MAGICAL Michael Twiss manoeuvred Morecambe into pole position for the play-offs with another starring show.

The strike ace bagged a glorious brace to see off Conference cellar dwellers Leigh RMI on the bumpy mudheap otherwise known as Hilton Park.

Leigh rugby league call the ground the Coliseum and Morecambe had to battle like gladiators to keep their dreams and hopes of promotion to the Football League very much alive.

In Twiss Morecambe have the main man - when he is on form he makes Russell Crowe look like a wimp.

And in the Gladiatorial arena on Easter Monday, Twiss destroyed one of his old clubs with a double delight.

Boss Jim Harvey dropped Garry Thompson to the bench, with Lee Elam starting on the right and Jimmy Kelly filling in for the injured Garry Hunter, while Leigh fielded ex-Morecambe man Chris Lane

The opening minutes led to few chances for either side, although Morecambe keeper Ryan Robinson had to parry a Liam Coyne effort after 20 minutes.

Ryan Clarke's back post header did beat Robinson after the big centre half towered above Jamie Heard to head home. But the 'goal' was rightly cancelled out for a push by Clarke.

Robinson next saved well from Coyne before Michael Howard tried his luck for the Shrimps.

Then Lee Elam forced a good save out of Jon Worsnop before he set up Twiss to open the scoring a minute before the half time break.

Elam did well to cut in from the right before lifting a ball over the top. Clarke should have cleared the attempted pass, but missed his kick - leaving Twiss with the sort of chance he will not miss.

He coolly lashed home the game's opening goal to delight the travelling Red Army.

That goal was a real fillip for Morecambe and they started the second half as they finished the first and went close to doubling their lead on a couple of occasions.

Thompson tested Worsnop again on the hour mark and then helped to make the game safe six minutes later.

His ball was perfect for Twiss to beat Worsnop - and then Heard almost made it 3-0 as Morecambe looked every inch play-off candidates.

And right at the end Twiss almost completed his hat-trick - but 2-0 was more than enough to seal maximum points.

MORECAMBE: Robinson, Heard, Bentley, Kempson (Swan 19), Howard, Elam (Curtis 65), Blackburn, Kelly, Perkins, Twiss, Carlton (Thompson 56). Subs (not used): Sollitt, Walmsley.