Morecambe suffered a heavy home defeat as they went down to promotion chasing Notts County.

Jorge Grant and Lewis Alessandra scored in each half as the Shrimps suffered a third consecutive league defeat.

Substitute Callum Lang pulled one back in the 89th minute but it was far too little and far too late for the home side.

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley had made four changes to the side beaten at Mansfield Town last time out. Mitchell Lund, Elliot Osborne, Garry Thompson and Andy Fleming were restored to the starting XI as both sides began quietly.

That was to change on a dozen minutes when the Shrimps gifted the initiative to their visitors.

Adam Campbell played Alex Kenyon into trouble, and when he lost the ball to Alessandra, County were on the attack.

Alessandra got into the area, where he was able to pick out Grant, who finished with aplomb. The lead was doubled nine minutes later when a long free-kick was headed back to Alessandra, who gave Barry Roche no chance with a fierce half-volley.

Fleming sent two efforts off target at the other end, while Thompson headed straight at County keeper Ross Fitzsimons, but that was as good as it got in the first half.

Grant scored his second with the hour approaching, finishing neatly after Steve Old had squandered possession on the edge of Morecambe’s area.

Alessandra made it 4-0, scoring at the second attempt after Roche had kept out his initial shot. Lang provided the Shrimps’ sole highlight, curling a shot past Fitzsimons with time running out, but it was the merest of consolations.

Morecambe: Roche, Lund, Lavelle, Old, McGowan, Kenyon (Ellison 66), Fleming, Thompson (Lang 66), Osborne, Campbell (Jordan 80), Oliver. Subs not used: Nizic, Conlan, Muller, Rose.

Notts County: Fitzsimons, Hunt, Duffy (Saunders 78), Brisley (Bird 87), Jones, Walker, Hewitt, Yates, Grant, Stead (Smith 78), Alessandra. Subs not used: Pindroch, Tootle, Dickinson, Hawkridge.

Referee: Sebastian Stockbridge.

Attendance: 1,947.