A LAST minute penalty dealt a bitter blow to Morecambe's FA Trophy chances, leaving them behind as they travel to Stevenage for next week's second leg.

Morecambe had performed creditably in the second half to claw their way back into the game, but, in the dying seconds, the team could only watch on as despair referee Mr Clattenberg awarded a penalty after Paul McGuire's clumsy challenge ended Scott Houghton's jinking run.

John Hamsher made no mistake from 12 yards, despite a good effort from Craig Mawson, who went the right way but failed to get his hand to the ball.

In truth, the tie could have been dead and buried before Stevenage opened the scoring on 23 minutes as the visitors left the Shrimps rattled with a series of decent chances.

Within the first 60 seconds, Kirk Jackson had flicked a Hamsher through ball into the area, where Sam McMahon miskicked in front of goal.

Morecambe were let off again on nine minutes when a poor clearance from Craig Mawson fell to the dangerous Jackson, who shot well wide of the open goal.

A good run from Garry Thompson carved out the first chance for Jim Harvey's side, a typically rangy run taking him to the corner flag from where he turned the ball back to Stewart Drummond who, arriving late, clipped the bar with a powerful long range shot.

Stevenage had forced four corners in the first 20 minutes, and finally made their dominance tell on 23 minutes.

Chris Lightfoot needlessly pushed Jackson on the edge of the area and Matt Fisher touched the resulting free kick to Sam McMahon who unleashed an unstoppable shot into the bottom left hand corner.

That was the end of the game for Lightfoot, who was replaced by Paul McGuire in a re-organised Morecambe back four.

The rest of the half saw Stevenage almost overwhelm a battered Shrimps side.

Liam George missed two decent chances while McMahon couldn't turn a Jackson flick past the busy Mawson.

Morecambe couldn't be as bad again after the break and, only four minutes into the second half, Wayne Curtis tested keeper Paul Wilkerson after a good through ball from Adriano Rigoglioso.

John Norman almost caught Wilkerson out on 62 minutes when he hit a curling shot, which bounced off the post after intercepting a Drummond effort.

Two minutes later, a swirling free kick from the touchline by Rigoglioso almost caught Wilkerson out and he was forced to tip over the bar.

Jackson had a header well saved by Mawson, but Morecambe were clearly coming back into the game.

They were boosted by a re-organisation, which saw young Danny Carlton and Robbie Talbot - making a shock return from injury - paired up front.

Teenager Carlton almost made a name for himself on 75 minutes when Norman played him in.

However, Wilkerson stood up well and Carlton wasn't able to lift the ball over him.

But the Shrimps had to wait barely a minute for the breakthrough.

A Garry Thompson corner wasn't dealt with by the defence and a mad goalmouth scramble ended with the ever-impressive Stewart Drummond poking the ball home.

Norman again went close on 85 minutes and it was the Stevenage fans who looked nervous when the fourth official indicated four minutes of injury time.

It was they, however, who ended up celebrating what is a famous victory - even though it is only half time.