Ellison helps down former employers as Exiles ease to third straight win
Michael Flynn's side are now fourth in League Two after easing to a well deserved victory at the Globe Arena
Sunday 14th March 2021
Kevin Ellison got his chance to show he still has much to offer as he came off the bench and hammered home the goal against his former club that ensured Newport County made it three in a row.
The 42-year-old was given the chance to make a point to the home side’s manager, Derek Adams, when Nicky Maynard back heeled the ball into his path on the edge of the area in the 79 th minute.
It must as felt as though all his Christmases and birthdays had come together for the oldest outfield player in the Football League and he made no mistake at a ground he knows so well having made almost 400 appearances over a nine-year, loyal stint with The Shrimps.
He even spent a week as interim manager before Adams was given the job in November, 2019. At the end of the season Adams told Ellison he was surplus to his requirements. Michael Flynn had no hesitation in snapping him up and after scoring his vital goal he peeled off and ran to the home dug out to let Adams know what he felt about scoring, and probably what he felt about him.
That goal made the game safe against a home side reduced to 10 men after only 38 minutes when their skipper, Sam Lavelle, was sent off by referee Andy Haines for being the last man as he pulled down Ryan Taylor.
At that stage, the game was all square at one goal apiece after County had got off to a flying start with an eighth minute penalty from Matty Dolan. Picking up where he had left off on Tuesday night with his 96 th minute spot kick to beat Bradford, Dolan stepped up after the referee had correctly spotted a hand ball as Scot Bennett hoisted the ball into the home area.
He beat former Wales squad goalkeeper Kyle Letheren with a shot that crept inside the right hand post and a confident County were on their way.
The only blemish as they continued to grow in confidence was allowing Yann Songo'o too much time on the ball in the 20 th minute and paying the price. The Morecambe midfielder looked up, took aim and thundered an unstoppable 30 yard shot past Nick Townsend to level things up.
The sending off created more space for the visitors to pass the ball around the field and next to pull the trigger was Josh Sheehan. He cut inside between two men on the left edge of the box and fired the ball underneath Letheren and into the goal on the stroke of half-time.
Morecambe continued to look dangerous breaking forward, but Newport kept the game largely under control. Then on came Ellison for his moment of destiny. He loved it, Adams hated it and the three points went to County to allow them to move up to fourth and back within striking range of the automatic promotion places.
Morecambe (4-1-4-1): Letheren, Mellor, Gibson (Cooney 66), Lavelle (captain), Davis; Songo'o; O'Sullivan (Hendrie 66), Wildig (Denny 82), Diagouraga (Pringle 82), Mendes Gomes; Stockton (McAlinden 66)
Subs Unused: Halstead, Price
Newport County (3-5-2) : Townsend; Demetriou, Dolan, Farquharson (Longe-King 84); Shephard, Lewis, Labadie (captain), Sheehan, Bennett (Ellison 69); Taylor (Telford 87), Amond (Maynard 69)
Subs Unused: King, Hartigan, Scrimshaw
Referee : Andy Haines
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.