Derek Adams impressed by Morecambe’s ‘excellent’ display in defeat at MK Dons

Derek Adams said Morecambe put in a positive performance despite a 2-1 defeat at MK Dons leaving them four points from safety in League Two.

The visitors had struck first when Lee Angol won and duly scored a penalty in the 37th minute, but the visitors maintained the lead for just five minutes before Luke Offord headed in an equaliser from Dan Crowley’s free-kick.

Danilo Orsi won the match for the Dons just after the hour, scoring the rebound after Alex Gilbey’s initial shot had been saved.

Victory was MK Dons’ first in eight games, and their first since late January, while Morecambe slipped further adrift after Tranmere’s victory over Bromley.

Adams said: “Very good performance – excellent, actually. The way that we pressed MK Dons today, we pressed them all over the pitch, we made them make mistakes and nearly got in a few times from it.

“I think they had five shots on target, we had three over the afternoon.

“I can’t ask any more of my players. They gave their best. They were unfortunate not to have maybe gone further ahead in the game, but today, we’ve come up against a side full of talented players who shouldn’t be where they are in the league.

“Our players gave their all today. We can’t do anything about other results. We can only look at ourselves.

“We have 10 games to go now and we have to keep on going. We have a number of home games we’re going to have to win to put pressure on other teams.”

MK Dons interim head coach Ben Gladwin said he was relieved to end the winless run.

He said: “I think relief is the overriding feeling and gratitude on my part for everybody involved. Obviously, I’m pleased just to get the win.

“We’ve overcame a lot today. We’ve shown we can come from behind and shown so many things. We’ll review it, like every game, to see what we did well and not so well then try to improve from it.

“The performance is the most important thing to me. We won, which for everyone externally and myself, is important, but it’s the way we did it that made me really proud because I know how to judge that performance.

“I know how to review it and say which were the good and bad bits. The fact they took on bits of information us as a coaching staff gave and they implemented them so well makes it much easier for us to review and improve for next week.”