“We have to run ourselves into the ground every single game”: Jim Bentley's challenge to the Morecambe players
Jim Bentley has called upon his Morecambe players to have no regrets as they look to fight their way out of the National League relegation zone.
The Shrimps have 13 games remaining to save their season, starting with Wednesday night’s trip to Gateshead.
However, despite last Saturday’s 4-0 victory against Eastleigh at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium, Morecambe remain nine points from safety after results elsewhere went against them.
They face a Gateshead team who, after losing 16 consecutive matches in all competitions, have won back-to-back league games against FC Halifax Town and Truro City.
The latter lifted them off the bottom of the table, one point above Truro and with the same deficit to the Shrimps.
Bentley said: “We have to run ourselves into the ground every single game and compete and battle for everything.
“That’s the non-negotiable because we have to represent the team and the club.
“What will be will be with regards to whether we stay up or get relegated, but there can’t be any negativity.
“If we get beaten by the better side then we hold our hands up, but we must make sure we end every game saying we have no regrets, have emptied the tank and competed for 90 minutes.
“We did that on Saturday, where everyone gave their all, and when the fans clap you off like they did at the weekend you know you have done something right.
“Saturday was just three points but if we have the same attitude and application every game we will have a chance – but if we let ourselves down like we did at Southend (5-1 defeat), it will be difficult.
“Every game will be tough but we have quality in this squad and we have to take the feelgood factor we saw on Saturday into our next few games.”
Bentley was also pleased to see their training ground work pay off against Eastleigh.
He added: “We’ve worked on things Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, in and out of possession – more so out of possession, we’ve put a couple of set plays in there and a little bit of offensive shape.
“All the things that I’ve asked them to do, they’ve carried out. We’re still going to have little bits and pieces but these things take time as we’ve said.”