Morecambe 1 Barnet 1

Last updated : 15 March 2003 By Footymad Previewer

Morecambe were denied their fifth successive victory by a brave display from a weakened Barnet.

The visitors, who had seven first team regulars missing, produced an excellent spoiling display to halt Morecambe's play-off charge. They even had the audacity to take an early lead.

There were just eight minutes on the clock when Wayne Purser latched on to a Keith Rowland through ball to score with a left-foot shot that sneaked into the bottom left hand corner of Craig Mawson's goal.

The Shrimps immediately raised the tempo with Robbie Talbot fluffing a shot on the right hand side before Barnet keeper Danny Naisbitt did well to race from his goal to block Adriano Rigoglioso's attempted lob.

But it wasn't long before Morecambe were back on level terms.

On 23 minutes the Shrimps broke quickly through midfield, Talbot teed up Lee Elam who raced past Greg Heald before stabbing the ball under the advancing Naisbitt.

A minute later it was almost 2-1 to the home side when Gary Thompson had a good opening on the right but pulled his shot wide of the goal.

After soaking up some pressure Barnet broke themselves with Frazer Toms racing through on goal only to see his left foot effort superbly saved by Mawson.

The second half provided few thrills or spills until the final stages. On 75 minutes Morecambe substitute Wayne Curtis thought he had scored his side's second with a good shot on the turn that curled into the net but an offside flag robbed him of his 15th goal of the season.

Morecambe continued to pile on the pressure with Naisbitt doing well to cut out a Talbot cross before producing the save of the game 11 minutes from time when he denied Elam a second.

The final moment saw Barnet almost shock the home side for a second time with Toms drilling an effort inches wide after being allowed space to run at the Morecambe defence.

But the last action was at the other end with Naisbitt making a good save from Jamie Murphy's injury time header.

HASH(0x8b768c0)