SOL CAMPBELL'S Notts County debut turned into a nightmare as struggling Morecambe grabbed their first win of the season.

Former England star Campbell finally made his League Two debut for Sven Goran Eriksson's moneybags Magpies.

But even a few moments of quality could not prevent County from crashing to their third defeat in four away games this term.

The presence of Campbell, 35, undoubtedly helped Sammy McIlroy's Shrimps raise their game. And the former Spurs and Arsenal star admits that is something County must get to grips with.

He said: "We know that teams are going to really have a go at us.

"We can't just turn up and expect sides to lie down and roll over for us. We have to earn the right to play and we didn't do that all the way through this game.

"We only really started to show how we can play after we went 2-0 down and we have to learn from that.

"We have to pass the ball around quicker and move it around better and if we do that we will win a lot more games than we lose."

Jim Bentley headed Morecambe in front from Ian Craney's corner on 36 minutes.

And Paul Mullin added a second just after the break from a another corner.

Ben Davies set up a thrilling finale with a superb curler 19 minutes from time but County were denied a point when Craig Westcarr's effort hit a post in injury-time.

Despite the defeat, Campbell insisted: "It's great to be back and I felt pretty strong.

"I have worked hard to get fit but I have missed a full pre-season and that does affect you. Overall though I felt pretty strong and had some good touches and I am looking forward to the home game next week."

Morecambe boss McIlroy's pre-match pep talk to his team stressed the need to keep the pressure on Campbell and not worry about his reputation.

The Christie Park chief said: "I told my lads all week to make sure Sol comes off the park knowing he has been in a game - and we did that.

"He is a superb player and you could see some of that today. But he will be travelling home thinking Paul Mullin and Phil Jevons gave him a really tough afternoon.

"This was a long overdue win for us but we thoroughly deserved it."

County boss Ian McParland blasted his side's defending.

He said: "We knew that Morecambe thrive off set-pieces and we basically handed them two goals.

"We came back strongly, hit the post and had a clear penalty turned down when Luke Rodgers had his shirt pulled in the box. But we have to learn from our mistakes."

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BARNET 2, BRADFORD 2

STUART McCALL is still waiting for his first win over Barnet as Bradford boss after Mark Hughes' late leveller.

McCall celebrated his 100th match in charge of Bantams and saw his team twice take the lead at Underhill.

James Hanson tapped home a Michael Flynn cross to put the visitors ahead on 14 minutes - only the third goal Barnet had conceded at home this season.

Bees equalised nine minutes after the restart when John O'Flynn headed home a cross by substitute Kenny Gillet.

Skipper Zesh Rehman put Bradford back in front with his first league goal for the club in the 70th minute.

But midfielder Hughes grabbed the hosts a point with a header nine minutes from time.

McCall, whose side are now unbeaten in their last six games, said: "It's disappointing that we didn't get all three points but I'm not disappointed with the performance.

"There were a lot more positives for us than minuses."

Barnet manager Ian Hendon said: "They bullied us in the first half and we stole a point - but we are seven unbeaten."

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BURTON ALBION 0, DAGENHAM 1

FURIOUS John Still claimed Dagenham had to beat Burton - and ref Jock Waugh.

Paul Benson got the only goal after four minutes but Still reckoned Waugh tossed the home side two lifelines.

Brewers were awarded an indirect free-kick in the six-yard box and a penalty after Will Antwi felled Shaun Harrad.

Tony Roberts saved Harrad's spot-kick seconds before the break. But Still rapped: "They were joke decisions."

Waugh did send off Brewers skipper Guy Branston for a foul on Benson on the hour.

But boss Paul Peschisolido insisted: "We deserved to win - they had half a shot on goal and scored from it."

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DARLINGTON 0, BOURNEMOUTH 2

BRETT PITMAN hit both goals to keep Bournemouth top - and pile on more misery for winless Darlington.

The striker volleyed a 15th- minute opener and netted No 2 from the spot seven minutes from time after Anthony Kane was harshly penalised for handball.

That made it five wins in a row but manager Eddie Howe insisted: "We never really hit our stride. We improved as the game went on but we've been well on top without hitting top gear."

Rock-bottom Darlo boss Colin Todd said: "We're trying to get confidence into the players.

"We've competed against the top side in the division and matched them in every department. But we need a break."

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CHELTENHAM 1, ROTHERHAM 1

STRIKER Julian Alsop rocked Rotherham with an equaliser six minutes from time.

