Defender Jacob Mensah says he is looking forward to the challenge of Hartlepool United away in the Papa John’s Trophy.
The 21-year-old, who has played twice for the Shrimps so far this campaign, says the squad is well prepared for Tuesday night’s trip to Victoria Park.
“I’m looking forward to it,” he said.
“It’s another opportunity to get another win and further on, the team is nice and strong, we’re looking sharp in training, and we’re prepared, we’re ready.
“Especially with Jonah [Ayunga] back, that’s bolstering our attack which is good, we’re looking really strong.
“[It’s] a brilliant group of lads, we’re all working together, working hard every day, and everyone looks nice and sharp, so we’re ready to give this a good go.”
As well as aiming to impress manager Stephen Robinson himself, Mensah says it’s a great opportunity for the younger players, such as Connor Pye and Freddie Price, to prove what they can do.
“You’ve got to think about the youth coming through,” he continued.
“This is the perfect opportunity for them to showcase what they’ve got, so they’ll all be buzzing for the opportunity to play.
“It’s much more realistic than U23 football, you want to be playing in front of crowds, you want it to feel natural, feel good, so they’ll definitely enjoy it, it takes some getting used to but once they’re enjoying themselves and playing well, they’ll do well.”
Mensah faced Tuesday night’s opponents on two occasions last season for Weymouth, winning 1-0 back in January before losing 4-0 in the last game of the season, and the centre back knows what to expect from Dave Challinor’s men.
He added: “They have [started the season well], I remember playing them last season for Weymouth and they did look strong.
“They’re a well drilled team, physical, so we know what to expect, but they’re doing decent.”