Morecambe v Burton Albion
TEAM NEWS: Burton Albion boss Paul Peschisolido made two changes to his starting line-up for the trip the Globe Arena following the thrilling 3-2 victory at Northampton Town on Boxing Day.
Midfielder Chris Palmer was rewarded for his goalscoring substitute appearance at Sixfields by replacing Adam Bolder in the centre of the park.
The other change saw Andy Corbett come in at right-back, with Kevin Amankwaah having failed to earn a new deal at the Pirelli Stadium.
Central defender Tony James was still sidelined by a groin injury, while Billy Kee kept Justin Richards out of the side.
Left-back Danny Blanchett made a rare appearance on the substitutes’ bench.
SHRIMPS (3-5-2): Roche; McCready, Haining (capt), Fenton; Reid, Drummond, Fleming, McDonald, Wilson; Alessandra, Price; subs: Routledge, Hunter, Jevons, Parrish, Carlton.
BREWERS (4-4-2): Atkins; Corbett, Stanton, Austin, Webster; Taylor, Palmer, McGrath (capt), Maghoma; Zola, Kee; subs: Poole (gk), Richards, Blanchett, Gurrieri, Bolder.
HALF-TIME: The home side created the first chance after five minutes.
A cross from the left was chested down by striker Jason Price into the path of breaking midfielder Andrew Fleming.
Fleming decided to hit it first time on the volley, but Brewers keeper Ross Atkins was up to the task, superbly tipping the effort over the crossbar.
The visitors responded and in the 13th minute, Palmer played a one-two with Kee and went scampering down the left and whipping in a low first-time cross which was just too far in front of Calvin Zola.
A minute later, winger Cleveland Taylor found Zola who, from towards the right edge of the penalty area, fired in a low shot which Shrimps keeper Barry Roche had to palm away.
The visitors went close again on 18 minuted when Taylor cut back on his left foot near the right corner flag and sent over a cross.
Roche came out to punch clear but Kee got his head to it, although the striker could get little direction on it with his back to goal and his effort went over.
The Brewers were beginning to get on top and with 26 minutes gone, Taylor’s low shot was spilled by Roche at the near post.
Kee went in with a defender and the ball looped over the bar.
However, it was the hosts who broke the deadlock in the 31st minute.
Albion failed to clear their lines and when striker Lewis Alessandra picked the ball up on the left corner of the penalty area, he fired in a shot which went in off the far post.
The visitors responded and when Zola’s back-heel found Palmer, the midfielder drove in a low shot which Roche had to turn away.
The Brewers were level on 38 minutes after a foul on Jacques Maghoma which was hotly disputed by the home players and fans.
Kee stepped up and tried his luck from 30 yards, with his effort taking a wicked deflection off a home defender and completely wrong-footing Roche as the ball nestled in the bottom corner.
MORECAMBE 1, BURTON ALBION 1
FULL TIME: The Brewers started the second half brightly.
In the opening minute, Zola held the ball up well down the left and found Maghoma, who laid it back to Webster.
The left-back played a neat one-two with Palmer and fired in a low cross from the by-line which central defender Nick Fenton had to put over his own bar.
The home side responded and Atkins had to tip over a cross from Alessandra with 51 minutes gone.
However, it was the Brewers who took the lead two minutes later.
Palmer swung over an inswinging free-kick from the right to the far post.
Webster rose to head it back across goal and Zola was on hand to nod it past Roche on his birthday.
Peschisolido made his first change on 59 minutes, with Blanchett on for Nathan Stanton, who had clashed with an advertising board towards the end of the first half.
Blanchett slotted in at left-back, with Webster moving into the centre.
Kee almost gave Albion a 3-1 lead a minute later but his shot from the right channel was tipped round the far post by Roche.
With 25 minutes to go, left-back Laurence Wilson cut inside along the edge of the penalty area and curled a shot which looked destined for the far corner until Atkins tipped it away at the last minute.
The Shrimps were level three minutes later when midfielder Gary McDonald picked the ball up 25 yards from goal.
With Albion dropping off him, he advanced and fired a low shot into the corner of the net.
Peschisolido sent on Bolder for Kee with 18 minutes to go.
With three minutes to go, Maghoma cut in from the left but saw his shot beaten away by Roche.
At the other end, Wilson whipped in a free-kick from the left which substitute Danny Carlton just failed to meet at the near post, with midfielder Stewart Drummond firing over.
Two minutes into stoppage time and Peschisolido sent on Richards for Zola.
MORECAMBE 2, BURTON ALBION 2
