Morecambe 2 Kidderminster 3 WHATEVER you can do we can do better was the hard lesson Morecambe were forced to face at Christie Park on Saturday. Twice Morecambe took the lead, twice Kidderminster bounced back and then with six minutes left the title challengers struck with a killer punch. For much of the game it appeared Morecambe had dashed the visitor's championship dreams and handed the title to Sammy MacIlroy's Macclesfield but the Harriers jump jetted into a late lead that sealed the three points.

Morecambe drew first blood. Sprightly striker Mike Bignall proved what a good buy he was from Stevenage with a spectacular shot from near the halfway line. In the 43rd minute he spotted keeper Darren Steadman well off his line and lobbed the ball high towards the goal. Steadman tried frantically to back peddle but his efforts were in vain and Morecambe were one up.

Two minutes later and Kidderminster were level. Keeper Steve McIlhargey miskicked his clearance straight to Neil Doherty and the former Birmingham City winger needed just one opportunity to convert the gifted chance.

In a balanced game of few real cut chances, the Shrimps edged themselves into the lead once more in the 75th minute. Jim McCluskie picked out Brian Healy who jinked past a defender and kept his cool to place the ball into the back of the net.

With just 15 minutes left it looked as if Morecambe had dug out a fine victory against the high flyers but, with the Shrimp fans still celebrating, fate played its hand. Ian Olney curled in a cross that skimmed the head of striker Paul Davies and then ricocheted off John Norman and into the net for a cruel own goal.

Sensing that luck was on their side, Kidderminster pressed forward in the dying minutes and skipper Mark Yates picked up an Olney cross and blasted the ball past McIlhargey to put the Worcestershire side top of the table. Maybe next season, Morecambe will be vying for the coveted league football place.

Team: McIlhargey, Knowles, Burns (McCluskie) McKearney, Hodgson, Grimshaw, Monk, Healy, Bignall, Norman, Williams (Cain) Sub: Drummond.

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