Morecambe manager out to avoid an FA Cup shock on Sunday

The Shrimps travel to Essex for a match against Maldon and Tiptree from the Isthmian League North Division (12.45pm).

The Jammers, who sit second in the table after an undefeated start to the season, are no strangers to knocking out League Two teams in the FA Cup.

They beat Leyton Orient 2-1 in the first round last year with their winning goal coming courtesy of Jorome Slew, younger brother of ex-Morecambe forward Jordan, who is now with Wealdstone.

“They are very tough opposition,” Adams said of Sunday’s hosts.

“We have some good background on them and we’ll have had them watched.”

In many ways, the pressure is all on Morecambe to win this weekend.

As a full-time team playing four divisions above their hosts, they would be expected to progress into round two.

However, the Shrimps’ FA Cup record since being promoted into the EFL does not make for pleasant reading. Thirteen FA Cup campaigns as an EFL club have brought 10 first-round exits, including losses against non-league teams in Dover Athletic and FC Halifax Town.

While Maldon and Tiptree may be classed as a ‘non-elite’ club because of their place in the footballing pyramid, the match was given the green light by the Government earlier this week ahead of the new lockdown restrictions.

What hasn’t changed, however, is the playing of the match behind closed doors.

While Sunday’s cup tie has the recipe for a giantkilling, one ingredient will be missing with the absence of supporters.

“That’s true but it’s the FA Cup and everyone wants to play in it,” said Adams.

“It’s a great occasion, both for us and for a team that’s further down the pyramid, and who will want to beat another EFL team.

“We are favourites to win the game, without doubt, and we accept that so we’ll go into the game knowing we have a tough job ahead of us.”

The match at Park Drive will be decided on the day after the FA’s announcement in August that there will be no FA Cup replays this season to ease the congested schedule as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

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