Stockton and Ayunga give Morecambe reasons to keep believing with an excellent comeback against Wycombe Wanderers

Embed from Getty Images

Cole Stockton just seems inevitable this season but do not overlook Jonah Ayunga’s contribution as the pair inspired Morecambe to a 3-2 win over Wycombe Wanderers.

As the visitors took the lead for the second time in the game through Jack Grimmer’s low hit volley, it would have been easy to believe that the side who topped League One before this gameweek was not to be stopped.

Yet the Shrimps still believed, and it is not hard to think where their fighting spirit came from after years of battling against the odds to survive in League Two.

Nobody thought Morecambe could ever achieve promotion from the fourth tier of English Football, but now they have proved that the step up was not too much for them.

Much of their success is down to Cole Stockton, the man who scored his 20th goal this season, a feat that comes as a shock to many fans of his previous clubs.

If anyone was to score the winner against Gareth Ainsworth’s powerful Wycombe side, it had to be the long-haired centre forward, but Ayunga arguably was Morecambe’s best player based on the whole performance.

The former Bristol Rovers man does not seem to be your stereotypical winger, standing at six foot one, but then that maybe deceives the opposition’s full-back.

Ayunga was the Shrimps’ go-to man in the first half creating chances and causing problems for the Chairboys’ defence.

He certainly deserved his goal for the equaliser, following up on Stockton’s effort that was only parried by David Stockdale, which made it a simple finish for the Morecambe’s number 17.

His lofted pass to find Stockton for the winner was simply sublime.

It proved that despite Ayunga’s lumbering appearances, he has the skill and quality to aide his fellow goalscorer in helping Morecambe avoid the drop back to League Two.

The well-built attacker has all the attributes to be a success at League One level. He is relentless in his offensive play and is constantly looking to force his way past the full-back.

Wycombe played a 3-4-1-2 formation which often left the ageing Joe Jacobson up against the 24-year-old forward, and Ayunga’s exuberance often troubled the Wycombe backline.

Both Stockton and Ayunga are players that have had to fight for their careers after being released by various clubs, and that might be why they have a ‘never say die’ spirit because it has been instilled into them throughout their careers.

Morecambe boss Stephen Robinson has experience going above expectation, especially during his time at Motherwell, and he seems to have had a similarly positive effect at the Shrimps.

In his post-match press conference, the Northern Irishman spoke of the fight his side showed against the strong Chairboys team.

“The response was excellent, they went in the lead, and we come back again, and they just showed character after character to fight back.

“They did that in the last four games, especially the last four games, but they’ve done it all season. There was a little bit of momentum and belief building in the players as well.

“If we survive this season, from when I took over, it will be my biggest achievement.”

Robinson’s comment about keeping the Mazuma Stadium based side up this season as his biggest achievement may raise eyebrows considering his achievements at the Well, but Morecambe were not expected to be competitive this season.

The Shrimps boss is trying to instil an attractive style of play at the club with the limited resources at his disposal.

One area Robinson may be hoping to strengthen is the defence, with Adebayo Akinfenwa bullying Morecambe’s defence at many points throughout the game.

The 39-year-old seems to age like a fine wine, with his unique physique for a professional footballer still a great help to his side, and the frontman’s touch is as crisp as ever.

However, not many would have expected the man nicknamed “The Beast” to be able to acrobatically convert a diving header to give Wycombe a two-minute lead.

However, Morecambe did not panic. Instead, they pushed the opposition back and won a corner through Ayunga, which captain Anthony O’Connor headed home from Aaron Wildig’s delivery.

If the Shrimps can keep hold of their positive attitude, they will likely be able to secure another season in League One but hanging onto Stockton and Ayunga might prove difficult in the summer.

There finally seems to be sunshine on Morecambe’s previously dark horizon.

Follow us on Twitter @ProstInt

[columns]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”3055″ heading=”League One” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[column size=”1/2″][blog type=”timeline” posts=”10″ cats=”609″ heading=”EFL” heading_type=”timeline” /][/column]
[/columns]