Morecambe 2, Newport County 1
Michael Flynn was shocked by his Newport County team at the Globe Arena, Morecambe.
He was bitterly disappointed with the League Two defeat, while it was the manner of this loss which really hurt.
“It was gutless, spineless and I’ve told the players that,” said manager Flynn when he emerged from the dressing room.
“It was very disappointing. That’s not a performance I like to be associated with.
“I’m the first one to give them credit, but today it was a terrible, terrible performance.”
County went into the fixture knowing they were within reach of third place if other results went their way. Instead, they dropped to ninth.
They are, though, still in touching distance of the play-off positions if they can bounce back fast.
Morecambe, whose team included former Cardiff City midfield player Aaron Wildig, were a team in poor form going into this fixture. They were 20th in the table and without a win in last eight league and cup fixtures.
Indeed, they had failed to score in four of their previous.
Newport, though, did not seem fired up for what was always going to be a difficult match.
And, once again, it was veteran Kevin Ellison who caught them out.
Ellison, aged 38 and a former Stockport, Tranmere, Chester and Rotherham player, scored both Morecambe goals.
The Liverpool-born hit-man has netted against the Exiles in four different games and won three penalties since their return to the Football League.
Frank Nouble hit the bar for Newport before Ellison scored his first on 34 minutes.
Defender Scott Bennett equalised less than two minutes later, but Ellison had the last word when he deflected home an Adam Campbell shot with 10 minutes left.
Morecambe: Roche, McGowan, Old, Müller, Brough, Kenyon (Fleming 84), Osborne (Rose 59), Thompson, Wildig (Campbell
76), Ellison, McGurk. Subs not used: Nizic, Lavelle, Lund, Lang.
Newport County: Day, Pipe, Bennett (McCoulsky 83), White, Demetriou, Butler, Dolan (Rigg 46), Tozer, Owen-Evans (Reynolds 66), Amond, Nouble. Subs not used: Willmott, Quigley, Bittner, Jahraldo-Martin.
Referee: Darren Drysdale
Attendance: 1,189