Getty Morecambe forward Cole Stockton.
Morecambe FC and Newport County AFC will play for a spot in next year’s League One season on Sunday, when they meet in the League Two playoff final at London’s Wembley Stadium.
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In the United States, the match (10 a.m. ET start time) won’t be on TV anywhere, but anyone in the US can watch Morecambe vs Newport County live on ESPN+ right here:
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You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Morecambe vs Newport County Preview
After finishing last year’s abandoned season in 22nd place, Morecambe rocketed up the table in their first full campaign under manager Derek Adams, who took the reins in November 2019.
The Shrimps placed fourth in 2020-21, a point shy of Bolton Wanderers for the third automatic promotion to League One. They hadn’t finished better than 18th since 2014-15.
Adams’s side found the playoff final by besting seventh-place Tranmere Rovers 3-2 on aggregate. They’re looking for the club’s first third-tier campaign.
“I can’t be any prouder with the way the last 18 months have transpired,” he said, according to The Visitor.
“When I came into the club, the immediate aim was to stay in the league but this season was about results and focusing on a play-off push.
“To be fair to the players who have been here, they have put in a fantastic effort and deserve the highest praise.”
Sunday’s final will pit one of the league’s most potent offenses against one of its stingiest defenses. Morecambe struck 69 times, ranking fourth in League Two, paced by winger Carlos Mendes Gomes (15 goals) and forward Cole Stockton (13).
Only three sides surrendered fewer goals than Newport County, who conceded just 42 en route to fifth place on the table.
Despite their defensive might, the Exiles struggled to keep sixth-place Forest Green Rovers off the sheet in the second leg of the sides’ matchup in the semifinals.
Newport County triumphed 2-0 in the first leg, then gave up seventh- and eighth-minute goals in the second leg to even things up. In the second half, Rovers sandwiched a pair of goals around as many Newport County tallies before the sides went to extra time.
Exiles striker Nicky Maynard saved the day in the 119th minute, tracking down a long feed from forward Lewis Collins before tapping the ball past the keeper and nudging it home.
“We got off to the worst possible start. I think if we’d tried to get off to that start we wouldn’t have!” Newport County manager Mike Flynn said, according to the BBC.
“The manner of the goals we conceded I am not happy with — I think all four were from crosses.
“But the way we finished the game — we looked strong and that’s a credit to the players.”
He added: “If we didn’t go through, what do you think my press comments would have been? Same old story this season, we haven’t taken our chances and killed teams off — that’s what it would have been.
“Thankfully we have managed to score enough to get to the final. Let’s hope we are saving all the goals for then.”