (Lloyd, 89'), Balagizi (Adams, 60'), Hughes, Smith, Sze, Sharif (Robinson, 60'), Aasgaard, Brennan.

Subs not used: Watson, Chentouf, Dwyer.

Goals: Aasgaard (18'), Brennan (90+2').

Bookings: Songo'o.

Attendance: 1,508 (414).