MORECAMBE kicked off the busy Christmas period with a fine win over Cambridge.
Three second half goals gave the Shrimps a convincing win against a side who started the day just two points behind them in the table.
Boss Jim Bentley made three changes to the side that lost at Lincoln with Aaron Wildig, Rhys Oates and Vadaine Oliver back in the side for the injured Luke Conlan and A-Jay Leitch-Smith who dropped to the bench as the Shrimps started with two up front in a change of formation.
Morecambe started well and Jason Oswell headed a Jordan Cranston corner wide for the hosts before Cambridge started to threaten themselves.
George Maris and Liam O’Neil both forced Mark Halstead into saves from distance and Paul Lewis was denied an opener by a superb covering block from Jordan Cranston as the Cambridge midfielder looked set to stroke the ball home at the far post after Ade Azeez’s mis hit effort fell perfectly into his path.
Morecambe had the better of the closing stages of the half with Forde doing well to hold on to Cranston's free kick before Harry Darling was fortunate to escape with only a yellow card after denying Oswell a clear run on goal just after the half hour.
Morecambe broke the deadlock when Cranston's ball into the Cambridge area was flicked on by substitute Liam Mandeville and Oliver beat David Forde to the ball to volley into an empty net.
Forde made three great saves before substitute Andrew Tutte doubled Morecambe's advantage late on as he hammered a right-footed shot past the goalkeeper from a tight angle.
And the Shrimps added a third in stoppage-time when star man Cranston worked an opening down the left and crossed low for Kevin Ellison to turn the ball past Forde from 12 yards to give the scoreline a glowing look ahead of Christmas.
Morecambe: Halstead, Yarney, Old, Lavelle, Cranston, Oates (rep Mandeville 57), Wildig (rep Tutte 83), Kenyon, Ellison, Oliver, Oswell (rep Leitch-Smith 82). Subs not used: Szczepaniak, Mills, Mendes-Gomes, Hedley,
Cambridge: Forde, Halliday, Taylor, Darling, Carroll, Deegan, O’Neil, Dunk (rep Lambe 79), Lewis (rep Osadebe 67), Maris, Azeez (rep Amoo 67). Subs not used: Mitov, Taft, Davies, Brown
Ref: E Ilderton
Att: 1,439.