September 26, 2026
Today saw Fatbear’s first visit to Court Place Farm since the opening day 1-0 victory over Bedford Town, with former Football League club Morecambe making their first ever appearance at Oxford City.
Oxford City Update
The Hoops had been in impressive form and came into today’s game in second place in National League North with a 6-1-2 record. Their results away from home had been particularly impressive, with wins at Spalding United ( 1-0 ), Spennymoor ( 4-1 ), Worksop Town ( 1-0 ) and Radcliffe ( 3-0 ). The only set-back away from Marsh Lane was a 0-1 reverse at AFC Telford, when top scorer Tyrone Marsh was suspended.
At home, a frustrating 1-1 draw had been played out against Harborough Town, Buxton had performed a 2-3 ambush to leave win the three points, but Chorley had been despatched 4-0.
Oxford City had progressed in the FA Cup with a 2-0 win at step 4 Dorchester Town, which had been rewarded with a home tie in the next round against step 3 Enfield Town of the Isthmian League Premier Division.
Oxford City’s average home attendance so far this season was 926.
Morecambe
Morecambe is a seaside town in Lancashire on the Irish sea with a population of around 35,000. It is perhaps most famous for comedian Eric Morecambe, who took his stage name from his home town.
Morecambe is also known for its off-shore fishing, and as a result its football team is known as The Shrimpers.
Morecambe FC were founded in 1920 and progressed through the local leagues until achieving promotion to the National League at the end of the 1994-95, although the FA Trophy had been won in 1973/74 with a 2-1 victory at Wembley over Dartford.
In 2005/06 Morecambe lost in the promotion play-offs to Hereford United, but made amends in the following season, beating York City in the play-off semi-final, then overcoming Exeter City 2-1 at Wembley to achieve promotion to the Football League.
Morecambe’s first season in the Football League saw them finish in 11th place, and their league status was narrowly retained over the subsequent seasons until 2020/21, when a fourth placed finish saw them overcome Tranmere Rovers in the promotion play-off semi-final, then Newport County were beaten 1-0 in extra time in the Wembley final to see the Shrimpers promoted to the third tier.
The Shrimpers achieved a 19th place finish in their first season in League One, but financial problems contributed to the club being relegated at the end of the end of the 2022/23.
Despite the ongoing financial issues, Morecambe finished in 15th in their first season back in League 2. However, this only delayed the inevitable, and the club finished bottom at the end of the 2023/24 season, 13 points from safety.
Their return to the National League was problematic, with their first three matches being postponed as uncertainty over their viability to complete the season persisted. However, the sale of the club to the Punjab Warriors was eventually completed, and the Shrimpers were permitted to start playing. Despite, or perhaps because of, signing a whole new squad from scratch, Morecombe could only finish in 22nd place, 8 points from safety and were condemned to playing in step 2 for the first time since 1995.
The consequence of relegation saw 18 players released, including Ludwig Francillette, who joined Oxford City, and again a new squad needed to be assembled for this season.
When Morecambe achieved promotion to the Football League in 2007 they were playing at Christie Park, but a new stadium was already in the pipe-line, and Morecambe move in to the Globe Arena in 2010. The stadium has also been known as The Bay Stadium, before the current sponsorship had named it the Halo Aerospace Stadium. The official capacity is 6,473, with 2,173 seats.
Morecambe’s home colours are red and black stripped shirts, with white shorts and red socks.
Last season’s average attendance was 2,916 but was only 2,277 at the early stage of this season.
Watching Morecambe
Fatbear had seen Morecambe on two occasions. In August 2008, Fatbear paid £19 to see the opening game of Morecambe’s second season in the Football League at Wycombe Wanderers, and in front of a crowd of 4,021, defender David Artell’s second half equaliser gave The Shrimpers a 1-1 draw.
In February 2018, Fatbear took Mrs Fatbear to the match-day hospitality at Wycombe, where £45 each was ridiculously good value for a prime seat, a three-course meal, parking outside the main stand, a programme, team-sheet, pre-and post-match presentations, half-time tea/coffees and biscuits, and access to a pay bar.
On the pitch, 39-year-old Morecambe midfielder Kevin Ellison was in a different class, despite being the wind-up merchant that you love when he is in your side and hate when in the opposition. Wycombe were in 2nd place with Morecambe in 22nd place in League 2, but Ellison’s two goals and an outstanding overall performance led The Shrimpers to an unexpected 4 goal lead, before two late consolation goals made the scoreline a little more respectable for Wycombe at 2-4. Wycombe went on to win automatic promotion, whilst Morecambe stayed up on goal difference !
