Exeter City 1 Morecambe 2: Morecambe ascend to new heights
To its potted shrimps and statue of one of Britain’s most famous comedians - Eric Bartholomew changed his surname to that of his home town - Morecambe can add one further claim to fame: a Football League club. Sammy McIlroy’s team won a full-blooded Nationwide Conference play-off final at Wembley yesterday as the Lancashire club earned League status for the first time in its 87-year history.
For the second day in succession blue got the better of red at the English game’s new home, but the similarities ended there. There was none of the caginess of the previous day’s FA Cup final as a vibrant contest ebbed and flowed.
It was a personal triumph for McIlroy, the former Manchester United midfielder and Northern Ireland manager. He took over at Christie Park in November 2005 and has bounced back after losing in the play-offs last year.
Exeter, who dropped out of the League four years ago, had more than twice as many supporters in the 40,043 crowd - a record for a Conference final - and appeared the stronger team, but McIlroy’s men played the better football. Danny Carlton led the line intelligently, Wayne Curtis and Garry Thompson provided guile on the flanks and Jim Bentley marshalled his defence superbly.
Within nine minutes of the start, however, Exeter were ahead, Lee Phillips heading home Jon Challinor’s cross.
Morecambe played their way back into contention and Paul Jones was soon the busier of the two goalkeepers. He saved a 30th-minute penalty, guessing which way Curtis would shoot and then blocking the rebound.
The equaliser came three minutes before half-time when Thompson pounced on a defensive error to curl a left-footed shot into the top corner.
Exeter, who had Matthew Gill sent off for violent conduct in injury time, were beaten by a magnificent 82nd-minute winner, Carlton thumping a glorious 25-yard shot into the roof of the net. The 23-year-old striker, who has been at the club since he was 15, described it as the best goal of his life.
McIlroy said he ranked Morecambe’s promotion among his greatest achievements. “Today was a great advert for Conference football,” he said. “We had to stick in there after they scored, but in the end I thought we bossed the majority of the match.”
Goals: Phillips (8) 1-0; Thompson (42) 1-1; Carlton (82) 1-2.
Exeter (4-4-2): Paul Jones; Tully, Todd, Edwards, Billy Jones; Carlisle (Logan, 53), Taylor, Gill, Elam (Mackie, 57); Challinor, Phillips (Stansfield, 37). Substitutes not used: Richardson, Buckle.
Morecambe (4-4-2): Davies; Yates, Blackburn, Bentley, Adams; Thompson (Brannan, 86), Stanley, Sorvel, Curtis; Carlton (McNiven, 88), Twiss (Hunter, 72). Substitutes not used: Neal (gk), Howard.
Bookings: Exeter Todd. Morecambe Carlton.
Sendings-off: Exeter Gill.
Referee: M Oliver (Ashington).
Man of the match: Carlton.
Attendance: 40,043.