Wycombe Wanderers endured an afternoon to forget when they suffered a miserable 4-2 defeat to struggling Morecambe at Adams Park.

The visitors swept into a 3-0 lead at the break before adding a goal shortly into the second half.

Morecambe got a surprise lead on three minutes with the first chance of the game when Adam McGurk nodded home after a misjudgement from Nathan McGinley.

Veteran Kevin Ellison then rolled back the years with a deadly double in the first 45 minutes.

He firstly slammed home a volley on 26 minutes before adding a second with a thumping header on 38 minutes from Gregg Wylde's magnificent cross.

The outstanding Wylde then curled home a beauty on 51 minutes after a rapid breakaway from the visitors.

Wycombe did threaten a monumental comeback with two late goals thanks to substitute Nick Freeman and Luke O'Nien.

Freeman scored with his first touch on 64 minutes when he thumped home from 20 yards in off the post before O'Nien stabbed home into the corner with six minutes remaining.

Wycombe were struggling to get into a fluent rhythm early on, with the visitors looking solid following that early goal.

Wanderers had a wonderful chance to equalise on 15 minutes when Tafari Moore’s deflected cross found O’Nien eight yards out but he headed straight at Barry Roche.

Jim Bentley’s side had a chance to extend their lead on 20 minutes when Steven Old met Luke Conlan’s swirling cross but the ball dribbled straight into the arms of Scott Brown.

The Shrimps did eventually extend that advantage on 26 minutes thanks to Ellison, which stunned Adams Park.

Adebayo Akinfenwa was getting an early battering from the Morecambe defence, sometimes unfairly, but he had a half-chance a minute later when he met Joe Jacobson’s corner but headed into the side netting.

Akinfenwa was starting to make his presence felt and brought the ball down expertly on 29 minutes on the edge of the box but his volley was blocked into Roche’s hands.

The Blues were trying to press and probe and Paris Cowan-Hall burst into the area on 34 minutes but his drilled effort flew wide under pressure from Old.

Things then got worse for the Chairboys on 38 minutes who were second best in the first half.

Ellison almost grabbed his hat-trick at the end of the first half when he met another excellent delivery but his header was scrambled away by Brown.

Morecambe almost made it four seconds into the second half when Wylde’s cross was deflected inches wide of the post with Brown wrongfooted.

The Blues were playing at a slightly higher tempo and Cowan-Hall saw his shot cleared away on 50 minutes before Akinfenwa saw a header excellently saved by Roche.

The outstanding Wylde then got on the scoresheet before Ellison saw a screamer parried away by Brown on 59 minutes.

Wanderers managed to pull a goal back through Freeman and the Blues continued to probe.

Akinfenwa had a golden chance on 77 minutes when he met Jacobson's cross six yards out but he skewed his effort wide with the goal gaping.

Gareth Ainsworth's side continued to huff and puff and Aaron McGowan headed off the line on 80 minutes to once again deny Akinfenwa.

Nathan Tyson was proving a handful since his introduction to the bench and he was put off by Roche with his effort going inches wide on 83 minutes.

However, O'Nien gave Wycombe faint hope before Akinfenwa saw a bullet header brilliantly stopped by Roche.

The result leaves Wycombe in third, still in an excellent position for a promotion push after a wonderful run.

WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Brown, Moore (sub: Tyson, 63), El-Abd, McGinley, Jacobson, Gape, O’Nien, Bloomfield (sub: Thompson, 74), Cowan-Hall, Akinfenwa, Mackail-Smith (sub: Freeman 63). Subs: Ma-Kalambay, Bean, Scarr.

MORECAMBE: Roche, McGowan, Kenyon, Old, Winnard, Ellison, Conlan, Wildig (sub: Thompson, 73), Wylde (sub: Campbell, 82), Rose, McGurk (sub: Fleming, 73). Subs: Nizic, Lavelle, Lund, Lang.

REFEREE: Craig Hicks