Morecambe boss taking it one game at a time

Morecambe manager Jim Bentley. Picture: Dave Howarth/CameraSport.

The Shrimps welcome Colchester United to the Globe Arena on Tuesday night, hoping for back-to-back home wins after Saturday’s 2-1 defeat of Exeter City.

That pushed Morecambe up to 18th place in League Two, eight points clear of the relegation places with 10 games left.

The first of those is Tuesday’s rearranged match after it was originally called off two-and-a-half weeks ago.

Once that is out of the way, Lincoln City are the visitors on Saturday as the Shrimps seek to preserve their Football League status.

“The most important thing is backing up Saturday’s win on Tuesday night,” Bentley said.

“I said to the lads before Saturday that it is in our hands and that this is a chance to put some distance between ourselves and the other teams.

“I’m not thinking about points targets either; the aim is purely to win the next game and nothing more than that really.

“Football has that unpredictability where you don’t know what to expect.

“In some years you might only need 35 points to be safe but, in other years it might be 50 you need.

“The way it’s going this year, though, it’s looking like mid-40s might be enough.

“I won’t be setting that target or anything like that; I’ll just remind the players that football of kicking you right where it hurts and when you least expect it.”

What some of the Morecambe players can expect is for the starting XI to be chopped and changed given the hectic end to the season.

They face 10 games in six-and-a-half weeks; a run which includes the Easter double-header as well as two Tuesday night games.

Some of those who have come in – players such as Dean Winnard and Adam McGurk – have staked their claims with some committed performances of late.

“It’s a squad game and we have a few injuries at the minute,” Bentley said.

“We’ve had Max Muller, Steve Old and Kevin Ellison out lately, so people have stepped up to the plate.

“There will be times at this stage of the season when you do need your squad so everyone available has to make sure they’re ready to play if called upon.”