A HAT-TRICK from Liam Boyce saw Morecambe knocked out of the Carabao Cup at the Pirelli Stadium.

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley made seven changes to the side that lost 3-2 to Exeter at the weekend with recalls for Mark Halstead, George Tanner, Luke Conlan, Aaron Wildig, Rhys Oates, Lewis Alessandra and Kevin Ellison.

Morecambe actually started the game the better and could have scored in only the second minute.

Lewis Alessandra was played through on goal but was denied by an excellent save from former Shrimps’ loanee Kieran O’Hara.

The Brewers could have been behind inside a minute but Kieran O'Hara did well to deny Shrimps forward Lewis Alessandra at close range before Burton's attack put some serious pressure on the Morecambe goal.

From there Burton dominated and created a host of chances with Scott Fraser, Ryan Edwards and Lucas Akins all going close before Boyce opened the scoring on 35 minutes when he headed home a right wing corner from close range.

Both Boyce and Lucas Akins were denied by Morecambe keeper Halstead before Boyce struck again on the stroke of half-time steering Oliver Sarkic's cross home after John Brayford’s long range cross field ball caught out the Shrimps’ defence.

A blistering start to the second half saw the busy Halstead deny Akins once again before Ryan Edwards scored his first goal in a Burton shirt finishing off Brayford's low cross as the right back made another telling contribution.

To their credit, the Shrimps began to cause the home side some problems after the hour. Kevin Ellison headed wide and Alessandra saw another shot well saved by the legs to O’Hara before Boyce completed his hat-trick to put the game to bed in the 74th minute

Halstead saved Akins' header, before the Northern Ireland striker hooked in the rebound from close range to send last season's semi-finalists into the next round.

Burton: O’Hara, Brayford (rep Sbarra 76), O’Toole (rep Nartey 75), Wallace, Daniel, Akins, Edwards, Fraser, Sarkic, Quinn, Boyce (rep Templeton 82), Subs not used: Bywater, Buxton, Hutchinson, Anderson.

Morecambe: Halstead, Tanner, Old, Sutton, Conlan, Wildig, (rep Jagne 84), Brewitt, Oates, Ellison, Alessandra (rep Leitch-Smith 76), Stockton (rep Miller 70). Subs not used: Roche, Tutte, O'Sullivan, Cranston.

Ref: S Stockbridge

Att: 1,500.