THE Shrimps suffered their first defeat in four games after being well beaten by an impressive Swindon Town.

Morecambe started the game brightly with Zak Mills getting on the end of a loose ball, playing in Aaron Collins who opted to shoot rather than slip the ball wide to the unmarked Aaron Wildig, Collin's shot though was blocked and the move fizzled out.

Jim Bentley's side played some neat football in the opening ten minutes, Aaron Wildig, Rhys Oates and Aaron Collins combining well to get Richie Bennett behind the full-back, Bennett's cutback was cut out in front of goal and another move broke down.

Theo Robinson opened the scoring in the 10th minute in the hosts first chance of the game. Alex Kenyon cut out a low cross from a Swindon corner and Aaron Wildig was dispossessed on the edge of the penalty area. The ball was chopped back into the box and after a fine initial save by Mark Halstead, Robinson was well placed at the back post to head home the rebound.

3 minutes later, Mark Halstead spread himself well to make an excellent point-blank save from Keshi Anderson to keep the score at 1-0.

On 18 minutes, Richie Bennett managed to rob the ball from Woolfenden with Swindon wide open. Bennet slipped the ball to Collins who was in on goal with only the goalkeeper to beat. Luke McCormick spread himself well to deny Collins his 5th goal for the Shrimps.

Swindon enjoyed large spells of possession throughout the first half and with half-time edging closer Swindon struck again, Woolery drifted from the right onto his left foot and found an angle between Luke Conlan and Piero Mingoia to fire the ball low inside Halstead's near post to give the hosts a two-goal cushion going into half-time.

The second half featured much of the same, Swindon enjoying a lot of the ball with both full-backs pushed on. Morecambe limited Richie Wellens' side tavern little until the 66th minute.

Swindon's corner was well cleared in the first phase but was played back into the penalty area to Dion Conroy, who chopped the ball outside Richie Bennet and evaded Rhys Oates challenge to tuck the ball into the far post from an acute angle.

Swindon added a fourth in the 81st minute. Kyle Bennett's speculative effort from just outside the box looked to be sailing into the hands of Halstead but a wicked bounce on the six yard line sent the ball looping over Halstead into the top corner of the goal.

The defeat leaves the Shrimps eight points above the drop zone after Notts County suffered a last minute defeat against ten man Exeter, as Macclesfield Town salvaged a 93rd minute draw against Stevenage.