Morecambe secured a dramatic, late victory against Altrincham in a match of high incident at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium. Referee Oliver Mackey oversaw a game punctuated by numerous yellow cards and tactical substitutions, alongside the three goals that ultimately decided the contest.
Morecambe drew first blood early on. In the 6th minute, Ben Tollitt put the home side ahead, sparking celebrations amongst the Morecambe faithful. Altrincham responded well, however, and began to assert themselves. The first half also saw yellow cards issued to Isaac Marriott and Charlie Kirk of Altrincham, and Gwion Edwards and Ben Williams of Morecambe, highlighting a fiercely contested midfield battle.
Altrincham found their equaliser in the 34th minute when Jimmy Knowles found the back of the net, assisted by Lewis Banks, levelling the score and silencing the home crowd. Both teams continued to press for a go-ahead goal before the halftime whistle, but neither could find the breakthrough.
The second half saw both managers making tactical adjustments in an attempt to gain the upper hand. Altrincham made a double substitution in the 67th minute, bringing on James Gale for Charlie Kirk and Elliot Osborne for Isaac Marriott. Morecambe responded almost immediately, replacing Ben Williams with Ma’kel Bogle-Campbell in the 68th minute. Altrincham then introduced Matthew Kosylo for Keaton Ward in the 75th minute. Morecambe made a change of their own in the 77th minute, bringing on Daniel Ogwuru for Raheem Conte. The match became increasingly tense as the clock ticked down, with Jake Cain of Morecambe receiving a yellow card in the 84th minute. Goalkeeper Archie Mair also saw yellow for Morecambe in the 90th minute.
The game appeared destined for a draw, but Morecambe had other ideas. In the 98th minute, substitute Daniel Ogwuru scored, assisted by Ben Tollitt, securing a very late victory for the home side. Even in the dying moments, the drama continued, with Kahrel Reddin of Altrincham receiving a yellow card in the 100th minute.
This win provides Morecambe with a positive start, placing them in the top half of the table in these early stages of the season. For Altrincham, this defeat continues a difficult run of form, leaving them in the lower reaches of the standings.