Mixed emotions for Steve Cotterill after Shrewsbury draw at Morecambe

Posted Sunday, July 31, 2022 by PA

Shrewsbury boss Steve Cotterill was left with mixed emotions after an opening-day 0-0 draw against Morecambe at the Mazuma Stadium.

The Shrews boss believed his new-look team deserved to win the game against the Shrimps but was happy to avoid a repeat of last season’s poor start.

He said: “A point is better than this time last year and the performance was a lot better too. I think we deserved to win because I thought we were the dominant side in possession and had more shots than them and missed a couple of good chances.

“The only time I felt we were in danger was in the final couple of minutes when we gave away a couple of poor free-kicks and corners but we kept them out and got our first point of the season which was good.

“At this stage you are always looking for your first goal and your first win or your first point, and we ticked one of those boxes today and, if we had shown a bit more quality in the final third, we could have claimed the win.”

Morecambe manager Derek Adams said he was happy with his side’s point.

He said: “It was a very competitive game and, although it was 0-0, there were chances for both sides.

“I thought we played really well and kept to our shape. Our fitness levels were good and our discipline was excellent against a decent side and we probably had the best chance of the game when Dylan Connolly forced their keeper into a save in the first half.

“Overall I thought we put in a really good performance and, had we been a bit more effective in the final third, we might have caused them a few more problems.”

Morecambe had the best chance of the game on 26 minutes when Cole Stockton played in Dylan Connolly but the striker was denied by an excellent save from Marko Marosi.

Shrewsbury had two early chances through Luke Leahy and Tom Bayliss saw a shot deflected wide in the first half.

The closest the Shrews came to a goal was when a George Nurse volley was deflected onto the home crossbar by a Morecambe player in the 66th minute.

Tom Flanagan wasted two good chances and Julien Dacosta made a mess of a late opportunity before the Shrimps ended the game on top with Connolly denied by a superb Matthew Pennington block in the second minute of added time.