Morecambe 1, City 1

Phil Parkinson’s name can be added to the growing list of City managers who did not win their first game.

The last boss to claim three points on his debut in charge was Bryan Robson way back in November 2003.

But the manner of Saturday’s draw at the Globe Arena felt like a victory. Certainly the celebrations that followed Ross Hannah’s equaliser deep, deep into added time gave that impression.

Top spot was ripped from Morecambe’s grasp and, more significantly, City had stretched their unbeaten run to three games at the end of a good week.

The persistent rain meant nothing; a nightmare journey to the seaside was quickly forgotten.

A day that had begun with misery on the motorway ended with the sweetest of finishes from City’s super sub.

It was no more than the visitors – and their magnificent 1,600-strong travelling army – deserved.

Perhaps Marks & Spencer should earn a credit for maintaining energy levels. After all, it was M&S sandwiches from a service station that had fuelled the players pre-match after the oven on the team bus had packed up.

Then they spent an hour stuck in a jam on the M6 after an accident blocked the Morecambe turn-off. It needed some nifty driving down the hard shoulder to reach the ground by 2.15pm.

Footballers are creatures of routine. Any deviation from the norm can be seized upon as a reason for failure.

While they crawled towards the west coast, Parkinson made sure the seeds of doubt were not being planted.

He said: “I made a point of telling the boys we don’t deal in excuses. I don’t like that at all. And I’m delighted they didn’t. They are a good set of lads, they rolled their sleeves up and went right to the last minute.”

Hannah is the poster boy of City’s new era. He joking called himself their answer to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after bursting from the bench to rescue a point as he had done three weeks earlier at Oxford.

The striker may be a reluctant replacement but appreciated that the three second-half changes all had an impact. Having told Parkinson what he could do in a chat on Friday, Hannah proved true to his word.

Hannah said: “I want to start every game, like everyone in that dressing room. But it doesn’t work like that. It’s a squad game and the squad got us the result.

“It’s new for us all because the manager is getting to know everybody. We had a chat and he asked me where I’d been and what I’d done at Matlock. I told him about the goals – and then hopefully showed what I’m about.”

The bulk of the summer recruits may have come from Archie Christie but Hannah was very much Peter Jackson’s punt. His hot-seat successor already seems a fan.

Parkinson said: “When you speak to Ross, he looks you in the eye. He really wants to be a player and he’s got that determination.

“I asked him about his strengths and he felt he was good at anticipating things in the box. That’s a great quality to have and he showed it out there.”

Don’t expect Morecambe to maintain their lofty position towards the business end of the season. But given their current form, this was a decent result.

And maybe, given the green shoots of recovery emerging at Valley Parade, the Shrimps may look back on this as a good point themselves when the immediate disappointment passes.

City certainly had as many chances as their hosts in a game that took a long time to come to the boil. The swirling rain did not help; nor the inconsistent display from referee Andy Haines.

Parkinson handed out two debuts to Matt Duke and Kyel Reid. The goalkeeper’s appearance was no surprise – though the sight of Oscar Jansson rather than Jon McLaughlin on the bench raised eyebrows – but Reid was thrown in at the deep end.

The new boss admits his former Charlton winger is a work in motion as he gets back up to speed following a disrupted pre-season. But the fans saw enough glimpses in his hour’s action to suggest that he can offer a productive supply line.

Jamie Devitt, the other deadline day arrival, had to contend with a bench role. But his late cameo was even more impressive, stretching keeper Barry Roche with a free-kick within minutes of coming on and revelling in the opportunity to take on the home defence.

The first half produced few openings. The best fell to Morecambe frontman Phil Jevons after a slip by Chris Mitchell, while Robbie Threlfall’s free-kick only just missed at the other end.

Both sides cancelled each other out before the game thankfully started to open up after the break.

City did well again defensively but they paid for giving Laurence Wilson too much room to take aim in the 57th minute. The left back’s shot pinged back off the bar, the visitors were unable to clear and Izak Reid dispatched a fierce volley.

Wilson galloped forward to whizz another dangerous ball across the goalmouth before Parkinson looked to his subs. Having grown used to having few or no wingers, suddenly City have widemen to spare.

The result of his midweek shopping immediately became clear as the fresh legs of Devitt and Jack Compton started to pull and probe at the tiring home ranks.

Roche denied Devitt and then James Hanson, before Michael Flynn had to be alert to prevent Jevons snatching a second for the hosts.

But City poured forward in a frantic finish. Flynn’s shot was charged down, a penalty plea ignored and then Compton’s left-wing cross was expertly swept home by Hannah to spark scenes of mayhem by the corner flag. Attendance: 4,025