Accrington Stanley launched a grandstand finish but slipped to a 2-1 loss to Lancashire rivals Morecambe.

After an even first half, the Shrimps struck through Nelson Khumbeni and Chris Stokes but an 89th minute Lewis Shipley goal gave the Reds hope and they pressed in nine minutes of added time but agonisingly couldn't find the equaliser.

Radek Vitek came back into the side after international duty with Czech Under 20s while Jake Bickerstaff, who scored his first Stanley goal last week, replaced Josh Woods in the starting XI.

Neither side a had a chance in the opening ten minutes, with the first effort falling to Morecambe’s Charlie Brown whose goalbound strike was deflected over the bar.

Stanley enjoyed a spell of pressure without testing Shrimps keeper Archie Mair before Morecambe had the next chance on 17 minutes, Khumbeni heading narrowly over from a corner.

Stanley came close on 22 minutes when Brad Hills got on the end of Jack Nolan’s corner at the near post and flicked the ball goalwards but Mair tipped it over.

Khumbeni fired straight into Vitek’s arms while Gerard Garner chipped the ball over from the centre circle in a first half of limited goalmouth action.

Morecambe enjoyed a spell of pressure after the break without troubling Vitek while, at the other end, Connor O’Brien’s ball across the face of goal just needed a Stanley touch.

From the resulting corner, the ball bobbled around the area and was cleared off the line as Jack Nolan pressed.

But from this, Garner broke and charge up the right, passing to Bolton loanee Khumbeni in the area and he found the top corner of the net on 55 minutes.

The Reds had a chance to equalise immediately but Nolan’s strike was saved by Mair although referee Alex Chilowicz gave off-side.

However Morecambe made it two on 62 minutes when Brown’s free kick from the right went into a crowd of bodies and was turned in by Chris Stokes.

Stanley made four substitutions on 74 minutes as John Doolan’s side looked to get back in it.

The Reds almost got one back on 82 minutes when a ball into the box caused all kinds of chaos in the Morecambe defence but Shaun Whalley’s final shot was wide.

Jack Nolan then played the perfect ball into the box on 89 minutes for substitute Shipley to head home.

Stanley pressed throughout the added time, shooting towards the noisy Clayton End, with Mair denying Whalley and Alex Henderson coming close but they couldn't find the equaliser.

Stanley: Vitek, Mellor (Shipley, Hills, Gubbins, O’Brien, Martin, Leigh (B Woods), Nolan, Pritchard (Henderson), Whalley, Bickerstaff (J Woods)

Subs: McIntyre, Conneely, Adedoyin

Attendance: 3420 (946 from Morecambe)

Yellow: Gubbins, Leigh, Shipley, O'Brien