Morecambe v Newport betting tips: Exiles back on the big stage
Published:
Preview and odds for the League Two play-off final
Newport have become regular visitors to Wembley and are back once again as they face Morecambe with a place in League One at stake.
This is a fifth Wembley appearance in less than a decade for the Exiles as they look to return to the third tier for the first time since 1987 while Morecambe have never played at that level.
Monday’s match is live on Sky Sports and kicks off at 3pm as we highlight a few potential Morecambe v Newport betting tips.
Morecambe v Newport match odds
Morecambe only missed out on automatic promotion by one place after finishing five points clear of all their fellow play-off rivals.
A 2-1 win at Tranmere put them in charge of their semi-final and Aaron Wildig’s early goal in the second leg eased any nerves, with the Shrimps then holding out after James Vaughan gave Rovers hope.
Morecambe ended the regular season in good form, too, winning five of their last six matches, yet have been priced up as slight underdogs at 15/8 for victory in 90 minutes.
Newport are the 31/20 favourites and will hope their Wembley experience gives them the edge. They reached the FA Trophy final here in 2012, secured their Football League return in 2013, faced Tottenham in an FA Cup replay in 2018 and lost to Tranmere in the 2019 League Two play-off final.
Mike Flynn’s men ended the regular season on a five-match unbeaten run but threatened to drop out of the play-off places on the final day when they fell behind to relegated Southend before getting the draw they needed.
Their semi-final against Forest Green was a thriller, with Nicky Maynard eventually the hero with his 119th-minute extra-time goal securing a 5-4 aggregate victory.
Monday’s match can be backed to go to extra time at 11/5.
Morecambe v Newport head-to-head
Newport’s status as favourites can perhaps be explained by the two wins they have enjoyed over Morecambe this season.
The Exiles secured a 2-1 victory at Rodney Parade in December thanks to Matt Dolan’s penalty and were 3-1 winners in the return fixture in March, with Morecambe having a man sent off in both games.
There have been goals at both ends in seven of the last eight meetings and both teams to score can be backed at 4/5.
Previous XI
Newport: King, Haynes, Lewis, Bennett, Demetriou, Shephard, Dolan, Sheehan, Hartigan, Collins, Amond.
Key battles
Newport’s Kevin Ellison coming up against his former team adds extra spice to the occasion and he is certainly relishing the prospect.
Ellison was a Morecambe legend until he was frozen out by manager Derek Adams (pictured below) and released last summer before signing a one-year deal with Newport.
The 42-year-old famously celebrated in front of Adams when he scored Newport’s third goal against Morecambe in March and he said this week: “I think I am in his head a little bit.”
Ellison was also on target in the semi-final against Forest Green and the stage looks set for him to be the hero once more.
All odds and markets correct as of date of publication
