Morecambe 0 Chester 2

SHRIMPS' honorary chairman Jim Bowen was in the stands, but there was nothing super, smashing or great about this Morecambe performance.

And this first home defeat put Morecambe well behind those sides chasing the bulls-eye of promotion to the Nationwide League.

In truth, it was a scrappy game, with neither side really getting a grip. But the newly relegated visitors took their chances while Morecambe dithered on the rare occasions when they got a sight of goal.

A relatively dull start saw Chester make the early running, with skipper Matt Woods seeing his early snapshot blocked while former Shrimps target Mark Beesley shot powerfully across the face of goal.

However, Morecambe winger Andy Lyons, making his return from the injury which has seen him miss most of the early season, looked threatening, with a couple of crosses forcing Chester's defenders to clear well.

And a fine shot by Dave McKearney on the half hour foxed keeper Wayne Brown and came within inches of dipping under the cross bar. And, on 36 minutes, Morecambe finally had the ball in the net. Jamie Murphy fired a powerful shot from the edge of the area, which fell kindly for Stewart Drummond on the edge of the six yard box.

His shot easily beat Brown but, as celebrations began, the assistant referee raised his flag for offside.

While Drummond certainly appeared to have been offside, the call won't have helped Morecambe's concentration and, moments later, they were hit with a classic sucker punch.

Darren Wright won the ball on the right and midfielder Paul Carden latched on to it, sending in a pinpoint cross for Chris Blackburn, unmarked, to head the ball past Mark Smith. Chester's boisterous fans - some of whom disgraced themselves and their club with their boorish behaviour, particularly in the main stand - went wild. But, on the stroke of half time, Morecambe should have been on level terms. A teasing cross from Lyons deceived Beesley and Woods in the centre of defence and fell kindly for Eastwood, but he missed poorly. And, early in the second half Eastwood was at fault again, when keeper Brown dropped the ball in the penalty area. Eastwood picked up the ball sharply but, after turning to shoot, his shot trickled along the line and was well blocked by Chester's assistant boss Paul Beesley. Chester made the game safe on 67 minutes. Murphy gave away a free kick on the edge of the penalty area and Chester's useful wing back Matt Doughty fired the ball across.

Woods was first to the ball at the far post and his powerful header left Smith with no chance.

John Norman came closest to putting Morecambe back in the game with a flicked header which Brown did well to turn over.

But, in truth, the Shrimps didn't deserve anything from a game on which they failed to impose themselves and Chester left with their first away victory of the season. Saturday's visit to Doncaster was equally disappointing, as the Shrimps fell to a 1-0 defeat against the free-spending South Yorkshire club. Mark Barnard scored a 62nd minute winner to secure three points in a game in which the Shrimps created little.

Team: (4-4-2) Smith 6, Fensome 6, Brown 6 (Takano), McKearney 7, Murphy 5, Walters 6, Thompson 6 (Black), Drummond 6, Eastwood 5 (Wright), Norman 6, Lyons 7

Star Shrimp: McKearney