Match Preview: Blackpool vs Morecambe
SHRIMPS’ boss Jim Bentley is hoping his side can maintain their recent excellent run of form when they travel to Bloomfield Road on Saturday.
The Shrimps head to their seaside neighbours looking to complete the double over Gary Bowlyer’s sider after August’s 2-1 win at the Globe Arena.
The Shrimps go there buoyed by their 1-1 draw at Portsmouth on Tuesday, making it one defeat in 11 matches so far in 2017 which means they go into tomorrow’s game one place and two points above their hosts.
Bentley said: “It’s very tight but the game changes from week to week, game to game.
“What we have to do is concentrate on our next game, try to win that and see where it takes us.
“We’ve put a lot of distance between ourselves and the bottom two because we have to make sure we cut two teams adrift.
“Now we can go into the game at the weekend as we have beaten Blackpool already this season and we will go there and try to do it again.
“That’s all we’re interested in, and if we do that, we can look up the table, see where we are and go again for the next game.”
“It’s a big game for us and it’s a mouthwatering proposition because the pressure isn’t on us, it’s on Blackpool.
“They are a massive name at this level with their squad size, so everything is stacked against us.
“However, we’ve put ourselves in a position where we can have a right good go and then we’re looking at the last quarter of the season and thinking we have to play the four worst away teams in the division at home.”
Bentley will have to make at least one change from the team which drew at Fratton Park.
Michael Rose, who scored the winner against Blackpool in August, starts a two-game suspension after collecting his 10th booking of the season in midweek.
Aaron Wildig also took a knock so that may open the door for Peter Murphy to return to the starting XI.
However, Lee Molyneux will go into tomorrow’s game looking to score for the third consecutive match.
Having netted the only goal against Grimsby Town last weekend, the 28-year-old scored his fourth of the season to level up proceedings at Portsmouth.
“Lee is a good player but he will be the first to admit he hasn’t shown his full capabilities for one reason or another,” Bentley said.
“The way he took that shot on against Grimsby and put it right in the corner was great – I’m really pleased for him.
“At Portsmouth, we went to three at the back in the second half so the good thing was we got Moly higher up the pitch, which was the telling
moment because he got us the equaliser.”