Morecambe This Season
Morecambe came into today’s game with a 4-1-4 record to sit in 10th place in National League North. Their form had been noticeable better at home, starting with a 1-1 draw with Spennymoor, then a 0-1 home defeat to highly fancied South Shields, before beating AFC Telford 2-1 and Buxton 4-0. Last Saturday, Southport were beaten 2-0 in the FA Cup, where they will host Darlington in the next round.
The Shrimpers’ away form had not been so smart, with losses at Harborough Town ( 0-1 ), Radcliffe ( 1-2 ) and Southport ( 1-2 ), although Chester City had been beaten 1-0.
Morecambe Squad
Ex-Huddersfield, Harrogate and Hartlepool midfielder Matty Daly was the joint top scorer this season with 3 goals, alongside ex-Barrow, Stockport County, Telford and Chorley midfielder Eliott Newby.
Keeper Myles Boney started at Blackpool but then played over 160 times for South Shields, Welsh Under 21 international defender Cameron Coxe had started his career at Cardiff before moving on to Colchester and Boreham Wood ( and was part of the Wood side that were hammered 4-0 in the National League at Oxford City in 2023 ), whereas Welsh left-back Ben Williams was ex-Barnsley, Cheltenham and Carlisle United.
Veteran centre-back Liam Hogan had played for Halifax, Tranmere, Gateshead, Salford, Stockport County, Oldham Athletic and Rochdale, whilst fellow centre-back Lewis Baines was ex-Altrincham and Chorley.
Central-midfielder Paul Lewis had previously played for Macclesfield, Cambridge United, Tranmere Rovers and Northampton Town, whilst midfielder Jake Cain was ex-Newport County and Swindon. Centre-forward Ronnie Blois was previously with Leiston Town and midfielder Ruben Curley was on loan from Stoke City.
Veteran striker Joe Garner had done the rounds at Carlisle, Nottingham Forest, Watford, Glasgow Rangers, Ipswich and Fleetwood amongst others, and was a substitute for Oldham Athletic at Crawley Town last season in a game covered by these diaries.
Midfielder Isaac Buckley-Ricketts had started at Manchester City and had been loaned to FC Twente and Oxford United before playing for Warrington Town, Curzon Ashton and Macclesfield.
Morecambe’s manager was Adam Lakeland, who left Halifax in the summer to join the Shrimpers on a 3-year contract.
Matchday Information
According to AA Route Planner, the journey from Morecambe to Oxford is 210 miles via the M6, M42 and M40, and should normally take around just under 4 hours. A sold-out coach was leaving Morecambe at 08.45 am !
For some reason the match was segregated and it looked like around 150 Shrimps fans had made the journey.
Tickets for today’s match were £13 online or £16 at the gate for adults. There were a whole range of reductions depending on ages, from seniors to children.
Oxford City had restarted producing printed programmes for this season, at a cost of £3.50, and free team sheets were also given out. A cup of tea cost £2.50 but many fans from both sides were happily drinking their pints whilst watching the game, so perhaps Andy Burnham should start going to National League North matches rather than to Everton !
The weather at the 15.00 kick-off was sunny and 19 degrees.
Bet365 made Oxford City 21/20 favourites, with Morecambe at 19/10 and the draw at 5/2.
The Oxford City starting XI showed three changes from the side that started in the FA Cup at Dorchester, with the return of Dejan Tetek, Scott Pollock and Ellis Brown, with Zac McEachran and Tyrae Njogu dropping to the bench and Dillon Da Silva away on international duty with Sri Lanka. In comparison, Morecambe made just one change to their victorious side in the FA Cup, with Garner replacing Blois, who was missing altogether from their match day squad.
Morecambe were playing in their usual red and black stripes, although the back of the shirts were all red. Oxford City were in their usual blue and white hoops with blue shorts and socks
Match Report
The match started at a frantic pace, with play going from end to end. From a Morecambe free-kick, Garner flicked on for Daly but Hoops left-back Evan Humphries did well to shepherd the ball off for a goal-kick.
Francillette played a long ball out of the Oxford City defence to Briar Bateman who played in Pollock, but a good tackle saw the ball go out of play and a goal-kick was given.
