Saving Shrimps

Scunthorpe United 3-1 Morecambe (National League)

Scunthorpe United fans know all about suffering concerns of their clubs uncertain future after financial hardship, multiple relegation and threatened administration, now a ship steadied and sailing through much calmer waters steered brilliantly by a local businesswoman in Michelle Harness, helped by a good Manager in Andy Butler with a decent playing squad, a community club that has supporters now rallying behind its team with positivity and optimism as the Iron climb up the National League.

Morecambe have had their troubles well documented in the summer after relegation from the Football League, for three years they have induced seriously bad financial issues under previous owner Jason Whittingham and finally, came under new regime after it all looked too late. Panjab Warriors the new owners of the club, saving Morecambe FC from possible extinction, their first job was to pay some owed bills and get in a new manager, Ashvir Singh Johal becoming the first Sikh to Manage a professional football club in England, his first job was to add to the five players contracted to the club when the league season in August was already under way.

And after a promising start where Morecambe beat Altrincham 2-1 in their delayed season opener with a new look side, things haven't gone quite so smooth for the Shrimps who foot the bottom of the table, with games in hand they have a long hard season on their hands, but if they take a leaf out of Scunthorpe's book, survival is not just where they finish in the league, but more importantly in staying afloat regardless of their tabled position come May. Achieve that and better days will come, I promise.

Formed in 1920 where they played Lancashire Combination league football, Morecambe were a Northern Premier League club from 1968 to 1995, winning the FA Trophy in 1974 when they beat Dartford at Wembley.

After twelve years in the fifth tier, they reached the Football League in 2007 and stayed there for 18 years, gaining promotion to League One in 2021 but in the years since, the slide has disappointingly slid low, it seems the Shrimps could even be heading back down again, for a third relegation in four years.

That said, there's still plenty of football still to be played. Tonight's game rearranged, was supposed to be earlier in the season when Morecambe didn't even have a team.

On to today, it's my second Scunthorpe match of the season, my second since Saturday in fact, as I head along a route I'm now familiar with, north of Lincoln up the A46 and A15 towards signposts for Grimsby and Hull, before turning left away from the Humber, on the M181.

The Venue

I'm parking on an estate behind the ground which is a short walk through the club’s huge car park, the roads around here all named after towns in Derbyshire, like Chesterfield, Ripley and Glossop.

It seems quieter and calmer tonight than it did against Carlisle on Saturday as I walk past the Iron Bar and towards the media entrance, where for some reason there's no list on the door tonight. I'm told to go to reception to see if my name is down before angling my way in without that unwarranted nuisance of extra yards. "Just walk through this gate" I'm eventually told after arguing my case.

Inside, I grab a cup of tea before heading up to the media seated tables in the back of the corporate padded seat section, same place as Saturday, post slightly obscuring the box to my left, radio coverage for both Scunny and Morecambe sitting close by, a sole media representee from Morecambe sits track suited alone.

There’s 86 visiting supporters in the ground to my right, as the numbers slowly half fill the stadium tonight, Scunthorpe are cheered out in their Burnley-esq claret and blue, Morecambe in white and black, as they enter the Attis Arena to applause, a four-sided straight edged bowl propped up by plenty of steel posts rising from the floor.

The Game

The early exchanges are neat and tidy interchanges, Morecambe are typically, not as bad as you think, whilst Scunthorpe’s start isn’t perhaps as good as you would expect. The home side having made a few changes from the weekend, one enforced, with Jean Belahouan playing centre half for the suspended Andrew Boyce who was sent off against Carlisle, 4-3-3, there’s a start for Joe Rowley in midfield as Declan Howe and Danny Whitehall are brought back to add some goal threat in attack.

I actually like the principles of Morecambe’s team set up by Ashvir Singh Johal, a relative mix of youth and experience, he wants to get it out and play from the back, problem is goalkeeper Archie Mair is shaky with it at his feet, but both centre halves are good, comfortable in possession, I liked Ludwig Francillette having seen him play for Eastleigh previously, beside him, young Albanian international, Maldini Kacurri, on loan from Arsenal, thick set and confident, looks a good player with the ball at his feet.

The full back areas impress me less, at left back midfielder Jake Cain with ten on his back fills in, whilst in midfield they lack a bit of physical presence and legs, George Thomas sits with the smooth looking Dixon-Bonner and Miguel Azeez struggling to stamp authority, but pulling the strings is left sider Gwion Edwards, the Shrimps captain formerly of Ipswich Town has already turned right back Starbuck inside out to deliver a cross to Aarons who should have scored, he’s also cut in and blazed over to offer two scares to Scunthorpe, who’s high line has been caught out a couple of times, on occasion helped by the linesman’s flag.

