Jim Bentley has a message for Morecambe players

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley wants his players to take their form in training into matches as they host Exeter City on Saturday.
Sam Lavelle is one of three defenders to have scored for Morecambe so far this seasonSam Lavelle is one of three defenders to have scored for Morecambe so far this season
Sam Lavelle is one of three defenders to have scored for Morecambe so far this season

The Shrimps go into the game looking to make it successive wins after Tuesday’s 1-0 victory at Macclesfield Town.

Ritchie Sutton’s goal handed Morecambe their first three points of the season as they also made it back-to-back clean sheets after last Saturday’s draw with Cheltenham Town.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While they have done well defensively so far, they have failed to fire in attack with only three goals in four league games – none of which have come at the Globe Arena.

Sutton, fellow defender Sam Lavelle and Lewis Alessandra have all scored once, while another centre-half, Steve Old, tops the goalscoring chart with his double in the League Cup win at Mansfield Town earlier this month.

“We aren’t playing as well as we know we can,” said Bentley.

“Some of the stuff I see in training and some of the stuff I saw in pre-season isn’t really coming to the fore. With the ball, we’re a four or five out of 10, without the ball we’re an eight or nine – we’re putting bodies on the line and we’re battling.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“You look at targets – at the start of the season it was can we get more clean sheets and we have to score more goals.

“At the moment, the centre-halves are getting us out of it so I’m really pleased with that but I do think we’ll get better with the ball.

“Last season, and I keep going back to the Oldham game, I remember fans staying behind, clapping us off, playing fantastic football without winning or keeping clean sheets.

“Now we’re keeping clean sheets but we aren’t playing fantastically well – but we’ll take the points as they come.”