But it did not stop Cheltenham manager Martin Allen having another dig at his heavyweight frontman.

Allen said: "He was average today but he will end up getting 10 league goals this season - which will be a wonderful achievement for someone so fat."

Rotherham caretaker boss Steve Thornber was left to rue missed chances after Adam Le Fondre's injury-time effort just before the break.

He said: "We've got to kill teams off. We know what's coming if we don't get the ball in the back of the net."

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CREWE 1, ALDERSHOT 2

GUDJON THORDARSON rapped his Crewe flops after Kirk Hudson punished some woeful finishing.

Crewe should have been out of sight by the time Shaun Miller put them in front with 15 minutes gone.

But Shots hit back with Scott Donnelly's 33rd- minute deflected free-kick and then Hudson's 66th- minute winner.

Boss Thordarson said: "The chances we created was unbelievable but we need to keep a calm head in the box."

Happy Shots boss Gary Waddock said: "We rode our luck at times but we deserved that."

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LINCOLN 0, SHREWSBURY 2

MANAGERLESS Lincoln were sent crashing to their fifth defeat in six games.

Shrewsbury striker Jake Robinson hit the opener on 28 minutes when the home defence fell asleep.

And Dave Hibbert stroked home a controversial 76th- minute penalty after referee Peter Quinn penalised Moses Swaibu for handball.

Shrews chief Paul Simpson said: "I'm chuffed to bits. We missed a couple of chances but I'm not complaining."

Lincoln caretaker Simon Clark has applied for the manager's job but admitted: "We lacked quality. Both strikers had four chances but didn't score."

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PORT VALE 0, BURY 1

RYAN LOWE'S lucky strike made it three wins in four away games for Bury - and ended Vale's thee-match unbeaten home run.

Lowe deflected Mike Jones' eighth-minute shot past keeper Chris Martin.

And Bury held on despite Ryan Cresswell's red card for a foul on Tommy Fraser two minutes from time.

Bury have won three out of four away this term and boss Alan Knill said: "Now we need to get our home form going. No one gave us a chance but we got what we came for."

Vale boss Micky Adams said: "We weren't up to scratch today."

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CHESTERFIELD 4,

MACCLESFIELD 1

KEITH ALEXANDER hit the roof after Macclesfield's first-half horror show.

Struggling Silkmen were blown away as Chesterfield raced into a 4-0 lead at the break.

Boss Alexander rapped: "We were architects of our own downfall. Chesterfield didn't play special football."

Wade Small gave the hosts a fourth-minute lead before Jack Lester, Jamie Lowry and Donal McDermott turned it into a rout.

Hamza Bencherif got Macc's 79th-minute consolation.

Chesterfield chief John Sheridan said: "The players showed a great attitude. We looked a quality side today."

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HEREFORD 2, ACCRINGTON 0

JOHN TREWICK was a relieved man after Craig King and Ryan Valentine finally earned Hereford their first win.

Boss Trewick had been feeling the heat but on-loan Leicester striker King eased some of the the tension with a sixth-minute opener.

Valentine sealed the win in the 67th minute with a fine header.

Trewick said: "I'm pleased to get the first win on the board - it lifts a little of the anxiety. Making a few changes helped us."

Fuming Stanley boss John Coleman said: "It was a poor performance against a team who are struggling."

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NORTHAMPTON 1, ROCHDALE 2

COBBLERS caretaker boss Ian Sampson was left cursing his luck after the woodwork denied his side a point.

Sub Steve Guinan's header came back off the bar late on as Northampton crashed to a fourth straight league defeat.

Will Buckley's super strike on 68 minutes won it for Dale - just four minutes after Ryan Gilligan cancelled out Chris O'Grady's 12th-minute opener for the visitors.

Sampson, who has suffered back-to-back defeats as boss, said: "We are not getting the breaks in front of goal. But I still want the job."

Dale boss Keith Hill said: "It was an unbelievable goal that won it for us."

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TORQUAY 0, GRIMSBY 2

GULLS crashed to a fifth straight league defeat but boss Paul Buckle declared: "I'm ready to stand up and be counted.

"We've had two good years to get to this level and I have faith in this group of players.

"It was nip and tuck but we were undone by a freak own-goal and lost our way."

Torquay's Kevin Nicholson sliced a clearance into his own net just after the break. And Grimsby's Peter Sweeney curled in a 65th-minute free-kick.

Mariners chief Mike Newell said: "To win when you're not playing well isn't a bad place to be."

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