Morecambe end League 2 season with entertaining draw at Swindon

Morecambe’s League 2 season ended with an entertaining 3-3 draw with Swindon Town.

The Shrimps made a number of changes for the game, including handing a full debut to 16-year-old Academy player, Adam Fairclough.

The Robins opened the scoring with less than five minutes on the clock.

A free kick by Seam McGuirk on the right was met by the head of Charlie Austin, who notched his 200^th professional career goal in the process.

Nelson Khumbeni and Joe Adams both put chances straight at the keeper, before the Shrimps equalised on 15 minutes.

Cammy Smith played in Adams, whose strike took a deflection to wrong-foot keeper Jack Bycroft.

On 21 minutes, Fairclough made sure it would be a debut to remember.

Good play in the final third led to the ball being played into Charlie Brown. His shot was blocked, but Fairclough rifled home the rebound.

Austin then squared the game up once more ten minutes before half time, as he moved onto Frazer Blake-Tracy’s through ball and finished well.

The second 45 produced far fewer chances for either side.

Cammy Smith came close with a looping effort from the right-hand edge of the box, before on 74 minutes, a counterattack saw the home side take the lead.

From a Morecambe corner, a  quick breakaway saw Dawson Devoy cross to the back post and there was Williams Kokolo with a first-time finish to complete the move.

The Shrimps came close to an equaliser in comical fashion on 83 minutes when Gwion Edwards’ cross was deflected by Conor McCarthy onto his own crossbar and over.

Minutes later, the equaliser did come. Substitute goalkeeper Redman Evans could only palm a shot into the path of Cammy Smith who made no mistake with the rebound.

Deep into added time, Edwards had a chance to win the game but saw a drive saved by an onrushing Evans.

Morecambe end the season in 15th place in the League Two table, with 58 points.

Swindon Town: Bycroft (Evans, 68’), Blake-Tracy, Glatzel (Drinan, 71’), McGurk (Devoy, 62’), Cain, Kokolo, McCarthy, Austin ©, McGregor (Elbouzedi, 62’), Hunt (Godwin-Malife, 62’), Ofoborh.

Subs not used: Aguiar, Brown.

Goals: Austin (05’, 35’), Kokolo (74’).

Bookings: McCarthy.

Morecambe: A Smith, Love ©, Tutonda (Rawson, 80’), Adams (Rooney, 80’), C Smith, Edwards, Brown, Harrack, Threlkeld (Davenport, 80’), Khumbeni (Songo’o, 66’), Fairclough (Larsson, 58’).

Subs not used: Mair, Senior.

Goals: Adams (15’), Fairclough (21’), C Smith (86’).

Bookings: None.

Attendance: 8,859 (204 away).