It promises to be a tense afternoon at Christie Park on Bank Holiday Monday as Dagenham & Redbridge take a slender lead into the second leg of this play-off semi-final.
Daggers made the perfect start on seven minutes when Paul Terry, who was outstanding on the night, clipped an incisive pass through to Mark Stein who had time to steady himself before smashing the ball past Shrimps keeper Craig Mawson at the near post.
Morecambe's response was swift, one minute later Daggers failed to clear the ball and it fell to captain Stewart Drummond on the edge of the box and his half-volley crashed against the top of the upright with Tony Roberts beaten.
At the other end John McGrath shot over from the edge of the box, but Morecambe began to press and Daggers looked to be rocking, so there was little surprise in the 29th minute when Morecambe equalised, although it was an unusual goal.
Lee Goodwin, out of position at left-back was brutally exposed by Gary Thompson who sped down the right, cut the ball back as he was running out of space. The ball was cleared only to hit Danny Shipp hard in the face and find it's way into the net.
Six minutes later and Morecambe nearly added a second. Thompson found Wayne Curtis who fell under a challenge and Adriano Rigoglioso hastily shot over the bar.
Steve West did come close for Daggers when he turned and shot on the right hand edge of the box and Mawson tipped wide. But Morecambe were the better side.
However Daggers improved in the second half although they were still threatened until they pieced together a fine move in the 65th minute. Shipp found Stein on the edge of the box and his deft touch allowed Terry to go through on goal only to be chopped down by Morecambe's Drummond.
Stein scored from the resultant penalty although Drummond escaped with a yellow card.
Morecambe didn't muster a shot from then on and Stein fed John McGrath six minutes from time but his shot skimmed the far post.
Garry Hill said he was glad to take a one-goal advantage up to Christie Park, but disappointed Morecambe manager Jim Harvey complained "we just did not compete ".