Stalybridge Celtic 2 Morecambe 1 IT was a case of 13th time unlucky for the Shrimps at Stalybridge on Tuesday night as their impressive Conference unbeaten run was brought to an end.

Morecambe had gone 12 games without a defeat in the league and in the end it took a mistake from 'keeper Andy Banks right on the stroke of full-time to end the sequence.

With the game poised at 1-1 and heading for a draw, Stalybridge's Steve Charles hit a speculative shot from 25 yards. The ball seemed to be going straight at Banks but it somehow slipped from his grasp and ended up in the back of the net. It was the last kick of the game.

That came seconds after the Shrimps' keeper had pulled off a brilliant fingertip save to deny Celtic what looked like a certain goal.

After a first half controlled by Morecambe but with few chances created by wither side, this game livened up in the second period.

The home side took the lead in the 54th minute when the Shrimps' defence failed to clear a loose ball and Ian Arnold pounced to score.

Justin Jackson almost scored with 60 minutes on the clock, spurning a clear chance in front of goal, but he did set one up 10 minutes later. Mark Ceraolo profitted from Jackson's flick-on to score.

Until the vital injury-time winner, it was Morecambe who looked favourites to take all three points and they could have done so had Dave McKearney not skied a chance created by the excellent Paul Burns with ten minutes left.

TEAM: Banks, Knowles, Lavelle, West, Hughes, Burns, Monk, McKearney, Ceraolo, Norman, Leaver. SUBS: McCluskie, Grimshaw, Jackson. High flying Shrimps Morecambe 2 Rushden & Diamonds 0 MORECAMBE recorded their 12th consecutive unbeaten game in the Vauxhall Conference with a 2-0 win over newly promoted Rushden and Diamonds, writes David Burbidge.

And the high-flying Shrimps welcomed back Mark Ceraolo for his first Conference start of the season in the absence of Justin Jackson against a side struggling at the foot of the table.

Morecambe failed to get hold of the game in the early stages and Rushden's Richard Bailey almost put the visitors ahead when he hit a shot just past the post from six yards out in the 15th minute.

Referee Mr Bello turned down claims for a Morecambe penalty for what looked like a blatant handball as the half-hour approached and Jim Harvey's men began to find telling gaps in the Diamonds defence in the last 15 minutes of the first half, leading to the first goal of the game.

In the 31st minute, Dave Leaver went on a winding run down the left which ended in a low cross from the byline which missed everyone except Ian Monk who fired home at the far post.

That brought Morecambe the confidence they needed and from then on the Shrimps laid siege to the Rushden goal.

Just a minute later, Diamonds' keeper Martin Davis produced a good save from Ceraolo and in the 37th minute John Norman curled a 20-yard free-kick from the corner of the area on to the crossbar.

And Ceraolo's calms for a penalty were waved away when he appeared to have been bundled over by Jim Rodwell in the area two minutes before the break.

The second period saw much of the same from the Shrimps despite some promising attacks from the visitors. The second goal for Morecambe came in the 63rd minute when Paul Burns shot from 20 yards was deflected into the top corner by a Rushden defender. Quarter final place for Shrimps Gateshead 1 Morecambe 3 THE Shrimps booked a quarter-final Spalding Cup tie against Stalybridge Celtic with a 3-1 win at Gateshead last Wednesday night.

With just six minutes on the clock Morecambe were in front when John Norman put through Mark Ceraolo, making his first appearance of the season after injury, and he coolly slotted the ball home.

Gateshead were level in the 29th minute through Paul Thompson but it was the second half performance from Jim Harvey's men that determined this tie.

In the 58th minute Ian Monk put the Shrimps back in front after Michael Knowles had drifted through the home defence on a great run.

But Morecambe saved the best until last and Dave Leaver scored the third six minutes later with a great chip from the edge of the area with 'keeper Steve Sherwood stranded. Gateshead 1 Morecambe 3 THE Shrimps booked a quarter-final Spalding Cup tie against Stalybridge Celtic with a 3-1 win at Gateshead last Wednesday night.

With just six minutes on the clock Morecambe were in front when John Norman put through Mark Ceraolo, making his first appearance of the season after injury, and he coolly slotted the ball home.

Gateshead were level in the 29th minute through Paul Thompson but it was the second half performance from Jim Harvey's men that determined this tie.

In the 58th minute Ian Monk put the Shrimps back in front after Michael Knowles had drifted through the home defence on a great run.

But Morecambe saved the best until last and Dave Leaver scored the third six minutes later with a great chip from the edge of the area with 'keeper Steve Sherwood stranded.

TEAM: Banks, Knowles, Lavelle, Miller (West), Hughes, Burns, Monk (Grimshaw), McKearney, Ceraolo (McCluskie), Norman, Leaver.

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