AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2 Morecambe 1: Shrimps suffer giantkilling act
The Shrimps suffered one of the worst defeats in their history as they were dumped out of the FA Cup in the final qualifying round by a side from the eighth tier of English football.
Another shocking first-half display led to the Shrimps' downfall as two goals in three minutes handed the home side the advantage and although Adam Lakeland's side were the better team after the break, and pulled one goal back, they could not forge their way back into the game.
The result meant the NPL Division One Midlands side, founded in 2011 after the demise of Rushden & Diamonds, reached the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time after the biggest day in their short history.
Cheered on by a sell out crowd the home side were quickly out of the blocks with a long throw from Sam Brown headed into the path of Bruno Andrade who forced a fine double save from Myles Boney.
Boney was forced to make another decent save from Matt Warburton after 10 minutes.
At the other end Diamonds keeper Charlie Woods was forced into an excellent stop in the 12th minute as Ben Williams played-in Isaac Buckley-Ricketts for a one-on-one chance.
Woods then made an excellent save from Ruben Curley as he met a Cameron Coxe cross as the game swung from end to end.
It was the home side who struck first on 20 minutes after another Brown long throw caused the Morecambe defence all sorts of problems and as the ball bobbled in the box, James Clifton smashed it into the net despite Boney's best efforts.
Things got much worse for the Shrimps just three minutes later. Paul Lewis gave away a free-kick 25 yards out and Matty Warburton curled his effort superbly around the wall to beat Boney low to his left.
At this stage a rattled Morecambe were second best and were grateful to Joe Garner for a goalline clearance from another dangerous set-piece.
Morecambe finally created a chance on 38 minutes when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was played in by Garner and although the striker rounded Woods, his effort was cleared off the line by Tejan Thomas.
Buckley-Ricketts then missed the target altogether from a tougher angle as the half came to a close but at the break the Diamonds were good value for their lead.
The half-time break came at a good time for the Shrimps and they scored just five minutes into the second period as Garner headed home Curley's excellent left-wing cross.
The goal changed the momentum of the game and Buckley-Ricketts created a good opening for himself on the hour only to be denied by the feet of Woods.
Four minutes later Lewis had a golden chance to equalise but headed Elliot Newby's pinpoint cross straight at Charlie Woods.
One minute later a shot from distance by Cameron Coxe bounced back off the post but after that flurry of efforts the chances dried up for Morecambe until the final moments of the game.
Coxe saw another effort on 86 minutes pushed away by Woods before Rushden & Diamonds defender Freddie Robinson almost scored in his own goal as his attempted clearance from Coxe's effort missed Woods’ goal by a fraction.
Substitute Taelor O’Kane had the final chance for the Shrimps but again man of the match Woods was equal to the effort, as the Diamonds held on to seal an historic win and ensured Morecambe would be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds: Woods, Prickett-Reed (Adegbola 79), Brown, Nketia, Thomas, Atcha, O’Brien (Hartley 83), Warburton (Daldy 46), Clifton, Andrade (Robinson 77), Findlay (Dallas 90). Subs not used: Maltby-Smith, Taylor.
Morecambe: Boney, Coxe, Williams (Collis 86), Baines, Garner, Daly (O’Kane 79), Newby (Blois 88), Buckley-Ricketts, Lewis, Curley, Davis. Subs not used: Young, Dobson, Fairclough.
Attendance: 1,875.
Referee: J Bloxham.