The points were shared at The Halo Aerospace Stadium as Moors fought hard to secure a draw on the opening day against Morecambe.
Moors opened the scoring through Richie Bennett, whose powerful effort took a deflection on it’s way into the top corner with the help of a deflection, before the hosts drew level thanks to a 2nd half penalty.
Tommy Miller’s side started well, forcing corner after corner out of the home side. The pressure paid off with 9 minutes on the clock, as Bennett marked his debut with a goal.
A corner from the right fell to the number 2 on the edge of the area, where he took a touch before lashing an effort goalwards. The strike took a deflection on the way through before nestling into the top left corner of the net.
It could’ve been two just after the quarter-hour mark as Junior Mondal’s low driven effort from the edge of the area forced a good reaction save out of Joe Young.
Rob Ramshaw caused problems on the 22nd minute with his clipped ball towards the far post, but Bennett’s header was well claimed by the Shrimps ‘keeper.
The hosts looked to draw level on the half hour mark through an inviting ball from Cameron Coxe, however, none of his teammates could guide it home.
Both sides had chances as the 1st half came to a close, as Bennett’s low ball across the face of goal went agonisingly ahead of Mondal’s outstretched boot, before Matty Daly saw his header from close range go just over the bar.
Loan goalkeeper Zac Hadi was called into action just 2 minutes after the break. A floated ball over the top from Ben Williams found Coxe inside the area, who struck a low effort towards the bottom left corner, which Hadi did brilliantly to claw away.
Moors were hit with a setback just a minute later however, as Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was felled inside the box, forcing the referee to award a penalty to Morecambe.
Matty Daly stepped up and fired the spot-kick home into the bottom right corner.
Morecambe pushed on following their goal, with Buckley-Ricketts getting on the end of a well placed ball to the far post. His header, however, went just over the bar.
A good chance fell Moors way on the 56th minute as Campbell Darcy looked to get himself on the scoresheet. A pinged ball into the area from Jack Jenkins found the head of the defender, but Darcy’s effort flicked behind and into the arms of Young.
Daly went close to adding his and Morecambe’s 2nd of the afternoon with 16 minutes to go, only to see his left footed effort go just inches over the crossbar.
With 86 minutes on the clock, Dan Jones rose highest in the box to connect with Jenkins’ corner from the right hand side, but his free-header fell agonisingly wide of the mark.
The hosts went close on 90 minutes, as Elliot Newby found space on the edge of the area to curl an effort goalwards, but saw the strike denied by a headed deflection from Dan Jones.
Moors had the chance to win it deep into stoppage time, as a clipped ball over the top landed into the run of Ramshaw, but good work from Young in the Morecambe net saw the keeper claim the ball.
A solid point to start the season, as focus now shifts onto next weekend’s fixture against Merthyr Town at the Brewery Field.
Full time: Morecambe 1 Moors 1
Moors: Hadi, Whelan, Pollock, Jones, Cantrill (Beals 90), Jenkins, Darcy, Mondal (Young 75), Ramshaw, Salkeld, Bennett
Subs not used: James, Miller, Dolan, Dawson, Raine
Booked: Cantrill 66
Referee: Oliver Noonan
Attendance: 2579 (186 Away)
Written by Noah Betts