MICHAEL Twiss wore his best skating boots to slither and slide home a point for Morecambe in their big Boxing Day Conference clash with Carlisle United.

Twiss grabbed his tenth goal of the season in the 1-1 draw - but whether the game should have gone ahead is a moot point.

Referee Colin Harwood passed the pitch fit but you have to wonder if his decision was slightly influenced by Morecambe's biggest crowd for years of 4,660.

One goal area was frozen solid, while a 10-yard wide stretch of pitch in front of the Main Stand was also more suited to Torvill and Dean than Twiss and company.

That icy goal area played a big part in an injury to keeper Adam Sollitt, who was taken to hospital after a sickening seven-minute delay to play when he crashed head first into the frozen turf.

He escaped with nothing more serious than concussion - but the fact remains that a game which promised much was, at times, reduced to near farce thanks to the surface.

Morecambe started brightly and had all of the first 14 minutes play only to be stunned a minute later when Carlisle - backed by an incredible army of noisy, colourful fans - went ahead.

Brendan McGill and Magno Vieira had shots blocked before Karl Hawley stooped to head home after a spot of pinball.

The tricky Vieira forced a smart save from Sollitt shortly afterwards and suddenly the tide had turned.

Carlisle looked every inch a side capable of winning the league as they attacked with pace and poise.

Vieira almost capitalised on a Jim Bentley bloomer before United had the ball in the net again five minutes before the break, Vieira shooting home from a couple of yards.

Much to Morecambe's relief though the 'goal' was ruled out for offside - maybe the assistant referee did not see the defender on the line as Sollitt flapped - and the interval came as a relief to Jim Harvey's men.

And the manager produced the words to inspire his men as they rocked Carlisle three minutes after the re-start.

Chris Blackburn, totally anonymous in the first half, managed to race down the right and cross and there was Twiss to finish smartly for 1-1.

Lee Elam should have scored when in acres of space but contrived to pick out a target in the stand instead as the Shrimps enjoyed their best spell.

But a second goal wouldn't come and Peter Murphy was stunned by Sollitt's wonder save on 54 minutes and again seven minutes later - but that proved to be the goalkeeper's last taste of the action.

He dropped a cross and hurt himself trying to retrieve the ball as he hit the frozen surface hard.

The ground fell into silence as Sollitt was treated before being carried off, giving an unex-pected debut to Ryan Robinson.

That should have been the signal for Carlisle to test the young keeper - but they seemed happy to get through the rest of the game unscathed and Robinson was only forced into a couple of routine catches.

MORECAMBE: Sollitt (Rob-inson 77), Blackburn, Bentley (Heard 67), Swan, Howard, Elam, Perkins, Walmsley, Curtis, Carlton (Thompson 89), Twiss. Subs (not used): Rogan, Hunter.

Attendance: 4,660