Morecambe 6 Hucknall Town 1 NO doubt there'll be a bumper crowd at Christie Park for the match against Sutton United on Saturday after this champagne performance.

There should certainly be more than the 736 who were privileged to watch their team knock six past a Unibond Premier League Team.

But don't be fooled into thinking that because Hucknall play in a league below they were poor opposition. Hucknall are just six points behind the leaders Hyde United in their division.

This victory wasn't because Hucknall were a bad side (although they could probably argue a bad day) but because Morecambe were good.

The victory was more or less assured after ten minutes or so when the Shrimps were already two goals to the good.

Neill Hardy scored the first after just three minutes after striker Justin Jackson picked up a rebound and unselfishly laid it on. And it was Jackson who scored his only goal of the game a few minutes later. He took his goal very well volleying past the hapless Hucknall keeper from outside the area on the turn.

It was Darren Lyons who made sure of the victory just before the break. Fans used the half time period to debate whether Lyons had intended to cross or shoot to score. Hardy scored his second and his side's fourth ten minutes after the restart with a strong header before Hucknall managed to pull one back. Substitute Phil Eastwood scored with his first touch of the game on 75 minutes from a Lyons cross. And it was Eastwood who scored again on with another cross from Lyons, this time in open play.

All that cup glory and they are just six points behind league leaders Nuneaton with three games in hand. If the people of Morecambe have any sense they'll be pouring into the ground when Saturday comes.

Team: Banks, Fensome, Maguire, Farrell, McKearney, Smith, Lyons, Drummond, Jackson (Eastwood 74), Takano (Heald 66). Att: 736.

MORECAMBE midfielder Stewart Drummond was named as match magazine Conference player of the month for November this week.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.