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MORECAMBE'S hopes of sealing another memorable Carling Cup conquest were dashed by the sharp shooting Blades.

After victories over Preston and Wolves a game against a Sheffield Utd side who have not made the best of starts to the season held few fears for the Shrimps. But they came up against a side full of players eager to stake their claim for a first team place and at the top of their game.

Robson made eight changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Crystal Palace on Saturday and rested his first choice strike pairing of James Beattie and Jon Stead.

That looked a good sign until Luton Shelton and Billy Sharp, bought for a combined total of more than £2.5m, decided that this was the perfect opportunity to show the home fans what they could do.

They provided a lethal attacking edge which Morecambe found difficult to contain and United, unlike Wolves in the last round, were ruthless.

Former Scunthorpe striker Sharp was the one to shine in the first half and after an even opening shocked the Shrimps with an opener on 17 minutes when he drilled home Shelton's clever flick past Joe Lewis.

Morecambe hit back with hard-working midfielder Craig Stanley denied a wonder goal by a superb Paddy Kenny save as his long range volley looked destined for the bottom left hand corner.

But just as Morecambe hoped to get back into the game they were undone for a second time by Sharp with a finish of real quality just after the half hour. Sharp received the ball with his back to goal but in one silky movement turned away from marker and produced another excellent finish.

Shrimps' boss Sammy McIlroy brought on Garry Thompson for the start of the second half and it was a decision that looked as though it may have been inspired as his side dominated the first five minutes after the restart.

But once again a Morecambe revival was blunted by the Blades as they added a clinical third. Jamaican star Shelton beat the offside trap and coolly rounded Lewis to stroke the ball into the empty net for 3-0.

The goal once again gave the Blades a lift and former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie made it 4-0 when he latched on to Adam Yates's weak clearance before Shelton added a fifth 20 minutes from time after dancing through the Morecambe defence and drilling a low shot past Lewis.

The Morecambe keeper then did well to save sharply from Sharp on two occasions before the Shrimps pushed forward themselves.

Carl Baker fizzed a long range effort just wide of the right hand post before Irish international Kenny showed his prowess with another excellent block from Thompson's close range volley to deny the Shrimps a consolation goal.

SHEFFIELD UTD: Kenny 7, Geary 7 (rep Bromby 76), Naysmith 7, Kilgallon 7, Lucketti 7, Hendrie 7 (rep Tonge 66), A Quinn 7, Montgomery 7 (rep Armstrong 65), S Quinn 7, Sharp 7, Shelton 8. Subs not used: Stead, Morgan.

MORECAMBE: Lewis 7, Yates 7, Artell 7, Bentley 7, Adams 7 (rep Grand 75), Stanley 8, Twiss 6, Sorvel 6 (rep Thompson 46), Allen 6, Baker 7 (rep Hunter 79), Blinkhorn 6. Subs not used: Drench, Newby.

Att 8,854 (1,014 from Morecambe)

Booked: Bentley.

Star man: Craig Stanley.

Ref: S Tanner

ON S 8 M 3

OFF S 1 M 2

FOULS S 8 M 14

CORNERS S 3 M 6

OFFSIDES S 3 M 1