Opposition view: Morcambe 'were the better team' despite heavy defeat to Cobblers - Shrimps boss Adams

The Shrimps defied their lowly league position with an impressive performance at the PTS Academy Stadium, particularly in the first-half when they created and missed a string of opportunities.

While the visitors were wasteful, the Cobblers made no mistake at the other end as Paul Anderson's cross sneaked into the far corner and then Ryan Watson scored a second in first-half stoppage-time.

It was more of the same in the second 45 minutes and Nicky Adams effectively ended the contest with a third before Chris Lines scored a superb fourth, which came soon after Adam Phillips had briefly given the visitors hope.

Morecambe now drop to the foot of League Two but, despite such a heavy defeat on the scoreboard, Adams was encouraged by his side's performance.

"Obviously the scoreline flatters Northampton and anybody at the game would say the same," he said.

"We did really well in the first-half and created two very good opportunities that we should have scored but didn't take them and then they score their first.

"It's against the run of play and we feel it wasn't a free-kick at the time. We felt their player just fell on the ball and got the free-kick, but they get a corner off it and then we didn't defend well enough.

"We conceded a really poor second goal in injury-time and that set us back hugely because it's a long way back from there.

"We still came out well in the second-half and had a real go at it and created chances but we haven't been able to score when we were on top in the game.

"Those are the small margins in football and we've got to take our opportunities when they come along.

"We were the better side over the 90 minutes and when it went to 4-1, Northampton were able to get the better of us and there's no doubt about that but, before that, we were the team in the ascendancy and creating more opportunities.

"It's called Sixfields but it was deadfields in the first-half and that was down to how well we quietened the crowd."