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Gillingham also found it difficult to create too many chances in very blustery conditions and were happy to hang on to the one goal they scrambled in mid-way through the first half.

The visitors took a deserved lead in at half time after showing the sharper play in a scrappy first half.

Apart from a couple of brief passages of play Morecambe struggled to string their passes together and were beaten to the loose ball too many times to get anything from the half.

Gillingham's Gary Mulligan almost took advantage of Morecambe's failure to clear the ball after only two minutes when his snap shot from ten yards flew just wide.

There were claims for a Morecambe penalty in the 7th minute when Craig Stanley's cracking drive hit Simon King but referee Mr Laws judged it had struck the defender in the chest.

Simeon Jackson had a great chance for the opener after nine minutes when he broke clear to race in on goal before Dave Artell's superb tackle forced the striker to mishit his shot wide.

Then there were calls again for a Morecambe pen when Aaron Taylor looked to have his shirt pulled in the box but again the appeals were waved away.

Morecambe were playing some neat football without finding the killer final ball but at the other end Barry Roche had to be alert to collect the ball after a cross was deflected onto his crossbar.

But the Gills did take the lead after 19 minutes when Mulligans shot hit the post, rebounded out to Dennis Oli whose effort was blocked but spun out to Curtis Weston who placed it in the net.

Fraser McLachlan had an opening to equalise when Craig Stanley's corner fell to him on the edge of the box but the midfielder skied it over the bar.

Rene Howe was one of the few who looked to provide a threat for the home side and he twisted and turned to make space for a shot that was just off target as half time approached.

Morecambe tried to raise their game after the break with Neil Wainwright and Howe making inroads down the left.

Howe tried a shot from 20 yards along the deck but Simon Royce got down well to save.

But Gillingham were coping with what few real attacks Morecambe could muster and always looked a threat themselves on the break.

Matty Blinkhorn and Diarmuid O'Carroll replaced Taylor and Wainwright respectively as Sammy McIlroy gambled for something from the game.

That sparked things a bit for the home side and they went close when Royce had to leap to his left to deny Stanley who hit a scorcher from 25 yards.

Barcham could have added a second right at the death but Garry Hunter sprinted back to clear off the line.

Morecambe boss Sammy McIlroy made three changes for the Shrimps' first game of 2009 with Aaron Taylor, Dave Artell and Michael Twiss all earning recalls to the starting line-up.

Henry McStay missed out after picking up an injury in the Reserves in midweek while Stewart Drummond is still out with a virus.

MORECAMBE - Roche; Yates, Bentley, Artell, Adams, Wainwright (O'Carroll 72), Twiss, Stanley, McLachlan (Hunter 81), Howe, Taylor (Blinkhorn 60). Subs: Davies (Gk), Blinkhorn, Hunter, McCann, O'Carroll.

Booked: Bentley.

GILLINGHAM - Royce; Lewis, Bentley (Payne 84), King, Nutter; Oli (Nicky Southall 38), Weston, Miller, Barcham, Mulligan, Jackson (Cumbers 92). Subs: Julian (Gk), Southall, Cumbers, Pugh, Payne.

Booked: Jackson.

Ref: G Laws (Tyne and Wear)

Att: 2,027 (250 from Gillingham)