The Score

We are creeping towards half time and it’s the away side who are doing well, just as you feel it could be ‘one of those nights’ for Scunthorpe their talisman, Callum Roberts, is set free, running into the box he has time and space, too much of it, only one outcome is possible with the ball on his brilliant left foot, Roberts curls home into the corner to put Scunny one up.

There’s minutes of madness as Roberts replaces his shirt having torn it during the celebrations, a booking for Dixon-Bonner following a foul thirty yards out, Danny Whitehall, recalled to add goals after being benched for the defeat by Carlisle where Scunthorpe blanked, lines it up, takes aim by curling home, into the bottom corner, brilliantly, right footed, I've seen him do that before, Scunthorpe are two up, and now probably out of sight.

It’s harsh on Morecambe who I don’t think have played badly in the first half, twice undone, one exceptional free kick, the other perhaps not helped by their lack of a left back.

And the second half crawls towards the finish line with an air of inevitability, Morecambe now lacking belief, Scunthorpe strutting with sideways balls along the surface, probing for another opportunity, they tickle the Shrimps back-line without really penetrating, the ball is very much owned by claret and blue, but something out of nothing comes on 70 minutes, a lovely flowing football goal ends with Cain crossing to Tollitt who is unmarked at the back post, the home side switching off, to suddenly be themselves, in a game again.

But that goal mattered not, some instant changes made and fresh legs in Tyrell Sellars-Fleming who's lively, he already looked hungry before picking up the ball and driving at the visitors defence, cutting in from the left he whipped low, left footed, into the corner to wrap up the nights work, and give Scunthorpe all three points, taking them back up to fourth in the table, just two points from Rochdale who sit top.

The Stars

On loan from Hull City, Tyrell Sellars-Fleming looked to have the bit between his teeth after coming off the bench for the final twenty minutes. He was subbed at half time when Scunthorpe were down to ten men on Saturday, never really got going, but tonight he looked sharp, powerful, quick, and a serious talent, just 20 years old.

Exposed a little at the back tonight, Scunthorpe didn’t defend brilliantly, the away team had chances and made goalkeeper Rory Watson work, but individually, I like Belehouan, Evans is thick set, solid, loves a long ball, Denton and Starbuck both get forward well, in Branden Horton who came on late at left back, Scunthorpe also have depth to their defence.

In midfield, Joe Rowley was awarded sponsors man of the match, he played the ball too often back and sideways, but he has really good feet and is neat in that holding role, not the best nights for Oli Ewing or Alfie Beestin who still put in their shifts, the attacking trio of Roberts, Howe and Whitehall I really like, all dangerous in their own way, and all should achieve double figures this season.

For Morecambe, they have some good players with a lot of promise, in defence, Maldini Kacurri, named deliberately after the Italian legendary defender, might not be up to the levels of the former AC Milan star, but he’s game, he’s gritty, he likes to drive forward on the ball, and beside Ludwig Francillette I think gives Morecambe a good solid defensive base, they just need to fill in the pieces around them to improve.

In midfield, talented are Miguel Azeez, brother of Millwall’s Femi, and Elijah Dixon-Bonner, but they did lack some steel and bite, out wide they have a proper footballer in Gwion Edwards, who faded during the second half, I also like Jack Nolan who was on the bench, and Yann Songo’o who was on the bench, both should be starting for me, whilst another substitute, Emmerson Sutton, on loan from QPR, has something about him, swagger, speed, skill, only 18 years old, I want to see much more of him, please.

The Verdict

Scunthorpe have a real opportunity this season to trouble the promotion pretenders and get back, in the Football League, where I feel a club like this, belongs.

They have a good squad, decent depth, plenty of goals, will certainly be in the mx, whilst Morecambe, well they might go down, currently on eight points from twelve games, whilst all is not lost, they will certainly be competitive in the division due to the way they play, and the players they have, I would like to see some faith in the long term plan, as even with relegation, I back them to bounce back, I think they are in good hands, transitional hands, they just need more time and love to adapt, to be at the levels they need to be at.

The Teams

Scunthorpe United: Rory Watson, Joe Starbuck, Jean Belehouan. Will Evans, Tyler Denton (Branden Horton 71), Joe Rowley, Oli Ewing (Kian Scales 63), Alfie Beestin (Zain Westbrooke 63), Declan Howe (Tyrell Sellars-Fleming 70), Callum Roberts, Danny Whitehall (Joey Dawson 79).

Morecambe: Archie Mair, Lewis Payne, Maldini Kacurri, Ludwig Francillette, Jake Cain, George Thomas (Arjan Raikhy 71), Elijah Dixon-Bonner (Yann Songo'o 59), Miguel Azeez, Rolando Aarons (Emmerson Sutton 71), Gwion Edwards (Jack Nolan 59), Ben Tollitt (Harry Panayiotou 83).

7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 7th October 2025, Glanford Park, Scunthorpe (att 4,126).