Morecambe heeded their manager's call for more clinical finishing with two great headed goals in a first half in which they were always sharper against a poor home side.

Morecambe had the perfect start when, after Thompson had been fouled on the right, Carl Baker whipped in a curling free kick for Jim Bentley to rise and power a header past Muggleton for a sixth minute opener.

Morecambe continued to enjoy the better of the exchanges and went further ahead on 24 minutes when a corner was only cleared as far as Craig Stanley whose cross was met by the diving head of Matty Blinkhorn for a great second.

At the other end Jefferson Louis had two good strikes on goal, one a shot from distance that went just wide and another spectacular overhead kick that also missed the target by inches.

Mansfield started the second half strongly and won a couple of early corners.

The second of those was cleared to the edge of the box from where Lee Bell struck a scintillating half volley which flew into the corner of the net, leaving Shwan Jalal clawing at thin air in a vain attempt to prevent the 48th minute goal.

Michael Boulding curled a left footed shot just wide from 20 yards as the home side battled to get back into the game.

As Morecambe settled Wayne Curtis swung in a deep cross and Garry Thompson beat his marker to head back across goal but narrowly wide.

But Mansfield were still pushing and Louis could have done better than head over the bar after a great run and cross on the left by Boulding.

The big striker wasted another effort created by Boulding when he screwed a shot wide of the post after his attacking partner had made room for him on the edge of the box.

Morecambe nearly made sure of the points on 77 minutes when Stanley hit a free kick that found Bentley ghosting in at the far side of the box to volley inches wide with Muggleton rooted to the spot.

Henry McStay got his first chance of action when he replaced the ineffectual Stewart Drummond after 81 minutes and almost scored with his first touch, heading wide from a whipped-in Thompson free kick when it looked easier to score.

Right at the death Boulding sneaked in between two visiting defenders but couldn't squeeze the ball home from 10 yards.

But, though the home side pressed to the end, they couldn't get the equaliser and the Shrimps went home happy with a well earned three points.



Mansfield Town: Muggleton, Mullins, Jelleymen, Bell, Hamshaw, Dawson, Boulding, Buxton (Holmes 85), Martin (Wood 45), Louis, Atkinson (Brown 75). Subs White, D'Laryea, Brown, Holmes, Wood.

Morecambe: Jalal, Yates, Adams, Artell, Bentley, Thompson, Stanley, Drummond (McStay 81), Curtis, Baker (Hunter 75), Blinkhorn (Newby 93). Subs Hunter, Lloyd, Newby, McStay, Davies

Att 2,287 (94 from Morecambe)