NELSON 0 MORECAMBE 6

FORMER Burnley player Phil Eastwood scored a hat-trick to send Nelson crashing out of the Marsden Challenge Trophy at Victoria Park.

The Blues found Conference side Morecambe -- who play five divisions above them -- too strong as the Shrimps progressed to the third round.

Eastwood opened the scoring with an opportunist goal on 32 minutes after a closely contested opening half hour.

Kiko Rodriguez almost equalised two minutes later but his piledriver ricocheted to safety off the goalkeepers legs when Nelson deserved better.

Two goals just before half-time, the first stabbed home by Adriano Rigogliosi and the second scored in style by Gary Thompson, gave Nelson a mountain to climb in the second period.

To their credit the Blues continued with their attacking policy and refused to play second fiddle to a side who weeks before had been entertaining Premiership Ipswich in the third round of the FA Cup.

Rodriguez, looking for his 10th goal of the campaign, forced Shrimps keeper Andy Banks into a great save with a goalbound header on 55 minutes.

Morecambe, however, were quick to exploit the gaps in the home defence and Andy Heald fired in their fourth goal just one minute later.

Eastwood added the fifth with a quick strike on 72 minutes and completed the scoring with a fine solo goal after 79 minutes.

Although the Blues never gave up trying, the goal which their efforts deserved proved elusive on the night.