Wayne Curtis grabbed a typical goal-poacher's brace to help Morecambe stay in contention near the top of the Conference table.

Curtis opened the scoring for the home side in the 23rd minute when he was played in at the far post by Gary Thompson and drilled the ball high into the net with his right foot.

Stevenage manager Wayne Turner made a double substitution 10 minutes into the second half and less than five minutes later his team were level.

Scott Houghton and Graeme Tomlinson, formerly of Tottenham and Manchester United respectively, went on for Jean-Michel Sigere and Simon Wormull.

Their team-mates were clearly lifted and Jason Goodliffe drilled the ball home after Kirk Jackson had crossed from the right.

But Curtis scored his second goal of the game to restore Morecambe's lead just two minutes later, netting from close range again.

The game became niggly in the closing stages and, after Martin Williams had struck a free-kick over the crossbar for Stevenage, Danny Carlton hit the clinching goal.

Carlton was sent through by Adriano Rigoglioso and calmly slotted the ball home.

Morecambe: Mawson, McKearney, Swan, Hill, Colkin, Drummond, Stringfellow, Knowles, Elam, Curtis, Thompson. Subs: Gouck, Ubershar, Carlton, Black, Rigoglioso.

Stevenage: Westhead, Travis, Goodliffe, Dreyer, Jamie Campbell, Fraser, Wormull, Williams, Stirling, Jackson, Sigere. Subs: Clarke, Wilson, Houghton, Midson, Tomlinson.

Referee: S Procter-Green (Gainsborough).