MORECAMBE 2 Northwich Victoria 1
THE ups and downs and twists and turns of this most intriguing of Conference campaigns can mean only one sure thing - there will be tears and heartbreak on the final day of this season.

Realistically, the race for the play-offs is any four from six teams so when 4.45pm comes around on April 28 there will be two sides gutted.

It is drama befitting a prime time soap opera. Sammy McIlroy describes it as a roller coaster and after his Shrimps roared back into the play-off zone last night you can see where he is coming from.

Three defeats in four games prior to last night suggested Morecambe had, perhaps, shot their bolt. But the doom and gloom merchants will be proved wrong because this side is one to savour with more than enough to go all the way.

The professionalism of the performance against Northwich stood out - and although the Shrimps could only win 2-1 you wonder just what they will do to a side when they click into top gear.

McIlroy has instilled a self-belief in his men and even at 1-0 they didn't look in danger against a Northwich side, who really must be fearing for their future.

The Vics showed first but Michael Byrne's 25-yard effort was a breeze for Steven Drench before Paul Lloyd dragged a shot wide from Morecambe's first corner.

It was a brisk opening and Byrne's free-kick was right onto the head of Christian Smith, who really should have tested Drench before the Shrimps flexed their muscles.

Danny Adams sent a lovely ball forward for Matty Bloinkhorn to run onto and the loan man held off Kieran Charnock as he charged into the box. Charnock went down appealing for a foul but Blinkhorn raced on and found Danny Carlton but his effort was deflected for a corner.

Morecambe were in the groove and when Carlton's delivered the corner with perfection Blinkhorn rose tall to nod home the opener.

It was a goal straight from the training ground and more smart play on the half-hour saw Blinkhorn denied by a good save from Ben Connett.

Ex-Morecambe man Matty Shaw was trying for Northwich and probably should have done better with an effort shortly after the break when Drench was allowed to make the save at his near post before the Shrimps had an escape.

Chris Blackburn missed a through ball and Paul Brayson lobbed the advancing Drench. Fortunately the ball landed on the crossbar and Jim Bentley and the back-peddling Blackburn cleaned up the mess.

The Neil Sorvel's perfect cross-field pass - a ball worth the entrance money alone - found Blinkhorn and his shot brought the very best out of the over-stretched Connett before Blackburn shot over when the ball broke to him from the resulting corner.

But just when the Shrimps were on top they were rocked as they struggled to clear their lines and Danny Mayman let fly with a rip-roaring volley from 20-yards. Poor old Drench barely blinked let alone moved. It was a fine strike - but someone in a red shirt should have hoofed the ball towards Caton Moor long before Mayman got his chance.

At 1-1 the nerves could have set in but within three minutes Mark Roberts stupidly fouled Garry Hunter and Carlton's free-kick was missed by Connett. The ball seemed to take an age to reach Blackburn but he acrobatically turned it home to make it 2-1.

That was effectively game over and sub Craig Stanley chased a lost cause only to loose his footing as Connett collected.

Then right at the death another sub, David McNiven, glanced a header wide after wonderful work from Curtis.

The Shrimps are warming up - and if there are to be tears at Christie Park at the end of next month you can have a good bet they will be ones of joy.