Morecambe 4 Cheltenham Town 0: How the managers reacted

Morecambe moved up to 18th in the League Two table with victory against Cheltenham Town on Monday.
Kevin Ellison scored Morecambes second goal on Easter MondayKevin Ellison scored Morecambes second goal on Easter Monday
Kevin Ellison scored Morecambes second goal on Easter Monday

Second-half goals from Vadaine Oliver, Kevin Ellison, Sam Lavelle and Aaron Collins wrapped up three points for the Shrimps in front of a crowd of 3,066; a figure boosted by the cut-price ticket offer.

It could have been more emphatic with Collins missing a first-half penalty and seeing another shot kept out by Cheltenham keeper Scott Flinders, while Aaron Wildig also had an effort cleared off the line.

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Morecambe manager Jim Bentley and his opposite number, Michael Duff, both faced the press afterwards; this is some of what they had to say.

Jim Bentley: “The club have been fantastic with the offer on to try and get the gate up.

“It’s been like a carnival with all the activities going on and we’ve put a bit of a show on; we’ve scored four goals, kept a clean sheet and that ticks all the boxes –I wish it could be like that every week.

“Aaron Collins had scored the last penalty but it wasn’t a good one today and I was a bit disappointed because that would have given us the ideal start.

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“We kept plugging away though and we could easily have scored more on the day.

“Playing in front of a crowd like that is what it’s all about; it makes a hell of a difference and it’s been fantastic.

“It’s something the club have done fantastically well to put on and it’s coincided with us being safe.

“We could have had four wins from four at home before that but for Grimsby’s 88th minute equaliser.

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“Over the years, we have probably been better away from home but now we’ve turned that on its head and it’s great for all concerned.”

Michael Duff: “For the first time in a long time we didn’t turn up.

“There’s lots of different factors; a few injuries, a hot day, but it’s the same for them.

“The pitch was difficult but I’m not going to make excuses for the players, they know that wasn’t good enough.

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“We can’t be brilliant every week and we will pick the bones out of it but it was a bit of a strange one.

“Jim has done a great job; they know what they are but they do it well.

“If you don’t turn up, mentally and physically, it doesn’t matter what you do technically and tactically; you won’t get the ball and they’ll run over the top of you.

“The players have shown before that it’s a one-off and we have come a long way in a short space of time, so I’m reluctant to start saying the players are this or that.

“It doesn’t help when you’re giving goals away from corners but I think it encapsulated the whole game.”