The Shrimps' unbeaten run stumbled at the unlucky 13th hurdle as Wembley-bound Luton emerged winners from the battle of Eric Morecambe's two favourite teams.

The Shrimps were lucky to go in level at half-time as Luton battled back from a goal down to draw level and then threaten to take the lead.

Morecambe dominated the early part of the game but Luton looked sharp on the break and it was the visitors' Tom Craddock who had the first clear chance, forcing Barry Roche into a low save with a 15 yard shot on 18 minutes.

But Morecambe went straight up the other end and took the lead on 20 minutes when Stewart Drummond rose to crash home a header from a precise left-footed free-kick from Michael Twiss.

Twiss had a great chance to create a second a minute later but let the ball run out of play when he had srpinted clear of his marker to chase into the box.

The Hatters thought they had equalised after 24 minutes but the referee signalled there had been a push before skipper Kevin Nicholls had headed into the net.

The goal prompted a spell of Luton pressure and it took some alert defending from Morecambe to keep them at bay.

But they got their reward in the 43rd minute when Chris Martin got in front of Dave Artell to head a Nicholls cross past Roche.

And they almost took the lead right on the break when Martin squeezed a shot under Roche only to see Garry Hunter clear the ball as it stuck on the line.

Craddock twisted and turned before hitting a cracking shot on 48 minutes which was heading for the bottom corner until Roche stretched out a hand to make a fine save, Hunter blocking a follow-up shot.

But Luton did go ahead in the 59th minute when veteran striker, Kevin Gallen poked the ball home from what looked suspiciously like an offside position as Morecambe failed to clear a hopeful ball into the box.

Morecambe responded well and Twiss and Hunter both forced saves from Dean Brill with shots from acute angles.

And Wayne Curtis almost created a goal out of nothing, bursting between three defenders before unleashing a wicked shot that flew inches over.

Mark Duffy made a run from the right flank before he cracked one just into the side netting as Morecambe pressed to get back on level terms.

Rene Howe made space for himself before stinging Brill's hands with a fine shot on the turn.

Great work from Shrimps man-of-the-match Hunter found Twiss in the box and he almost wrong-footed Brill with a shot he did well to palm away.

But all the home side's efforts couldn't bring about an equaliser and Luton will set off for their Johnstone's Paint Trophy final with a confidence-boosting three points towards an unlikely but mathematically possible battle against relegation.

The former Southport winger Mark Duffy started in midfield for Morecambe for the first time with Wayne Curtis dropping back to the left wing-back role as the Shrimps faced a Luton side desperate for points in their quest to avoid relegation.

Neil Wainwright was out injured.

MORECAMBE - Roche; Yates, Bentley, Artell, Adams, Curtis (O'Carroll 84) ; Drummond, Hunter, Duffy; Twiss, Howe. Subs: Edge (Gk), Taylor McStay, McLachlan.

LUTON - Brill, Spillane, Pilkington, Bower, Emanuel, Keane, Nicholls, Hall, Martin (Jarvis 74), Gallen, Craddock. Subs Not Used: Button, Davis, Henderson, Parkin. Bookings: Pilkington, Craddock.

Ref: C Oliver (Northumbria).
Att: 2,599 (666 from Luton).