MORECAMBE took their first ever point off Chester on Saturday -- but it should have been all three as the Shrimps put up another impressive performance at the Deva Stadium.

Morecambe started brightly, with the ever-lively Ian Arnold giving the visitors a deserved lead on 21 minutes.

Robbie Talbot took a snapshot on the turn and hit the crossbar. Arnold chased the knockdown and could have scored, but instead found his route to goal blocked by Chester's Halford.

The former Southport striker stepped up to make no mistake from 12 yards.

Morecambe were well on top until the break, though they had to keep a close eye on old boy Gary Williams, who has had an eventful career since leaving Christie Park for Accrington Stanley several years ago.

Williams was watched by several football league sides in his spell at Accrington Stanley and, after flopping at Doncaster, he is now trying to re-establish himself in the conference. Williams carved out Chester's best chance of a first half equaliser for Mark Beesley, the former Preston striker who was linked with Morecambe last season. His shot went straight at Mawson.

Beesley made amends four minutes after the break when he hit an equaliser which the home side's performance barely deserved.

Morecambe still had no shortage of opportunities, though John Hardiker and Garry Thompson failed to convert.

The result leaves Morecambe in ninth place going into the Christmas period, with games in hand on many of the sides ahead of them.

Chester City 1 Morecambe 1

Popular midfielder Michael Knowles is back in action. The local boy, victim of a nasty injury in the game against Southport last Boxing Day, played for the reserves last Friday.

Ex-Morecambe keeper Mark Smith walked straight into a row at his new club, Southport last week. He played for Scarborough as they overcame Farnborough Town, but faces and FA investigation as an unregistered player.

A flurry of transfer speculation surrounding Robbie Talbot and John Hardiker appears to have died down this week.

Blackpool were strongly linked with both players, in particular Hardiker.

However, speaking last week, the Seasiders manager Steve McMahon said no-one had yet worked out the identity of his defensive target.

Meanwhile, Chesterfield's Luke Beckett and Bury's John Newby are seen as more likely striking options to replace £1.75 million man Brett Ormerod, whose move to Southampton has also boosted the coffers of his former club, Lancaster City's rivals Accrington.