THE Shrimps suffered a disappointing defeat against the Robins.

After two suyccesive wins the Shrimps produced one of their worst performances of the season as Cheltenham recorded only their third home win of the campaign.

The Shrimps trailed at the break after a scrappy goal from  veteran Robins striker Julian Alsop.

Alsop scored his first goal since September with a header on 32 minutes that looked sure to be cleared by Craig Stanley on the line but the midfielder let the ball go and it squeezed into the bottom left hand corner of the Morecambe goal.

At the other end the Shrimps produced little in a disappointing first 45 minutes. On four minutes Paul Mullin was through on goal but shot weakly wide and Laurence Wilson fizzed a late shot wide.

Dave Artell headed a Stanley free kick over the bar from six yards out in a rare moment of Morecambe pressure.

The Shrimps started the second half well with Stewart Drummond forcing Scott Brown into a low save after a good move.

But the comeback hopes were dashed when CHeltenham scored a second before the hour when Alsop's height proved too much for the Shrimps again as he was able to head the ball down for Matt Thornhill to volley past  Barry Roche from 10 yards out.

Morecambe upped the pace with Drummond forcing Brown into a save and Phil Jevons volleying over on the turn but it was Cheltenham who came closest to scoring again when Barry Hayles wasted a great chance.

Boss Sammy McIlroy made one change to his side for the visit to Cheltenham.

Danny Adams resturns to the side at left back with Laurence Wilson being pushed forward into a left midfield role. Mark Duffy drops to the bench.

Cheltenham: Brown; Bird, Gallinagh, Townsend, Ridley, Pook, Eastham, Low, Thornhill, Alsop, Hayles. Subs: Puddy, Watkins, Hutton, Richards, Hammond, Lewis, Andrew.

Morecambe: Roche; Parrish, Haining, Artell, Adams; WIlson, Stanley, Drummond, Hunter, Jevons, Mullin. Subs: Davies, Moss, Bentley, Twiss, Curtis, Duffy, Panther.

Ref: A Bates.