Morecambe boss: Shrimps have been as competitive as they can be so far

Twelve games into their second League One campaign, the Shrimps sit bottom of the table after only winning once.

The opening quarter of the season has thrown up some stern challenges with promotion hopefuls Peterborough United, Sheffield Wednesday and Ipswich Town among Morecambe’s early opponents.

At the same time, late goals have seen them lose to Accrington Stanley and Cambridge United, as well as surrender winning positions against Fleetwood Town and Bristol Rovers.

“We’ve had a slow start from a points point of view,” Adams acknowledged.

“We probably could have done better but, other than that, we’ve been as competitive as we can be.

“It’s a tough division and we understand where we are as a team and as a club.

“We would have liked to have had more points but we haven’t done so.”

Ipswich inflicted Morecambe’s seventh defeat of the season last weekend, after which Adams said they had more staff than he had players.

The last couple of League One seasons have been the most competitive in living memory with more than half the division seemingly capable of finishing in the top six.

Beyond that, Morecambe are among a clutch of clubs for whom finishing outside the bottom four could be constituted success given their rivals’ large profiles, ambitions and fanbases.

Adams added: “People see it as an excuse but it’s the reality, there are many teams in this division who are better equipped on and off the pitch.

“That comes down to finance and we don’t have the finance of those clubs.

“What we can do is punch above our weight and that’s what Morecambe have had to do over the years. That’s the challenge.

“It’s always been the case at this football club, but, to be fair, that’s always been the challenge for me as a football manager.”

The opening two-and-a-half months have certainly been a challenge with injuries decimating the Mazuma Stadium squad.

Courtney Duffus was already a season-long absentee before being joined on the sidelines by summer arrivals Ash Hunter and Max Melbourne.

Another new face, Jake Taylor, is also absent for the next few weeks with Jensen Weir, Caleb Watts and Liam Shaw also having missed games.

That’s before the Shrimps’ luck – or lack of it in recent weeks – comes under the microscope.

There was already a feeling of being hard done by in the Morecambe camp after seeing Arthur Gnahoua sent off at Accrington.

It only intensified against Ipswich last weekend when, having had good fortune in seeing their opponents hit the woodwork three times, they were on the wrong end of decisions at both ends of the pitch.

Adams said: “We’ve had decisions go against us this season, important ones at that.

“Last weekend, Ipswich’s first penalty was a penalty but the second wasn’t; Jacob Bedeau plays the ball and nicks it away.

“Dylan Connolly scored a goal that would have given us a 2-1 lead but that was ruled offside.

“I don’t believe decisions even themselves out over a season; someone would have to explain how that happens.

“If it’s true, then we’ve got a lot to go in our favour for the rest of this season!”