Morecambe hope to catch struggling Cheltenham at right time

The Shrimps travel to Gloucestershire to face a side who have just won one in eight under new boss Paul Buckle and lost 2-0 at basement boys Hartlepool United last time out.

Bentley thinks it could be a good time to face the rocking Robins.

He said: “We want to get at them.

“The new manager has gone in there and they’ve won one in the last eight.

“They’ve got a couple of injuries to experienced defenders at the minute as well but they’ve signed three lads from Liverpool who seem to be doing okay.

“They’ve got good players but have got a problem at the moment with Byron Harrison.

“I think he’s a superb centre forward at this level but it looks like he’s on the transfer list and for one reason or another he might be on his way.

“They’re very up and down at the moment and whether it is or it isn’t a good time to be playing them we’ve got to get our own house in order.”

The Shrimps go into the game having registered three straight clean sheets but Bentley’s side are finding goals harder to come by at the other end.

He insists that the three at the back set up currently being deployed isn’t hindering his side’s attacking intent.

Bentley said: “Defensively we’ve been superb, keeping three clean sheets on the spin, but we’ve got to make sure we put the ball in the back of the net at the other end and that’s my only worry at the moment.

“We’re doing plenty of shooting, crossing and finishing in training, whatever we can do to get the lads in the mindset to put the ball in the back of the net.

“I don’t think we’re being negative.

“We’ve got two ideal wing backs who like to get forward and we’ve got Devitt who‘s got the most assists at the club during the time he’s been here.

“Ellison and Redshaw have got goals so it’s not a negative set-up, we are creating chances.

“These things happen in football, we’ve just got to keep working hard and hopefully we can keep that superb defensive record in tact and make sure that we up the goals for.”

Bentley admits there is a temptation to gamble with his formation but he doesn’t want to sacrifice his side’s solidity.

He said: “Sometimes you think, do we play round with it a bit?

“Do we change it to try and score goals? It’s about balance.

“If we go for it a bit more and then get beaten 3-0 people will question why we changed something that was tried and tested.

“We’ve got a good defensive record and it’s about continuing to create those chances.”