Morecambe 0 Ipswich Town 3 THE FA cup dream may be over, But Morecambe can keep their heads held high after a fine performance against Premiership Ipswich on Saturday.

The 3-0 scoreline flattered the visitors, whose organisation and teamwork will fry bigger fish than the Shrimps in the course of the season.

Despite an early goal, Morecambe edged the first half and only began to struggle when Ipswich started a lengthy game of keep ball after scoring a second they barely deserved.

Ipswich got the early goal which every big club looks for in a game like this. Marcus Stewart showed why he is amongst the top scorers in the top flight, taking the ball around keeper Mark Smith and tucking it in from a tight angle after Dave McKearney had blocked a shot from Alun Armstrong.

But the goal spurred Morecambe on and it was they who created the better chances in the first 45 minutes.

They had a good penalty shout on 24 minutes when Mark Quayle got goalside of the massive Icelandic defender Herman Hreidarsson after hesitation by England keeper Richard Wright.

Hreidarsson appeared to shove Quayle clumsily to the ground, but referee Uriah Rennie, who gave a characteristically erratic performance turned down that and two other half-decent shouts for a Morecambe penalty over the course of the 90 minutes.

Morecambe continued to go forward, and wingers Gary Thompson and Ryan-Zico Black will have enhanced their growing reputations after giving the Ipswich back four a torrid time.

Twice crosses were flicked across the six yard box, twice Morecambe failed to get a head to them.

Morecambe fans thought their luck had turned when Martijn Reuseur, faced with an empty net, fired the ball high over the crossbar on 55 minutes.

It's tempting to ask what the Dutch international was taught in is day's at the famous Ajax Amsterdam football academy. He certainly couldn't blame the immaculate Christie Park pitch, rightly praised by Ipswich chief George Burley.

But Alun Armstrong made no mistake ten minutes later when he headed home a near post cross to make the result safe. Jermaine Wright flicked an impressive third and it looked like Morecambe would struggle to get a kick in the last ten minutes as Ipswich passed the ball around smoothly.

But Jim Harvey's side weren't finished. With the crowd singing their hearts out, the Shrimps pushed forward for the goal they deserved.

John Norman came closest, flicking what would have been the goal of the game inches wide of the post.

And so, after a pitch invasion and a mini lap of honour from the players, who left the dressing rooms in various states of undress, the FA Cup was over. But the memories will live on.