MORECAMBE'S final chance of cup glory petered out at Nuneaton on Tuesday night.

The home side took the honours in the quarter final, leaving Jim Harvey's men to concentrate their efforts on getting a top half finish in the Nationwide conference. Morecambe struggled to a home defeat against improving former conference champions Stevenage Borough on Saturday.

The Shrimps' heavy schedule clearly showed as they were put to the sword by a side which featured old boy Steve Walters in midfield.

A messy Mark Smith clearance fell kindly for Darren Hay, a striker who is following in the footsteps of former Borough ace Barry Hayles, now Premiership bound with Fulham.

Hay made no mistake, and even his replacement by a player with even stronger links to Borough's glory years, Akpo Sodje, brother of former skipper Efe, didn't blunt the Stevenage threat.

Sodje added a second on 63 minutes, after constant pressure from the visitors.

However, the Shrimps did begin to show some resistance as the game drew towards its conclusion.

Stewart Drummond scored on 67 minutes, and his side began to put some pressure on in the dying minutes.

Morecambe's players barely had time to rest after last night's match.

They host former league side Doncaster Rovers tonight (Thursday) before a visit to league leaders Rushden & Diamonds, and another clash with that man Justin Jackson, on Saturday.