Rotherham manager Paul Warne was a happy man after seeing a superb Michael Smith effort earn his side a narrow 1-0 victory against League One newcomers Morecambe

Smith scored the only goal of the game on the hour with a 40-yard effort that dipped over Jokull Andresson in the Morecambe goal to take the points and inflict a first defeat of the season on the Shrimps.

Warne said: “It was a hard-working win against a side who I thought were excellent. They didn’t give us a lot of time on the ball all night but we didn’t take enough passes in the first half.

“At half-time we told them to take a bit more care of the ball and I thought we were much better and got the goal. We knew a one-goal lead may not have been enough but we managed the game out pretty well and it was a good three points.

“Morecambe will take a lot of points this year on that showing so to come here and keep a clean sheet was a good night.”

Shrimps boss Stephen Robinson said he felt his side deserved a draw from the game.

He said: “Apart from the goal there wasn’t much in the game really. To be brutally honest neither side created too many chances and there goal was a bit of a fluke as it caught the wind and deceived our keeper.

“I don’t think we deserved to win the game but I don’t think there would have been too many people who would not have said a point would have been a fair result.

“I was proud of the lads for their efforts because they are a young team and they gave their all. There were times when we were a bit naïve and didn’t pass the ball as well as we could and their greater experience told.”

Morecambe’s Toumani Diagouraga went close to an opener on 20 minutes with a shot on the turn that curled inches wide of the left-hand post, before Josh McPake was denied a shot on goal by an excellent covering tackle from Michael Ihiekwe.

Rotherham ended the half on the front foot with Smith forcing Andresson into an excellent save at his near post with a right-footed snapshot, before the same player was denied again by the Morecambe keeper with an effort from the edge of the box after an excellent first touch.

The visitors were denied a second two minutes from time when Kieran Sadlier broke clear but saw his effort tipped onto the crossbar by Andresson.

Morecambe pushed to the end with Wes McDonald blazing a shot over and Alfie McCalmont drilling a low shot just wide, but Rotherham held on for the three points.