This all-Nationwide Conference pre-Christmas cracker saw Morecambe win through to the third round of the FA Cup for the second time in three years with a narrow victory over Chester City.
Adriano Rigoglioso, a former team-mate of Michael Owen in the Liverpool youth team, proved to be the Shrimps' hero with a 56th minute left-foot strike.
That came after Chester had been reduced to ten men when Ryan Sugden was shown a red card for violent conduct two minutes into first-half stoppage time in a decision that incensed visitors boss Mark Wright.
Sugden clashed with Morecambe left back Lee Colkin and was shown a straight red card as the latter slumped to the floor holding his face.
Wright claimed that Colkin feigned injury in an effort to get his player sent off and branded the decision "disgraceful".
Prior to all that it was Chester who drew first blood in the 24th minute when captain Phil Bolland scored from Kevin McIntyre's right-wing corner.
But just three minutes later Morecambe were level when central defender Jim Bentley scored his first goal for the club with a stunning volley from the edge of the area that beat Wayne Brown low to his right.
Play then swung from end to end with Brown saving well from Michael Stringfellow before the visitors went ahead for a second time in the 40th minute.
The Morecambe defence half-cleared a shot from the right but Daryl Clare nipped in to head past Craig Mawson and Iain Swan who was on the goal line.
As half time approached Sugden sparked off the controversy with a needless incident with Colkin and before Chester could re-arrange themselves after his dismissal Bentley popped up to score with another stinging right-foot volley.
The home side then had the numerical advantage and made it pay in the 56th minute when Rigoglioso found himself in space in the box and fired a left-foot shot into the bottom right-hand corner of the net.
To their credit Chester battled back strongly and came close through substitute Carl Ruffer in the final minute while Mawson did well to cut out a Michael Brown cross with Clare sliding in looking for his second.