Morecambe players can't feel sorry for themselves ahead of Fleetwood Town trip

The Shrimps go into the match a week-and-a-half on from their last encounter, the Papa John’s Trophy defeat against Carlisle United.

With Jokull Andresson, Greg Leigh and Alfie McCalmont on international duty, five changes were made from the side which beat Newport County AFC but Morecambe never got going after a promising first 20 minutes.

Defeat made it seven losses in nine as they prepare for Saturday’s match at Highbury.

Robinson said: “We need to clear our heads, there’s no real time to feel sorry for yourselves.

“If we’re going to get stick about it, we’ll deal with that and we’ll move on with it.

“We’ll start again, ready to go for Fleetwood. It’s a big run of games coming up, it really is; games I feel we can win.

“We showed on Saturday (against Newport) that we can defend our box, we can throw our bodies on the line and we can press properly.

“As I say, it’s getting that belief and consistency to do that, and there’s big, big games coming up in the next month.”

Next Tuesday brings Charlton Athletic to the Mazuma Stadium, followed by another home game against MK Dons.

December then opens with three away trips; the FA Cup tie at Buxton, followed by league matches with Sunderland and Portsmouth.

The hope is that, after a season bedevilled by injuries, the vast majority of the squad will become available again.

Robinson said: “I think any team that takes out four or five main players – Shane McLoughlin, Alfie McCalmont, Greg Leigh, Ryan McLaughlin; you take out all those starters, you’re going to struggle.

“We had a strong front three (against Carlisle) and we had our two centre-halves playing who played on Saturday but when we take that quality, energy and pace out of the team, it’s a struggle.

“I’m hoping everybody bar Jon (Obika) will be available for the Fleetwood game.

“It certainly gives me options and nobody has been consistent enough to guarantee a place in the team, nobody, and people now have to step up.”

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