Breathless Shrimps steal a stunner

The strikes from Blinkhorn and Sorvel were jaw-droppingly good, but it was keeper Drench who stole the honours with a marvellous display as Aldershot left Christie Park pointless.

Talk about odd games of football...this was strange from the off as the Shots, to their immense credit, decided to try and play rather than throttle the life out of midfield.

That ploy caught Morecambe out in the early stages and Kirk Hudson's cross was well cut out by Adam Yates and a couple of early corners suggested the visitors were in North Lancashire for more reasons than to make up the numbers.

But on nine minutes the Shrimps went in front after their first passage of play - and what a goal it was.

Yates fed through to David McNiven and he chested down towards Blinkhorn 35-yards from goal - and the result was breathtaking.

The on-loan Blackpool striker hit an amazing half-volley that rocketed into top corner of Nikki Bull's net before the keeper could barely blink...stunning.

Then Garry Thompson cleared the Umbro stand with a cross before Drench atoned for a poor clearance by making a smart save from Jonny Dixon's follow-up shot.

Less than 20 seconds later Bull was being extended at the other end by Garry Hunter's shot before Mark Moseley's lung-busting run through three Morecambe tackles should have led to more than Dixon's lame effort.

Again. within seconds, the Shrimps were on the attack and Blinkhorn turned provider to find Sorvel and his measured and well-directed volley from 25-yards - a much more difficult skill to master than Blinkhorn's blaster - left Bull clutching at thin air as the ball hit the net.

The Shots wouldn't lie down and Drench denied Ryan Williams twice in 30 seconds, although he shouldn't have had a chance with the second one as Williams sprung the offside trap and was unmarked nine yards from goal.

Still the excitement came and Thompson's cross forced a good clearing punch from Bull and the keeper made a smart save to keep the flying winger's shot out. Only 29 minutes had been played.

Chris Blackburn hooked a shot onto the roof of the net and then the first free-kick was awarded for a foul on Sorvel on 33 minutes.

John Grant and Moseley combined well only for Sorvel to break up play before they could create an opening, then Drench saved really well from Dixon five minutes before the break.

The keeper was beaten by John Grant's shot, which came back off the post.and then he saved commendably from Grant's snap shot before denying Hudson on the stroke of half time.

It was a breathless half - and the second period saw a frantic start as Drench tipped Dixon's thunderbolt onto his crossbar in spectacular style just nine seconds after the re-start.

There was no way the players could keep up the pace - but the Shots still gave it a go and Drench again saved from Moseley's dipping volley and then went full stretch to tip a point-blank Grant header away as the striker met Darren Barnard's perfect free-kick.

Thomson blasted a Morecambe free-kick from 20-yards into the roof of the North Stand and then caused havoc with a cross as Bull just managed to get to it before Blinkhorn.

But by this stage it looked as though Aldershot would get a goal.

Drench stopped them again with more routine saves from Hudson and Moseley before Hunter got back to make the perfect tackle to stop Moseley in his tracks.

The keeper was finally beaten seven minutes from time when Hudson slammed the ball home from close range after a scramble - and Drench almost saved that - before Moseley was wasteful with a cross four minutes later.

As the clock ticked into the 91st minute Anthony Charles wasted a good chance as he headed well wide from eight yards before Morecambe sub Danny Carlton should have put the game safe as Sorvel sent him clear.

But Carlton's finish was awful - fortunately for him the final whistle blew seconds later.