The Vics had to rescue a victory that at one point seemed assured.
By the 50th minute they were two goals to the good but then conceded the lead through mistakes at the back and it was Morecambe, who played the more powerful football throughout, who were suddenly in the driving seat.
The Shrimps came close to snatching a winner but it was Northwich who produced the late heroics at the end of an entertaining encounter.
Things might have been different for Morecambe had Wayne Curtis managed to put away the game's first chance but he was thwarted by Greg Rioch's goal-line clearance.
Northwich took the lead in the 15th minute when Kevin Street slipped the ball through the Morecambe defence and Gregg Blundell side-stepped three retreating defenders before picking out the opposite top corner of the net to receive his accurate finish.
Street showed his First Division class shortly after the re-start, the ex-Crewe midfielder intercepted a pass from Ryan-Zico Black and exchanged passes with Jon Allan before pushing the ball past goalkeeper Craig Mawson.
But within two minutes Morecambe were awarded a dubious penalty for an alleged foul by Denny Ingram on Keith Hill and Curtis halved the arrears from the spot.
Then three minutes after that goalkeeper Paul Gibson dropped a Danny Carlton cross at the feet of Black who responded with a quick finish.
Hill then rose highest to meet an Andy Gouck cross but his header was off target and moments later the Vics scored the winner.
Steve Garvey delivered a measured cross which Allan managed to head home and within a further 30 seconds Blundell came within an inch or two of scoring a spectacular goal from 40 yards.
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