CITY got out of jail with Jack Shepherd’s late equaliser at Morecambe.

T&A chief sports writer SIMON PARKER was on the chilly west coast last night and provides the match stats and his player ratings.

MAN OF THE MATCH

Sam Walker kept City in the game at 1-0 down with a couple of big saves from Callum Jones and Ben Pollitt. He could not be blamed for any defensive shortcomings.

Jay Benn was easily the pick of the outfield players showing plenty of energy throughout to get up and down the right side.

MOMENT OF THE MATCH

Jack Shepherd finally got City some late reward when he headed home in a packed penalty box after Tyreik Wright had recycled a half-cleared free-kick. At least that gave the travelling fans behind the goal something to cheer.

MOAN OF THE MATCH

City looked so weak defensively in the first half. They conceded a terrible goal and a sharper side than Morecambe would have put the game out of sight in the flurry of chances that followed before the visitors got their heads together.

TACTICS

City made four changes from the Harrogate defeat, including a first league start for Jay Benn in place of Brad Halliday at right back.

Graham Alexander retained the four-man defence with Clarke Oduor partnering Richie Smallwood in the deeper midfield role behind Jamie Walker and Tyreik Wright. Calum Kavanagh returned to partner Andy Cook in attack.

New signing Paul Huntington was registered in time to feature and was named on the bench.

REFEREE: Elliot Bell (Liverpool)

BOOKING: Jones (Morecambe)

ATTENDANCE: 3,606 (with 1,017 from City)

SHOTS ON TARGET: Morecambe 4 City 3

SHOTS OFF TARGET: Morecambe 6 City 8

CORNERS: Morecambe 5 City 10

FOULS: Morecambe 9 City 11

POSSESSION %: Morecambe 37 City 63

PLAYER RATINGS

MORECAMBE: Moore 6, Williams 6, Stott 7, Tutonda 6, Hendrie 7, Songo’o 7, P Lewis 7, A Lewis 8 (McAdam 88min), Jones, Tollitt 7 (Slew 83min), Dackers 7 (Hope 83min). Subs (not used): Brown, Dobson, Fairclough, Burgoyne.

CITY: S Walker 8, Benn 7, Diabate 5, Shepherd 6, Richards 5, Smallwood 6, Oduor 6, J Walker 5 (Smith 83min), Wright 6, Kavanagh 5 (Oliver 65min), Cook 6. Subs (not used): Sanderson, Pointon, Halliday, Huntington, Doyle.