Ardley not surprised by Morecambe stalemate

Posted Sunday, March 17, 2019 by PA

Manager Neal Ardley saw Notts County’s dismal goalless draw with Morecambe coming a mile off.

The Magpies huffed and puffed and were unable to build on a midweek win over Carlisle that briefly lifted them off the foot of the Football League.

Ardley’s side slipped back to the bottom of League Two, three points shy of safety, the Meadow Lane chief admitting he never expected the tangle with the Shrimps to be a classic.

“The game was exactly how I thought it would be,” he said.

“Their team scored seven goals in the last two games and are really good at counter-attacking.

“Our defending was excellent, but I knew we would not be free-flowing and create bundles of chances.

“We did create a couple and had the best one of the game through Enzio (Boldewijn). You need that moment and a bit of composure which then gives you something to cling on to.

“At the end of what has been a tough week in terms of the travelling and so on, I thought the players gave it everything.”

In a game of precious little quality, neither side threatened much in the first half with Matt Tootle and Boldewijn firing in excellent crosses from which the Magpies could not capitalise.

Morecambe fared little better with defender Steven Old heading over the bar.

The entertainment levels did not rise in the second half, although County did create the best chance of the game when Boldewijn was denied by Mark Halstead, as was Mitch Rose from the rebound. Aaron Collins forced Ryan Schofield into an excellent save at the other end.

Jim Bentley, whose Morecambe side look set for a serene run-in with the threat of relegation warded off, relished the competitive nature of the contest.

“It’s a good point and a fair result,” he said.

“It was competitive and both sets of players wanted to win. You can get nice games of football when it’s free-flowing and chances are created at both ends.

“We are going to have games when we looked like scoring like we did in our last two games. But then you come to a place like this and Michael Doyle lays down a marker with a crunching challenge on Alex Kenyon.

“Both sets of players looked nervous, but they competed for their shirts.”