Grimsby boss Dave Artell said Gavan Holohan was “devastated” after missing a last-gasp chance to secure the Mariners a vital three-point haul at the Mazuma Stadium.
Holohan looked certain to bundle home Abo Eisa’s cross into the Morecambe goal with virtually the last kick of the game but a late bobble saw the ball come off his shin and spoon over the bar.
Coming into the game on the back of a 5-1 home defeat by Doncaster, the injury-hit Mariners produced a resilient performance with Danny Rose giving them the lead after just 80 seconds, only for Jordan Slew to level early in the second half and make it 1-1.
Artell, a former Morecambe player, said: “Gavan was devastated at the end after the late chance and you had to feel for him as he had done so well to get onto the cross.
“We had a few meetings in the week and a few open and honest conversations with the players after last week’s defeat and we had a really productive week. We all knew we needed a response after the Doncaster game and I thought we got that.
“We have had illness in the camp all week and were missing some players who had been involved in a car crash in midweek so we only had 18 fit players but every one of them put in a great shift.
“The lads showed great resilience and determination off the ball and if we had been a bit more clinical with it, especially at the end of the game, we could have taken the three points.”
Morecambe boss Ged Brannan said his side’s poor start cost them the three points.
He said: “It was a tough one to take really because it was criminal to give Danny Rose so much space in the box like we did.
“We have been conceding early goals far too often this season and we can’t expect to come back and win games all the time.
“I can’t fault the lads for their efforts to get back into the game and some of our football was excellent after a poor start but you can’t keep putting yourself under pressure week in, week out.
“There were lots of positives but we couldn’t get the second goal and they almost won it at the end so at the end of the day it is a point in the right direction and we will keep pushing up that table.”
After Rose tucked away Harry Clifton’s cross, Morecambe struggled to break down a resilient Mariners defence.
Gwion Edwards was the Shrimps’ main dangerman and, after forcing Harvey Cartwright into a neat save late in the first half, he went on to provide the assist for Slew as his cross from the right was converted by the striker.
Edwards then saw a shot from the edge of the box superbly saved by Cartwright before Slew’s dipping cross from the left hit the top of the crossbar, with the rebound put wide by Jordy Hiwula.
As gaps opened up Grimbsy almost snatched victory at the death. Eisa smashed a free-kick inches wide before providing the cross that Holohan somehow failed to convert.
Tuchel bemoans lack of focus as Bayern slump to final-day defeat
Departing Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel was unhappy with his team's lack of focus following their 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim on Saturday.
Bayern threw away a two-goal lead, condemning them to a third-place finish behind unbeaten Bayern Leverkusen and Stuttgart
After failing to win the Bundesliga title for a 12th consecutive season, Tuchel's side will also go without domestic or European silverware for the first time in more than a decade.
"We started really well, but then we had a string of individual mistakes," Tuchel said in a short press conference.
The coach is leaving Bayern after just over a year in charge after the club announced his departure in February. There had been talks to potentially reverse that decision last week, but no agreement was reached.
"In the second half we played well for 15 minutes, but then it was again a series of individual mistakes and loss of possession," Tuchel said. "We gave away a two-goal lead for a completely unnecessary and bitter defeat."
Despite a string of injury absences, Bayern were 2-0 up by the sixth minute but Hoffenheim scored four times, including an Andrej Kramaric hat-trick in the second half to turn the game around.
"It happens far too often, like that. It happened in Stuttgart where we conceded two late goals [for a 3-1 defeat]. In Heidenheim, the same [for a 3-2 loss]. Here the same. It just happens too often," Tuchel added.
"I have an explanation for that, but it is not for the public."
Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic, who is part of Germany's preliminary Euro 2024 squad, went off injured early in the match and will undergo further tests.
"He twisted his ankle. We will have to wait and see what the checks show," Tuchel said.
Man City will come back fighting after WSL title loss - Taylor
Gareth Taylor says that Manchester City will "come back fighting" after losing out on the Women’s Super League title on the final day.
City beat Aston Villa 2-1 thanks to goals from Mary Fowler and Lauren Hemp on Saturday, but ultimately fell just short, missing out to Chelsea on goal difference.
Emma Hayes led the Blues to a fifth consecutive WSL title with a 6-0 thrashing of Manchester United at Old Trafford, having made up their inferior goal difference with an equally impressive 8-0 win over Bristol City two weeks ago.
Taylor has reflected on a "mix of emotions" after narrowly missing out on being champions.
Speaking to BBC Sport after the game, he said: "I feel really proud of the team's performance. The mad thing is we could have maybe scored double figures today quite easily. That's the difference.
"To win 18 games in the season and still come up short is not easy but we have. It's been a big push from the team, we've worked incredibly hard, and we'll come back fighting."
When asked what lessons City can take from this season, Taylor added: "We need to improve in all areas. We have to have potentially better options from the sidelines. I think that's really key.
"I'm so enthusiastic about the way we played today. A lot of the stuff we did was really good. That's what inspires me to get up in the morning and fight for next season's title."
Goalkeeper Khiara Keating became the youngest-ever Golden Glove winner in her breakout season, as the 19-year-old kept nine clean sheets in 22 league games and conceded just 15 goals in total.
While disappointed about Saturday’s outcome, Keating looked back on the highlights of her season.
She said: "Obviously we are disappointed. We wanted to go out and win a trophy today. We knew what we had to do, and we didn't quite get it done.
"Hopefully next season in the Champions League we can show what we're about and go and win some trophies.
"From a personal point of view, my breakout season had a lot to prove at the start of the season, everyone was kind of.. Not doubting but wondering what I'd be like. I hope I've shown everyone what I can do.
"Gaz [Taylor] put his faith in me to go and play how I play and that is what I needed to go out there and do what I did this season."
Union Berlin survive Bundesliga relegation after stoppage-time winner against Freiburg
Union Berlin scored a stoppage-time winner against Freiburg to secure their Bundesliga safety, despite missing two penalties on a dramatic final day.
Marco Grote's side, who participated in the Champions League during the first half of this season under former coach Urs Fischer, occupied the relegation play-off spot heading into the final day of the campaign.
Just three points clear of 17th-place Koln, who travelled to Heidenheim, they welcomed Freiburg to Stadion An der Alten Forsterei, knowing a defeat could spell the end of their five-year stay in the German top flight.
Mainz, two points clear of Union in 15th, moved themselves out of the relegation picture with a commanding 3-1 win at Wolfsburg.
That meant one of Union, Bochum or Koln would join already relegated Darmstadt in the second tier. One would have to settle for a play-off place, while the other would survive.
Koln went down 4-1 at Heidenheim, while Bochum's defeat at Werder Bremen by the same scoreline meant Union could leapfrog them with victory over Freiburg.
The hosts, for whom Josip Juranovic missed a first-half penalty, broke the deadlock in the 68th minute through Benedict Hollerbach.
However, they looked set for a relegation play-off when Ritsu Doan equalised for the visitors with five minutes remaining, before substitute Kevin Volland struck the post with his spot-kick early in stoppage time.
Nevertheless, there was to be a dramatic late twist as Janik Haberer struck in the 92nd minute to catapult Union out of the bottom three and to safety in 15th place.
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