Morecambe 2 Accrington Stanley 1 (Morecambe win 3-1 on aggregate) - Suzanne Geldard reports. . .
JOHN Coleman described it as a good advert for football in Lancashire.
Two ambitious teams not just looking to finish the Nationwide Conference season strongly but add some silverware to the trophy cabinet too.
For 87 minutes it was all about the beautiful game. But then things turned ugly.
It had been a masterstroke that handed Morecambe the boost they needed and the goal Stanley dreaded going into the second leg of the Lancashire FA Marsden Trophy final already a goal down.
A sheer fluke just eight seconds into the second half had disastrous consequences for Coleman's jaded troops, who then found themselves 3-0 down on aggregate.
One bright point was that Paul Mullin got a timely confidence boost by firing in a consolation goal from inside the six yard box. A real poacher's effort.
Yet the game won't be remembered as it should be - two teams playing attractive attacking football in an entertaining final.
Instead, two incidents with just three minutes of normal time remaining will stick long in the memory.
The unsightly scenes were sparked when substitute Dean Calcutt made a challenge from behind on wide man Wayne Curtis.
Chris Perkins saw fit to make his presence felt after the tackle and the full back knocked Calcutt to the floor.
Such a wild reaction led to a mass brawl, with virtually all 22 players getting involved and even management and players from both benches encroaching onto the pitch in an effort to restore some semblance of calm.
It came as no surprise when the referee gave both Calcutt and Perkins their marching orders, although Coleman later admitted he felt his wide man had been hard done to on hearing the referee's reasons for the dismissal. Mr Unsworth claimed Calcutt had retaliated, but the Stanley boss, who had a clear view of the incident just yards away from the dug-out, said that was not the case.
However, there was no excuse for the Reds ending the game with just nine men after Rory Prendergast lashed out at Garry Thompson, not appearing to attempt making contact with the ball but instead kicking the Morecambe substitute in the groin .
After cursing Stanley's luck in recent weeks, Coleman found himself despairing at his side's disciplinary record, which has now resulted in 14 red cards this season.
Ironically, it was one of the rare occasions this season that Lady Luck became a Reds fan for a night.
But, frustratingly for Stanley, she picked the wrong team and their dreams of lifting some silverware this season came to a shuddering halt.
Playing in their third-choice blue kit, Stanley made a bright start. Lutel James looked alert and in the mood for showboating while they attacked in numbers.
But it was Morecambe, sporting red shirts, who had created the more clear-cut openings in the first 15 minutes.
Stanley had started to get a tighter grip on the game when the unthinkable happened with just over 18 minutes on the clock.
The Shrimps won a corner on the right, winger Terry McFlynn's inswinger was cleared but only as far as Curtis and it dropped kindly for the danger man to rifle the ball past Jon Kennedy.
Being 2-0 down on aggregate was a huge body blow for Stanley. But, as they did against Chester on Saturday, they picked themselves up and ended the first half as a strong attacking unit, with Peter Cavanagh and Prendergast providing good support for Mullin and James.
Fortune seemed set to turn in their favour when Ged Brannan stole the ball off a dawdling Paul Osbourne on the edge of the Morecambe box. But it quickly deserted them as Mullin, running on to Brannan's measured short pass, spooned the ball over the bar.
Captain Cavanagh then struck the base of the post with a low free kick before Kennedy made a great block as Danny Carlton looked to grab a second before the break.
But Kennedy went from hero to zero just eight seconds into the second half.
The Stanley stopper was slow to react to Cavanagh's back pass and when he did kick it the ball simply rebounded off Carlton and rolled into the net.
When Mullin spun in the area and rammed the ball past Craig Mawson from Prendergast's cross four minutes later, they had a spring in their step.
Prendergast made a strong angled run into the box but his delivery rolled just behind Mullin, while the striker was unlucky to head over from another Prendergast centre.
However, the Shrimps' Carlton and Terry McFlynn were proving a real handful the Reds defence, and had it not been for a couple of brave blocks from Kennedy and Kempson the scoreline could have been more comprehensive.
Morecambe were ultimately good value for their trophy win but their success was marred by the late fracas.
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