Derek Adams frustrated as Morecambe make their own problems

Morecambe boss Derek Adams said his side pressed the “self destruct button” once again as they let a two-goal lead slip against Barrow and slipped to six points from safety in League Two.

Adams saw his team take a two-goal lead into the break despite the sending off of Max Taylor on the half hour, but a huge missed chance from Andy Dallas and a critical goalkeeping error from Harry Burgoyne allowed the Bluebirds back into the game as Robbie Gotts and Tyler Smith secured a share of the spoils.

Adams said: “The game summed up our season and the football club – it was self-destruct. We went 1-0 ahead and had a player sent off and were cruising at 2-0 but then they got away with a foul for their first goal and we gave them a second with a goalkeeping error and that is the story of our season.

“We had chances to kill them off and make it 3-0 but didn’t do it and then made a mistake which let them back in it and that is what we have been doing all season and it has cost us all season.

“The work ethic was excellent but individual errors really cost us once again.”

Barrow head coach Andy Whing shared a very different emotion saying: “I’m really proud of the lads today.

“It was a bit of a bonkers game which I thought we dominated. They scored from their only two real chances which gave us a mountain to climb. But even at the break we knew there were goals in it for us and when Paul Farman made a great save to deny them a third I always knew we had it in us to get back into the game.

“We created loads of chances and to be honest I’m disappointed we didn’t go on to win the game but at 2-0 down away from home against a side fighting for their lives I’m proud the way we battled back and I thought the lads were outstanding.”

Morecambe started the game on the front foot and took the lead after nine minutes when Tom White played in Gwion Edwards who produced a cool finish.

The Shrimps were then reduced to 10 men just before the half hour when Taylor was shown a straight red card for catching Ben Whitfield with an elbow.

But despite being a man down, Morecambe remained a threat and doubled their lead in first-half injury time when the excellent Angol scored with a deflected shot from the edge of the area.

Dallas missed a glorious chance to make it 3-0 just after the break when he failed to take the ball round Farman and he was made to pay dearly for his miss with Robbie Gotts scoring from close range after Harry Burgoyne had saved well from a close range header on 63 minutes.

Burgoyne then gifted the Bluebirds an equaliser when he spilled a regulation Dean Campbell shot straight into the path of Tyler Smith to present him with an easy finish.

Barrow pushed for the winner with Cambell firing a late effort wide on the turn.