Morecambe hope to capitalise upon early kick-off

The Shrimps welcome League Two’s leaders to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium for a 12.30pm kick-off, knowing a win would lift them above Tranmere Rovers who meet fourth-placed Notts County at 3pm.

Morecambe could have climbed out of the bottom two had they followed up last weekend’s victory against Accrington Stanley with a win over Doncaster Rovers in midweek.

However, a 1-0 defeat kept Adams’ players in the drop zone as they again missed out on consecutive league wins for the first time since last Easter.

They now host a Walsall team which ended a five-game winless run with victory over Chesterfield last time out.

“It’s proving very difficult and it’s something we have to try and do,” Adams said of Morecambe’s inability to put together a run of league victories.

“We know how difficult a league we are in and we are in a three-team league at this moment in time – and we have to finish top of it.

“It’s something we’re trying to do but we understand the task we have against a Walsall team, who are at the top of the league and have been there for a number of weeks.

“They might have had that five-game run but, before that, they had put together a number of victories.

“They are a good side who have performed really well this season and have plenty of threats.

“However, there are shocks all the time in this division and we have to try and cause another one on Saturday.”

If Morecambe are to topple the pacesetters, they will have to do so without keeper Ryan Schofield.

One of the winter window’s four new faces, Schofield went off during the first half of Tuesday’s defeat with a groin injury.

That opens the door for Harry Burgoyne again, given Stuart Moore is set for another operation.

Adams added: “Ryan’s hurt his groin and he’s going to be out for three to four weeks.

“Stuart has to go in for an operation, which is going to be a clearing up of the area where he had an operation before rather than it being a new injury.”