Morecambe boss Derek Adams hailed a “big win” for his struggling side after beating promotion-chasing AFC Wimbledon 1-0.
Lee Angol volleyed home from close range after 20 minutes to move the Shrimps one point from safety and condemn Wimbledon to a second successive defeat which harmed their top-three hopes.
Adams said: “I’m delighted for the players and the fans with the win against a good side like Wimbledon who are at the top end of the table.
“I thought the performance was excellent. The team spirit, attitude and application was there for all to see as we pressed and harried them and it was such a big win for us.
“We had to defend well because they do put a lot of crosses into the box and have good set-plays but on the flip side we could have scored more goals if we had taken our opportunities.”
Angol scored the decisive goal with a back-post finish from a Yann Songo’o lay-off and it proved to be decisive.
Wimbledon had started the game strongly with Alistair Smith testing Harry Burgoyne with a shot before heading a Josh Neufville cross from close range wide.
Morecambe came into it with Luke Hendrie’s cross volleyed just wide by Paul Lewis before Angol’s strike.
Wimbledon forced Burgoyne into two routine saves early in the second period but it was Morecambe who went closest to scoring as Ged Garner headed wide twice from good openings and Gwion Edwards blazed over after working a good chance for himself in the closing stages.
Wimbledon boss Johnnie Jackson was an unhappy man after the game.
He said: “It’s deeply frustrating because it’s a game we shouldn’t lose. We dominated possession and dominated territory and had enough play in their half to have something to show for it but haven’t.
“I was disappointed with the goal we conceded but we had enough time to get back into it but for all our possession we haven’t scored a goal. We need to be more clinical.
“It’s not like we didn’t get in good areas. We got in some good crosses but clearly not showing the cutting edge we need to get the ball in the net.
“We have now lost two games on the bounce 1-0 to soft goals and there is a lot of frustration in there because we know we are better than that and there will have to be a reaction. We have had a bad few days but there is still a long way to go.”
