Ten-man Town had to show character once again but Elijah Adebayo’s first-half finish, and second goal in as many games, was enough to get them over the line.
The victory is the Robins’ first on the road this season, as they also claim their first clean sheet.
Kyle Knoyle was sent off on 35 minutes for a tackle on Aaron Wildig, but Town managed to grind out a huge win.
The visitors started brightly and were sprightly on the counter-attack – an early forage down the right almost saw Adebayo on the end of a Keshi Anderson cross.
New man Luke Woolfenden found his feet very quickly – a floated pass found Adebayo again and his one-two with Michael Doughty almost paid dividends again but Morecambe’s Zak Mills got back to slide in and clear.
The Town were making good headway down the left – Michael Doughty won the ball back off Mills with a hard sliding tackle which found Matt Taylor. Marc Richards had Taylor’s cross nicked off his forehead by Steve Old.
After starting the better of the two sides, Phil Brown’s side were given a little wake-up call – Aaron Wildig crossed finding Vadaine Oliver who couldn’t get over the ball and headed over.
It wasn’t the end of Town’s dominant spell though. On 16 minutes Adebayo ran at his full-back, finding Steven Alzate with a drilled pass – he flicked on to Keshi Anderson who couldn’t get his shot past Old.
Sid Nelson looked to show the forwards how it was done but he couldn’t quite guide his header towards goal after Taylor found him from a free-kick.
On 25 minutes, the travelling side’s hard work paid off, however – Marc Richards held the ball up, turned and slipped Adebayo in. The Fulham loanee held his run fantastically and coolly slotted past Barry Roche in the Shrimps goal. Two in two for the big striker.
Morecambe reacted though, rallying with a set-piece that kickstarted an almighty goalmouth scramble – someone cleared the ball from inside a mass of bodies.
Kyle Knoyle had his first adventure forward clipping a ball to the back post where Adebayo couldn’t stretch his neck to put any sort of power on the ball. Roche gathered easily.
Then the turning point came – Knoyle attacked a 50/50 over-zealously and caught Aaron Wildig high. Referee, Paul Marsden didn’t hesitate in pulling out the red card.
Phil Brown reacted with a change – Keshi Anderson was sacrificed, Olly Lancashire came into the fold.
Town had to fight to keep their lead before the interval – Sid Nelson slid in to thwart Leitch-Smith before Luke McCormick somehow palmed Liam Mandeville’s shot away from goal.
Town went in one goal up, but a man down.
The second half was tighter than the first – chances were few and far between with both sides struggling to really create anything clear cut.
As the half went on a became clear that Town were going to have to grind this one out – but that didn’t stop them from creating the two best chances of the half.
Adebayo spun his man but this time he couldn’t beat Roche – McGlashan was next to go close but Roche was quick off his line to deny the substitute.
McCormick was called into action numerous times in the final 20 minutes – he had to stop Jason Oswell’s header late on and with the ball loose Sid Nelson was on-hand to scoop the ball clear.
Town were good value for a very well-fought away win.
