Report: Iron 3-0 Morecambe

The Iron sealed their first win of the season in Sky Bet League Two, with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Morecambe at the Sands Venue Stadium.

Goals from Jamie Proctor, Kevin van Veen and Matthew Lund secured three points as the Iron struck in the first half.

Inside four minutes, Junior Brown crossed for van Veen but the striker sliced the ball over the bar.

The left-back was involved in another move, five minutes later. Brown and Abo Eisa combined down the right and Eisa’s cross found Jamie Proctor inside the area but he couldn’t direct his header towards goal.

Morecambe registered their first effort on target moments later. John O’Sullivan unloaded possession to Aaron Wildig but his left-footed effort was straight at Rory Watson.

With 20 minutes on the clock, Andrew Tutte drew a good save from Watson. The visitors won a free-kick out on the left which was taken short to the Shrimps’ midfielder who let fly from the edge of the area but the Iron ‘keeper was equal to it.

The Iron were awarded a penalty, with 24 minutes gone. Referee Nicholas Kinseley pointed to the spot for an infringement on van Veen.

Home debutant Proctor’s initial spot-kick was saved by Barry Roche but the striker made no mistake from at the second time of asking to make it 1-0.

On the half hour mark, Lund saw his shot blocked, after van Veen squared it to the number four.

Van Veen doubled the Iron’s advantage with 32 minutes played. Proctor laid the ball off to Alex Gilliead who drove forward and unleashed an effort from 25 yards which ricocheted off the post.

However, the Dutchman was on hand to follow up, blasting home the rebound.

The Iron continued to press. James Perch crossed for van Veen but Roche saved the striker’s volley.

Shortly after, Proctor glanced narrowly wide from a Brown cross, looking for his second and the Iron’s third.

United added a third before the break, as Lund netted with four minutes left of the first half. Eisa found Gilliead who drove forward, only for Roche to parry into the path of Lund.

Seven minutes into the second half, Proctor picked out Yann Songo’o in the box but the latter couldn’t get on the end of it. It landed at the feet of James Perch arriving at the back post and the right-back toe-poked wide.

Proctor’s acrobatics almost made it 4-0 from the resulting corner. Gilliead’s delivery fell for the striker whose bicycle kick was just over the bar.

At the other end of the pitch, Watson made a double save. O’Sullivan crossed for substitute Cole Stockton and the Iron shot-stopper was forced to make the save. The Shrimps came knocking again and Watson tipped Lewis Alessandra’s powerful effort over the bar.

With an hour played, van Veen and Songo’o linked up but the latter’s effort took a deflection and was cleared to safety.

Iron players were queuing up to test Roche between the sticks. Van Veen latched onto strike partner Proctor’s flick-on but fired over.

The Iron had the ball in the back of the net with 65 minutes gone. Rory McArdle rose highest to meet Gilliead’s set piece but the skipper’s looping header was ruled offside.

Minutes later, Gilliead rolled an effort of his own just wide of the upright after Songo’o won the aerial duel and van Veen fed the ball to the winger out on the right flank.

Brown cut inside and took aim from distance, with 20 minutes left on the watch, after Proctor held the ball up well for the defender, but it flashed just over the bar.

Late in the day, the Shrimps had a penalty for a foul on O’Sullivan. Watson made a superb save in added time, getting down to his right to deny Adam Buxton from 12 yards for his second penalty stop of the season and preserve a clean sheet at 3-0.

IRON: Watson, Lund, Songo’o, van Veen (Slater 83’), Perch, Gilliead, McArdle, McGahey, Brown, Eisa (McAtee 89’), Proctor.

IRON UNUSED SUBS: Eastwood, Clarke, Ntlhe, Miller.

MORECAMBE: Roche, Old, Tutte, O’Sullivan, Alessandra, Sutton (Buxton 45’), Wildig, Lavelle, Miller (Ellison 83’), Tanner, Cranston (Stockton 45’).

MORECAMBE UNUSED SUBS: Leitch-Smith, Oates, Jagne.

 

ATTENDANCE: 3,017.