In the third minute a left-wing cross from Brown was kept in play by Bateman’s header. Josh Ashby was first to the loose ball but was forced out wide then crowded out by the Morecambe defence.
Ashby and Pollock were then involved in a nice passing movement to release Brown down the left wing but the low ball into the Morecambe area was cut-out by Hogan.
Humphries then again did well defensively under pressure from Lewis to earn a goal-kick for Oxford City.
The referee had given a series of soft free-kicks to the visitors but then missed a more obvious foul on Newby !
The home side nearly shot themselves in the foot when keeper Jonny Maxted passed straight to Daly, but the ball intended for Teddy Collis at the far post was over hit.
The first yellow card of the match arrived in the 16th minute when Collis tripped Ashby as the Oxford City midfielder ran past him.
Morecambe full-back Coxe appeared to be hurt whilst trying to tackle Brown but made a remarkable recovery after seemingly being shot by a snipper in the stands.
It was then the Morecambe keeper’s turn to make a careless clearance out of defence, passing to Pollock, who laid the ball off to Tetek, whose shot from the edge of the area, took a deflection and looped high in the air for Boney to catch and spare his own blushes.
With 26 minutes played, an in-swinging free-kick from Morecambe full-back Williams was headed a couple of feet wide by Garner. It wasn’t clear if the referee had awarded a free-kick for offside, he made a strange signal, but Oxford City restarted play inside their 6-yard box.
The soft free-kicks to the visitors were continuing and disrupting the flow of the game, although Garner’s constant holding of Francillette’s shirt seemed to be acceptable to the officials.
A Garner long-range effort came off the head of Francillette and rebounded toward Newby, but good defending by Deago Nelson won a throw-in for the home side.
Ashby then did well to beat Williams close to the right-hand touchline but then strangely decided to shoot from out wide rather than cross to colleagues in the Morecambe penalty area, and the ball bounced innocuously through to keeper Boney.
Williams did much better a minute later, beating Nelson to intercept a long cross-field ball and headed off in the direction of the Oxford City half and played Daly into the left-hand channel, but after running into the Oxford City area, Daly’s left-footed effort was blazed narrowly over the bar. It was the best chance of the match so far.
Oxford City’s response was for Pollock to skip past three would be tacklers until being brought down by the fourth. With the ball falling to Tyrone Marsh, the referee played an advantage, but the 25-yard effort from The Hoops top scorer was straight at Boney, who made a regulation catch.
Oxford City won a free-kick mid-way inside the Morecambe half, with was taken quickly by Ashby over the defensive back-line, but Marsh tumbled over inside the penalty area. The referee allowed play to continue, and a penalty would have been very soft had it been given.
The yellow cards were levelled up when Tetek lost possession and then fouled Coxe in his effort to recover the situation. The free-kick was punched away by Maxted.
With half-time approaching, Francillette hoofed a long ball deep into the Morecambe half but the attempted header by Coxe back to his keeper was weak, and Brown nipped in ahead of the keeper. However, his attempt to flick the ball over Boney was just as poor so it was an easy save for the Shrimpers keeper.
The game’s first comedy moment came in the 43rd minute. Morecambe had a free-kick inside their half and Marsh stood over the ball. The referee twice very loudly told Marsh to move away from the ball, but Marsh failed to comply, leaving the referee little alternative other than to brandish the yellow card, which from an Oxford City perspective was totally unnecessary.
On the stroke of half-time, Morecambe won the first corner of the match, which was headed away by Francillette. The clearance went as far as Williams, whose left-footed volley from 25 yards sailed high and wide.
It remained goal-less at the interval after a half of plenty of endeavour, a lot of pretty football, but precious few chances.
The home side started the second period strongly as Pollock and Brown combined to release Bateman, who shot over from around 10 yards but it must have taken a deflection as a corner was given.
After a short corner routine, Ashby played the ball towards the far post. Francillette stretched but could only divert the ball just wide of the post.
Brown then played a pass for Marsh to run towards the byline, but Baines stopped the move with a good tackle.
Morecambe nearly took the lead out of the blue. Oxford City centre-back Darnell Johnson hooked away a ball into the Hoops area only for Garner to volley first-time from out wide on the right. Maxted was nearly taken by surprise, but reacted to make a one-handed diving save to push the ball away.
Pollock was catching the eye with his strong running, and this time he released Brown on the left, but the pass intended for Ashby was over-hit.
