Second win means ‘fantastic’ Easter weekend for Ged Brannan and Morecambe

Morecambe boss Ged Brannan hailed a “fantastic weekend” after his side sealed a second successive win to keep their play-off hopes very much alive.

The Shrimps followed up a 2-1 win over Accrington on Good Friday with a similar success against Barrow, with early goals from David Tutonda and Gwion Edwards giving them the advantage before Ben Whitfield’s 89th-minute strike ensured a frantic finale.

Brannan said: “It was a fantastic win for us and a fantastic weekend with two Derby wins that keeps us right in there.

“I can’t praise the lads enough today because they showed what massive Hearts they have. We started the game superbly and got two goals but they had us pinned in our half after the break and we had to show great character to seal the win.

“We said we would press them right from the start and it worked well for us and we got the two early goals. Our set-pieces were excellent today and put us in a good place but we had to show the other side of our game at the end to keep them at arm’s length and keep hold of the three points.”

Tutonda gave Morecambe the lead in the fourth minute when he got the final touch to a Charlie Brown corner.

And the home side doubled their lead seven minutes later when Barrow gave the ball away just outside their own area and Edwards was given a free run on goal to round Paul Farman and slot the ball home.

Barrow looked to hit back, with Archie Mair saving well from Cole Stockton in the first half and getting down to block a late Emile Acquah header.

The Bluebirds set up a frantic final when Whitfield scored from close range after Mair had saved from Sam Foley but the Shrimps held on to clinch the victory.

Barrow boss Pete Wild felt his side dominated possession but were undone by the two early goals.

He said: “It was a frustrating afternoon because we completely dominated but we conceded a poor set-piece early on and then gifted them a chance for a second.

“That was so unlike us and when you give away a two-goal lead you find it hard to get back in the game.

“We tried something different in the second half and it worked a dream and had them pinned in their own penalty box for most of the half but we just couldn’t get the ball over the line.

“I’ve had to tell the players that it was just one of those days and to put the result to the back of their minds and get back to it on Saturday.”