Morecambe's players have deserved more for their performances so far

The Shrimps head to Oxford United tomorrow after two draws and two defeats in their opening four League One matches.

They were on the verge of defeating Fleetwood Town last weekend, only to concede a late equaliser, before suffering a narrow loss at Bolton Wanderers in midweek.

“We’ve done well in all four games so far,” Adams said.

“Against Fleetwood, we were unlucky not to have taken three points with the chances we created on the day.

“Then, against Bolton, we put in another good performance and there wasn’t much in the game.

“We had two good opportunities, they probably had two, we didn’t take either of ours and they took one of theirs.

“Bolton have started well, so we’ve got to be happy with large aspects of the game.

“League One is definitely stronger than it was last season but our main objective is to stay in the division.

“We don’t look at the table until the 46th game of the season and what we’ve got to remember is the league campaign last season went to the 46th game.”

Morecambe go into tomorrow’s game without Max Melbourne, who will be out for up to eight weeks after being stretchered off with a hamstring injury at Bolton.

Cole Stockton remains absent through the illness which has kept him out of the Shrimps’ last two matches, though he has spoken to Adams and the club doctor.

Their absences, along with Courtney Duffus’ season-long injury, leaves Morecambe down on numbers to face an Oxford team who have lost three of their opening four matches.

Following consecutive play-off appearances, they finished eighth last season and are one of the sides tipped to perform well again this time around.

“They are always pushing at the top end of League One and have always got a good catchment area to get players in,” Adams said.

“They are a team that wants to try and get into those play-off positions and they have one of the best players in the league in Cameron Brannagan, who they have been able to keep rather than lose to Blackpool in the Championship.”