At the other end Newby won a corner for the visitors which was again headed away by Francillette.
A minute later Oxford City lost possession just inside the Morecambe own half, Williams played a nice pass for Newby to run down the left wing and play a ball across the goalmouth. Garner was unmarked at the back post and slammed the ball into the roof of the net from close range. 0-1 after 54 minutes.
The home side appeared to be shocked by falling behind as twice sloppy play allowed the ball to go out of play for throw-ins to Morecambe. However, Nelson then went on an impressive run from deep inside his own half to the edge of the Morecambe area, then slipped a pass to Bateman on the right-wing, but the Birmingham City youngster’s cross went behind the on-rushing attackers.
Morecambe were working hard to defend their lead and their high press was making it difficult for Oxford City to play their passing football.
With 63 minutes on the clock, Bateman did well on the right wing to send a cross towards the far post. Marsh again hit the deck, and again the referee didn’t think it was worthy of a penalty, which looked to be the right decision.
Two minutes later there was some uncertain defending in the Oxford City area but the shot from Collis was blocked, and the Hoops were eventually able to clear.
At the other end Collis then cynically elbowed Brown in the back as the Oxford City winger was heading towards the byline. A free-kick was awarded but the referee’s card stayed in his pocket.
From Fatbear’s vantage point a long way away, it first looked as if Ashby’s free-kick from close to the corner flag had gone in at the far post, but play carried on, and Pollock's close range prod was cleared off the line.
Pollock went off on another long run but was unable to control the return pass from Marsh.
Francillette then played a poor pass out of defence to substitute Buckley-Ricketts, who fed Newby to run into the Oxford City area, but after some more uncertain defending, Maxted was able to pick up the loose ball.
The next comedy moment came when Garner made a pathetic attempt to win a free-kick after the slightest contest when challenging Francillette, and then pretended to be injured as play continued. After the ball went out of play Garner made the greatest recovery since Lazarus to get up and start berating the referee. It was totally embarrassing, and it turned out to be his last contribution as he was immediately substituted. It was probably a wise decision by Morecambe………..
With 15 minutes remaining, Williams did well on the left wing but Newby headed the cross well wide. Oxford City took play down the other end and after good chest control, Ashby volleyed narrowly wide from 20 yards.
In the 80th minute, after an Oxford City corner was headed across goal by Francillette, the ball fell to Marsh at the far post, but somehow his close-range effort was blocked on the line as again heroic defending had denied the home side.
The Hoops were leaving gaps at the back as they surged forward in search of the equaliser, and a chip forward by Cain was met by the unmarked Lewis, but his header crashed back off the underside of the bar and Maxted gathered.
Zac McEachran went on a typically mazy run and then played Alfie Potter in space inside the Morecambe area, but Lewis Leigh made a tremendous tackle to concede a corner.
After the corner was cleared, the referee stopped play to show a yellow card, but it wasn’t clear who the recipient was. It looked like it was to a Morecambe player, but play restarted with a free-kick to Morecambe !
The Shrimpers could have put the game to bed in the 89th minute after Buckley-Ricketts put Curley free on the left, and his low cross to the near post was met by Daly, but Maxted somehow made the block with his legs.
Six added minutes were to be played and McEachran skipped inside a tackle, but his 20-yard effort was held by Boney. Oxford City forced a free-kick just outside the Morecambe area but after it was headed clear, Potter produced a fantastic volley from 20 yards, with the ball arrowing into the bottom corner with Boney a helpless spectator. 1-1 after 95 minutes.
There was still time for one last Morecambe attack, but Adam Fairclough’s header was easily saved by Maxted.
At the final whistle the points were shared, which on balance was probably a fair result. Oxford City twice saw efforts cleared off the line, whilst Morecambe twice came close to extending their lead. Oxford City dopped to third in the table, whilst Morecambe remaining in 11th. However, it would not surprise Fatbear to see Morecambe challenging for a play-off place come the end of the season.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAFKMyjRpxw
Oxford City : Maxted – Nelson, Francillette, Johnson, Humphries – Ashby, Tetek ( McEachran ), Pollock, Brown ( Potter ) – Bateman ( Smith ), Marsh
Morecambe : Boney – Coxe, Hogan, Baines, Williams – Collis ( Buckley-Ricketts ), Lewis, Daly ( Fairclough ), Cain ( Curley ), Newby – Garner ( Leigh )
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