MORECAMBE finally got their first win of the season on Bank Holiday Monday but it was anything but convincing against Conference whipping boys Leigh RMI.

After starting like men inspired, Jim Harvey's men lost their way big style.

The lack of confidence shone through like a beacon as Leigh sensed their chance to rescue something from a match where they could have been dead and buried in the opening quarter.

And in the end Morecambe were happy to hang on.

That looked anything but likely as Wayne Curtis was close to opening the scoring in the first minute following a cross from the right by Garry Hunter.

And Jim Bentley showed his determination with a crude challenge from behind which efectively put Leigh's Karl Rose out of the game in the second minute - he was substituted four minutes later.

But the significant action was all at the other end as Curtis found space on the left and had three shots at goal within the opening 10 minutes.

A Michael Twiss run and cross set up an opening which Gary Hunter could not quite convert on 14 minutes.

Leigh's first real attack almost ended in disaster for the Shrimps as substitute Alex Meecham who had replaced the limping Rose had Adam Sollitt diving full length to save a shot one-handed in the 18th minute.

But it was Morecambe who kept going forward with Twiss and Curtis prominent, no more so than on the half hour as Leigh keeper Ian Martin was at full stretch to keep out Twiss.

The breakthrough came from the resulting corner. Hunter's flag kick was easily cleared but came back to the Morecambe forward just outside the box, from where he hit a looping drive over Martin for his first Conference goal.

Leigh immediately came out fighting and pushed Morecambe back earning yellow cards for both Keiran Walmsley and Bentley before the break.

Leigh's Gareth Stoker was next to enter the notebook for the latest of a series of fouls on Dave Perkins on 49 minutes. And extra punishment came in the form of a goal seconds later.

There seemed no danger when the free kick fell to defender Gareth Holmes on the edge of the Leigh area, but Hunter caught him in possession and slipped an instant pass into the path of Curtis to beat Martin from close range.

The joy was short lived for the home players and fans alike for Alex Meecham went straight up to the other goal and slotted the ball beyond Sollitt to make the score 2-1.

Curtis, Perkins and Hunter all fired in shots as Shrimps looked to rebuild, and manager Jim Harvey threw on forwards Danny Carlton and Nick Rogan for Walmlsey and Curtis.

But by the time the 70th minute arrived and the break never came, desperate Leigh began to bomb forward.

Despite Morecambe's brittle confidence being shattered, Carlton netted a third for Morecambe on 86 minutes but saw the goal' ruled out for a foul on Chrtis Lane.

And Rogan was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty as he led another raid on 87 minutes and was impeded in the penalty area.

But as referee Mr Tatton played a full four minutes of injury time it was the Morecambe fans who were most anxious - particularly when substitute Smith's effort rebounded to safety off Sollitt's crossbar.

MORECAMBE: Sollitt, Blackburn, Bentley, Swan, Howard, Walmlsey (Rogan 65), McFlynn, Perkins, Hunter, Twiss, Cyrtis (Carlton 69, Dodgson 89). Subs not used: Mahoney, Gregoire.