A COMBINATION of ill luck and poor finishing saw Morecambe's last hopes of cup glory fade into the evening gloom at Shrews-bury on Saturday.

The Shrimps bowed out of the FA Trophy at the first hurdle - beaten for the fourth time in as many months by Shrewsbury Town at Gay Meadow.

Danny Carlton and skipper Stewart Drummond both rattled the home side's woodwork as Morecambe created enough good chances to have come away from the former Football League side as winners.

Bu the Shrews rode their luck and scored a goal in each half to put Morecambe out of the competition - and leave them with distant play-off hopes as the only route open to salvage some silverware from a season that seemed to promise so much.

Neither side looked particularly sharp in an evenly-matched opening quarter but Morecambe almost drew first blood on 16 minutes as Keiran Walmsley delivered one of his trademark free kicks into the box.

The ball fell perfectly onto the head of Danny Carlton but his downward header hit the post and rolled agonisingly along the goal-line before before booted clear.

Town replied by opening the scoring within two minutes as Sam Aiston picked up the ball just inside the Morecambe half to clip a pass out wide.

The big striker continued his run to meet the return pass near the edge of the penalty area and direct a header beyond Craig Mawson. His effort also clipped a post - but crucially the ball went on into the net.

Nick Rogan was the next to ask a question, running through the Shrewsbury defence on 21 minutes but seeing his shot well saved by Scott Howie.

Twelve minutes later the same player should have levelled the scores when left unmarked from another Walmsley free kick, but he placed his header over the bar.

The second period opened with Colin Cramb bringing a super save out of Mawson before Shrewsbury doubled their lead from the penalty spot after a foul by Murphy in the box.

Cramb stepped up to beat Mawson and signal all-out attack from the Shrimps in a bid to retrieve the situation.

Centre back Jim Bentley returned from injury as he was brought on as an attacking substitute, only to be denied almost immediately by a last-ditch tackle from Darren Tinson.

And then Drummond saw his 25-yard shot deflected onto the crossbar and away as Morecambe's ill luck continued.

The lively Rogan had an effort narrowly wide but when Carlton missed a sitter from close range on 75 minutes you sensed it was not going to be Morecambe's day.

MORECAMBE: Mawson, Walmlsley, McKearney, Garnett, Murphy, Thompson, String-fellow, Drummond, Howell (McFlynn 63), Carlton (Dodg-son 82), Rogan.

Subs not used: Giles, Hunter.