Phil Edwards admits his scoring prowess against the Shrimps is down to them rejecting him early in his career.

The defender has scored four in four games against Morecambe and fired home his seventh penalty of the season on Tuesday night to salvage a draw for the Reds.

And he could have had a winner but for a stunning save from Barry Roche as the Reds’ good run against Sammy McIlroy’s side – they haven’t lost to them since 2005 – continued.

"I do seem to like scoring against Morecambe," said the 25-year-old.

"I think it was because, when I was at Wigan, I went on work experience there and they let me go, so I just like to get my revenge against them.

"I did have to mix my penalties up against their keeper though as I have scored three against him. I sent one to the right and one to the centre so this one I hit to the left.

"I do usually do my homework and watch the opposition keepers and which way they dive, just to make sure I have the best chance of scoring but I just had to adapt this one to try and catch him out.

"It was funny as the gaffer had said to me before the game ‘Think about your penalty,’ so he must have had an idea that I was going to get one.

"And I am always confident – I don’t think you can take penalties if you aren’t – and so far I have got seven and you can’t ask for much more.

"It’s odd for Accrington as, in the past, we haven’t had many penalties but for the last two seasons we seem to get them – and I am happy with that."

It was a repeat of how the penalty was won at the Globe Arena on New Year’s Day with ex-Red Kieran Charnock bringing down Terry Gornell to give Edwards the chance from the spot 17 mnutes from time.

"I had given away one penalty in my career before this season and now I have given two away, both against Accrington," admitted Charnock.

But Gornell is a tricky customer, again leading from the front and using his guile to win the spot kick.

"Terry has just been a bit clever for their lad," said Reds boss John Coleman. "He has led the line magnificently again."

On a damp Tuesday night, a crowd of 1,675 was a disappointment for a local derby and it wasn’t a classic on a tricky surface, with the Reds having their £70,000 pitch – laid in the summer – tested for why it is causing Stanley so many postponements this season, despite extensive hardwork by the ground-staff to get it prepared for games.

And Coleman admitted the pitch was part of the reason the Reds couldn’t get their passing game going – and a two week lay-off also didn’t help.

"We didn’t pass the ball as well as we can," he added. "It was a difficult pitch, but our control was not as good as it normally is.

"One positive, though, is that we came from behind."

There were four real chances in the first half – two for each side.

Rory Boulding and Charlie Barnett forced good saves out of Roche early on while Phil Jevons clipped the top of the crossbar and Shrimps defender Andy Parrish had a header cleared off the line.

However McIlroy must have given his side an inspired half-time team talk as they peppered Ian Dunbavin’s goal at the start of the second half, forcing the Reds stopper into some superb saves.

But he was beaten when a Tony Capaldi long throw was headed against Peter Murphy by Andy Procter and the ball bounced out to Jevons who fired low and hard into the bottom corner of the net.

This got the Shrimps fans goading their former player Coleman: "Coley, Coley what’s the score?" which he admitted he didn’t like at the time.

However he only had to put up with it for seven minutes before Edwards’ penalty.

In the meantime, Coleman had put on Ray Putterill and the midfielder, who has just earned a contract until the end of the season with the Reds, immediately put pressure on the visiting defence with some bursting runs down the left and he tested Roche a couple of times.

There was then a grandstand finish with Sean McConville shooting from close range which hit the outside of the post, Edwards was denied by that stunning Roche save and defender Murphy missed a gilt-edged chance when clean through, screwing his effort wide which he was still shaking his head at long after the final whistle.

But that’s not to say it was one-way traffic with Charnock almost making amends with an effort just wide and Stewart Drummond also just off target for the Shrimps.

A relieved McIlroy admitted: "I am more used to standing here at Accrington talking about a defeat, so I have got to be happy with a point."

Coleman meanwhile was full of praise for Shrimps stopper Roche, who had a superb game.

"Their keeper has shown why he is one of the highly-rated keepers around as he has made some fantastic saves, but so has Bavs.

"We are disappointed we gave up so many chances but they had chances too.

"They took the game to us and should be applauded for that.

"I am disappointed with the goal we conceded from a long throw but thankfully for us, Phil Edwards always scores against Morecambe."