Exeter City suffered their first defeat of the League Two season as Kevin Ellison scored twice for Morecambe in a 2-0 win at the Globe Arena.
The Grecians had plenty of chances to have gone in front, but failed to take them. They then paid the price for a sloppy start to the second half as Ellison notched his first before wrapping up the points nine minutes from time.
Chances were few and far between in the first half with the Grecians having the best of those on 15 minutes. Dave Wheeler got away down the right and delivered a superb cross for Sam Parkin, but instead of going for goal, the City striker tried to head the ball back across goal and the chance went begging.
John O'Flynn also found himself with plenty of opportunities and he could have had a hat-trick in the first half alone. He saw a shot deflect wide of the far post before a shot across goal clipped the outside of the back post and went behind.
The Irishman then headed wastefully wide after latching onto a Parkin flick just before half-time, although Morecambe did have chances of their own in the first half. Aaron Dawson came to Exeter's rescue with a clearance off the line while Ryan Williams was twice off target with shots from distance.
However, the Shrimpers broke the deadlock within two minutes of the second half starting and it was awful from Exeter's point of view. Jack Sampson crossed from the right and picked out Ellison, who was completely unmarked 12 yards from goal. The burly striker picked his spot and headed emphatically past Krysiak.
Exeter's response was good though with Arron Davies firing a low shot that seemed destined for the corner, but Barry Roche was equal to it and pushed the ball behind.
Alan Gow and Jimmy Keohane were brought on for Doherty and Parkin as Paul Tisdale looked to change things and Danny Coles had a great chance to level only for his header to hit a defender and go behind.
Williams curled a free kick narrowly wide for the Shrimpers, with half of those inside the Globe Arena thinking the ball was in, but Ellison made the points safe when he lifted the ball over Krysiak and into the net despite the best efforts of Coles in trying to keep the ball at bay.
City needed a response and O'Flynn nearly provided it, but he was again off target, although his shot took a slight deflection.
Joe Mwasile forced Krysiak into a smart stop before O'Flynn's frustrating afternoon continued in stoppage time when he was denied by Roche after fashioning a chance for himself. Ellison was denied his hat-trick with the last chance of the game as he rounded Krysiak and shot goalwards, but Woodman cleared off the line. Morecambe (4-4-2): Roche; Parrish, Hughes, McCready, Diagne; Williams (Drummond 82), Kenyon, Fleming; Marshall (Mwasile 73), Sampson (Amond 82), Ellison. Substitutes (not used): Arestidou, Threlfall, Doyle, McGee. Goals: Ellison 47, 81Exeter City (4-4-2): Krysiak; Dawson, Bennett, Coles, Woodman; Wheeler (Reid 82), Oakley, Doherty (Keohane 64), Davies; O'Flynn, Parkin (Gow 64). Substitutes (not used): Pym (gk), Moore-Taylor, Grimes, Nichols. Referee: M Brown.
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