Morecambe's Rangers loanee awaits injury verdict

The winger, on a season-long loan from Rangers, was absent from the squad beaten on penalties in the Papa John’s Trophy at Hartlepool United in midweek.

The 20-year-old has only featured seven times this season but, as Morecambe manager Stephen Robinson told The Visitor, he had been set to appear at Victoria Park.

“Josh was due to play on Tuesday night,” the Shrimps’ boss explained.

“He twisted his ankle in training, so he will have a scan and then we will have a better idea.”

Even though McPake didn’t feature, Robinson still made nine changes from the side beaten at Wycombe Wanderers last Saturday.

Freddie Price got a second appearance of the season, Jonah Ayunga continued his return from injury and there was also a first senior outing for Connor Pye.

Robinson has previously talked up the youngster’s potential, having involved him during the club’s pre-season, while another of the Shrimps’ young prospects also came close to featuring.

He said: “I’m not being disrespectful to the competition (in making nine changes) but we don’t have a squad that can go at every competition.

“I think you’ve seen by some performances that they’re a little bit off but I thought Connor Pye was terrific.

“Cameron Rooney was on the bench and we’d intended to get him on as well.

“It was difficult to give him his debut that night but he will get his debut further down the line.”

Also out to impress in midweek was another loanee brought in over the summer, Hull City midfielder Callum Jones.

The 20-year-old marked his sixth game of the season by scoring from the spot during normal time, as well as in the shootout.

Regular appearances have been hard to come by for Jones given the wealth of options Robinson has at his disposal in the midfield department.

Jones, Toumani Diagouraga, Shane McLoughlin, Alfie McCalmont, Adam Phillips and Aaron Wildig are all competing for three starting places.

Diagouraga has begun all 11 league games so far, McLoughlin eight, McCalmont and Phillips six, while Jones and Wildig have both started once.

However, as Robinson outlined, there are factors behind the lack of starts for Wildig and Jones so far.

He said: “I think, in Aaron’s case, it’s more to do with the illness he’s had.

“He would have started the season but he’s still a wee bit behind the others.

“Callum is a young boy fighting for his place.

“When he first came in, I think he may have been surprised by the quality but, hopefully, he will learn with us.”

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