Sammy McIlroy's side continued their revival with a superb second half performance against the league's bottom club who crumbled once Phil Jevons fired the Shrimps into a 55th minute lead with his 10th goal of the season.

The first half was a very even affair with Steve Staunton's side playing some good football and having Morecambe on the back foot for long periods.

Darlington created the first clear chance of the game on 20 minutes when midfielder Jeff Smith took advantage of Will Haining's slip to break into the box and force a good save from Morecambe keeper Barry Roche.

Smith also went wide a minute later with a snapshot from the edge of the area and then curled an effort wide on 39 minutes after winning a loose ball on the right hand side of the Shrimps' area.

The Shrimps were restricted to long-range efforts with Stewart Drummond and Craig Stanley firing wide from the edge of the area before Garry Hunter volleyed a Michael Twiss cross wide of the far post.

But the visitors provided a much more polished performance in the second half and after Jevons hit home Craig Stanley's through ball they were always in charge.

Laurence Wilson made it 2-0 on 64 minutes with his second goal in successive games after producing a clinical left foot finish.

Stewart Drummond sealed the points on 79 minutes with a cool finish from Stanley's right wing free-kick and the Shrimps capped off a fine second half with a fourth goal six minutes from time when Wayne Curtis took advantage of a horrendous error from Darlington keeper Nick Liversedge to roll the ball into the empty net.

Morecambe: Roche 7; Hunter 7 (rep Duffy 79), Parrish 7, Artell 7, Haining 7, Wilson 8; Drummond 7, Stanley 7, Twiss 7 (rep Wainwright 82); Jevons 7, Mullin 7 (rep Curtis 79). Subs not used: Davies, McStay, Taylor, Moss

Full report in Wednesday's Lancashire Evening Post