Bentley desperate for smash and grab win

Shrimps' boss Jim Bentley says his is desperate for a 'scrappy smash and grab win' after his side went down 1-0 to league leaders Luton on Saturday.
Jim Bentley. Picture: B&O PRESS PHOTO.Jim Bentley. Picture: B&O PRESS PHOTO.
Jim Bentley. Picture: B&O PRESS PHOTO.

The Shrimps were praised by Luton boss Nathan Jones who said Morecambe had been one of the best teams to visit Kenilworth Road this season but the comment only added to Bentley’s frustration.

He said: “We have been playing well and I thought the lads were excellent in this game and deserved the praise they got from Nathan.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“But I’m fed up of people telling us we have played well when we haven’t got anything from the game. I am desperate for us to go somewhere and get a smash and grab win.

“I think I can count on one hand the number of times we have done that over the past few years and it would be great to get one again.

“It’s great to play well and we are really positive about things but we need points and I don’t care how we get them.

“I don’t want to keep saying we were unlucky in defeat - I would love to say we were fortunate to get the win.’’

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Talking about the game itself Bentley said: “We were excellent all over the park and I know we deserved something from the game.

“We had a lot of half chances and caused them a lot of problems but just couldn’t make the most of the pressure.

“The only thing that disappointed me about the game was the way we conceded the goal.

“We constantly tell the lads that they have to be on their guard for the full 90 minutes. We dropped our guard for one set piece and they made us pay.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We gave away a soft free kick in a bad area and they have the quality to put in balls like they did for the goal and we need to learn from that.’’

Speaking after the game, Luton manager Nathan Jones saidd: “It was one of those days.

“I wouldn’t say it was ugly in terms of the manner, the set-play and having to dig in. I am proud of them for doing that.

“Last year we would have drawn or lost that game. We have got a lot of big players missing.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Sheehan is missing, Hylton had to go off early, McCormack and Cuthbert are out as well. Morecambe are a big, strong side, they’ve come here in good form. In the first half I thought we were excellent, without scoring.

“Our movement, our passing, our structure was wonderful. It’s just we lacked a bit of cutting edge.

“Sometimes we might have to grind out results and we did. We ground out a result, we extended our lead at the top, and that’s what you have got to do. It isn’t always going to be fluent football.”