MORECAMBE should have had this home game against the early season leaders won inside the first half hour.

The Shrimps raced into a two goal lead within a quarter of an hour and didn't even look like being pegged back until a stunning free kick from left back Mark Barnard gave the visitors hope.

Robbie Talbot was Morecambe's danger man. The former Burscough striker's tricky and evasive running off the ball baffled the Vics defence, and it was he who gave his side the lead on six minutes.

Ian Arnold flicked the ball into the penalty area, and Talbot held off challenges from two defenders to beat the keeper with a well placed shot.

Northwich's Steve Garvey could have equalised moments later, but shot over the bar from he edge of the area.

Morecambe doubled their advantage on 17 minutes. Again, Talbot was the goalscorer, and beneficiary of a penetrating pass from Andy Gouck, dissecting the defence and putting Talbot in space to place the ball past keeper Paul Gibson.

You just couldn't imagine Northwich, who were struggling to compete in midfield and suffering from the appalling kicking of Gibson, getting back into the game and, although the Shrimps didn't dominate the rest of the first half like they did the opening exchanges, they were never threatened.

Again, the second half was mostly Morecambe, though Lee Colkin had to clear a Greg Blundell shot off his line after Northwich's best move of the match.

Talbot could have completed his hat trick before Northwich found the net with a sublime free kick.

Stewart Drummond gave away a free kick on the edge of the Morecambe box and left-back Mark Barnard stood up to curl it left footed around the wall and into the back of Craig Mawson's net.

From then on, the nerves were jangling, even though Northwich created relatively few chances. Their best opportunity for an equaliser came deep into injury time when centre half Marcus Jones headed narrowly over the bar.

RESULT: Morecambe 2 Northwich Victoria 1