Scott Wootton believes that, despite losing by a goal to nil, Morecambe can take confidence from their attacking play against Everton U21s.
Wootton, who joined the club on a one-year deal in August, made his first start for the Shrimps in our narrow Papa John’s Trophy defeat on Tuesday night.
“I felt like we got into really good areas,” he said.
“Just the decision of whether to cross or not cross, shoot or not shoot, final pass let us down, we had loads of the ball, loads of territorial advantage so hugely disappointing not to win the game with the amount of play in their half we had.
“If that game is 0-0, we look like the only team that’s going to go and win it, but when they’re 1-0 up, it gives you that extra determination to hold onto your lead.
“These are the biggest games for them so it will give them that extra determination and motivation to keep the back door shut.”
Manager Stephen Robinson made several changes to the starting XI ahead of the game, and 30-year-old Wootton says proper game time will benefit the squad overall.
He added: “A lot of players haven’t played that many 90 minutes, and also, these are proper games.
“It’s very difficult to replicate the full 90 minutes, a proper full-size pitch, the atmosphere, the crowd, a proper game, it’s difficult in training or even just doing running, it’s quite tough to replicate that.
“Lads are going to be short of fitness, it’s going to play a part in it, especially when you make so many changes.”