Derek Adams: Morecambe squad will continue to fight

The Shrimps go into this weekend’s game at Port Vale six points from safety with nine matches remaining.

Their survival task became that bit harder following last weekend’s results, which saw third-bottom Tranmere Rovers pull further clear of the drop zone after their shock victory at title-chasing Bradford City.

Bottom club Carlisle United lost to AFC Wimbledon, while Adams’ players surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Barrow AFC at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

Gwion Edwards and Lee Angol scored either side of Max Taylor’s red card to put the Shrimps 2-0 up at half-time.

However, the second half saw Andy Dallas miss a huge chance to make it 3-0 before Robbie Gotts pulled one back and Tyler Smith capitalised on Harry Burgoyne’s mistake to equalise.

Adams was clearly frustrated after seeing two vital points dropped in a game which he described as ‘self-destruct’ where his players paid the price for ‘individual errors’.

Looking ahead to the end of season run-in, he said: “We got a point on Saturday and we still have a long way to go.

“We are not taking our chances at one end and making big mistakes at the other end – and that is the nature of sport and the nature of football.

“The players are working ever so hard and their efforts can never be questioned, but we need to be slightly better both ways.

“We will continue to fight because that is the situation we are in.

“We are six points behind and we have a better goal difference at this moment in time – and we have to keep that in mind.

“We need to win games, especially at home, and we had the chance to do that on Saturday but things didn’t go our way.”

Saturday sees the Shrimps travel to a Port Vale team in sixth, two points adrift of the automatic promotion positions following their victory against MK Dons last weekend.

It will be their 11th trip to Vale Park, where they have won four of the clubs’ previous 10 meetings – but have also lost on their last three visits.