Report, highlights and reaction: Morecambe 0-3 Peterborough Utd

Morecambe’s nine game unbeaten run at home came to an end with defeat at the hands of Peterborough United at the Mazuma Stadium.

First half goals from Jack Taylor, Joe Ward and Kwame Poku proved the difference, with all three goals coming inside the opening half an hour.

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Peterborough took an early lead when Jack Taylor’s strike from range deflected off a Morecambe defender and into Connor Ripley’s net, following a corner.

The Posh doubled their lead nine minutes later, when Joe Ward’s free kick on the edge of the area somehow found its way past Ripley, with the Shrimps’ keeper allowing the ball to squirm under him and roll over the line.

United got their third just before the half-hour mark when Kwame Poku’s effort took a wicked deflection off Jacob Bedeau and flew into the back of the net.

Morecambe came close to pulling one back just before half time when Liam Shaw’s rasping drive was just deflected over the bar, before an Adam Mayor corner was headed onto the foot of the post by Farrend Rawson.

The Shrimps had a great chance to pull one back on the hour mark when Adam Mayor’s corner found Shaw unmarked in the box, but he headed wide when well placed.

Another corner soon after found Rawson, who headed just over the visitor’s crossbar.

With four minutes to go, The Posh nearly added a fourth, though Nathanael Ogbeta’s powerful effort was kept out by Ripley at full stretch.

The Shrimps now sit 23^rd in the League One table, two points from safety ahead of the visit of Port Vale to the Mazuma on Tuesday night.