MEMORY MATCH: Morecambe claim first ever Football League win against lacklustre Mansfield Town

The game comes over 13 years since their first ever away game at Morecambe at the Shrimps' former Christie Park ground.

On that occasion Stags slumped to a 3-1 defeat which gave newly-promoted Morecambe a historic first ever win in the Football League.

The end of that season saw Stags head the other way as they were relegated into the Conference.

Since then Stags have bounced back into the EFL while Morecambe have held onto their place, sometimes grimly by their fingertips after winning relegation battle after relegation battle.

This season both sides have flirting with the lower reaches of the table with Stags nine points clear of bottom club Stevenage in 21st and the Shrimps only four points clear in 23rd.

Mansfield were certainly very poor in that first ever game at Morecambe back on 25th August 2007 with keeper Jason White having an afternoon to forget.

Stags made enforced changes from the previous weekend's defeat to Lincoln.

Johnny Mullins came in for the injured Alex-John Baptiste, while Dan Martin was replaced by Danny Sleath on the left hand side of midfield.

Morecambe included former Stag defender David Artell in their starting line-up.

White's afternoon got off to the worst possible start with an own goal after only five minutes.

Gary Thompson put over a cross that White looked set to easily grab.

But, under no real pressure, he let it slip and the ball ended up going over the line off the post, the linesman confirming it did cross.

Both keepers had saves to make but, five minutes from the break, home goalie Lewis got away with a miscued clearance from a backpass only to misjudge another seconds later and see Michael Boulding onto it to level.

However, two minutes later Craig Stanley hit a speculative shot which Jason White somehow allowed to spin under his body and hand back the lead to Morecambe

Just four minutes into the second half the points were as good as sealed as Gareth Jelleyman brought down Thompson for a penalty which Baker coolly dispatched into the net.

Mansfield's 577 travelling fans let their side know what they thought about their efforts at the end of the game.

That made it a draw and three successive defeats to start the season. But worst was to come.

Since that defeat Stags have done well in away games at Morecambe, winning five and drawing one out of seven returns visits and desperately need to keep that record going this weekend in such an important match.

Last weekend Morecambe were beaten 2-1 away at Cheltenham Town just four days after their stirring 2-0 victory at Walsall. Prior to that the Shrimps had only won once in seven outings.

They are generally good at home and have only lost once in their last eight games there.