Morecambe end 2022 at the Mazuma Stadium on Thursday 29 December with a clash against Lancashire rivals Accrington Stanley in Sky Bet League One.
Last time out on Boxing Day, Morecambe were beaten away from home by Port Vale. Despite defeat, Derek Adams side are unbeaten at home in four. The Shrimps' last home game was a 1-1 draw against Exeter City at the beginning of December.
Accrington were also in action on Boxing Day, they picked up a point in a 1-1 draw with Barnsley at the Wham Stadium.
The Opposition
Stanley currently sit 20th in League One and after 21 games, they’ve picked up five wins, seven draws and nine defeats.
Accrington have been in the third tier since they won the League Two title in 2018. In their first season in League One, Stanley finished 14th. Since then, they’ve had solid midtable finishes in 17th, 11th and 12th in the past three seasons, excluding the 2019-20 season cut short by COVID.
Manager John Coleman is currently enjoying his second spell in the dugout at the Wham Stadium having previously managed Accrington between 1999 and 2012, taking charge of over 500 games. Since his return to Stanley in 2014, he has managed 438 games with a win percentage of 40%.
Key Players
Midfielder Ethan Hamilton is Accrington’s top scorer this season with five goals. Hamilton’s most recent goal contribution in the league was a late equaliser in Stanley’s 1-1 draw with Oxford at the beginning of the month. The Scotsman is enjoying life in Lancashire and is already close to equalling and surpassing his tally of six goals in the last campaign.
Sean McConville is one of the first names that comes to mind when you think of Accrington Stanley. Like his manager, McConville is also in his second spell at the club. The Liverpudlian was at Accrington between 2008 and 2011 before re-signing for Stanley in 2015, and has been there ever since. The 33-year-old has been one of Accrington’s main threats so far this season with four goals and three assists.
Forward Sean Whalley made the move north to Lancashire in the summer after seven years with Shrewsbury Town. During his time with Salop, Whalley played in a League One play-off final, a Papa Johns Trophy final and thought he’d scored against his beloved Liverpool at Anfield before the goal was chalked off by VAR in 2020. The 25-year-old has had a positive campaign since making the move, with four goals and two assists to his name so far this season.
John Coleman’s Pre-Match Thoughts
Accrington boss John Coleman said he is expecting an entertaining game at the Mazuma Stadium on Thursday night.
Speaking on the Accrington YouTube channel, he said: “The fans will come out in numbers from both sections.
“They’re generally good games against Morecambe, they’re generally entertaining games.
“I’ve got a lot of affection for Morecambe from my playing days there.”
Team News
Shrimps boss Derek Adams will be without Jake Taylor who has been sidelined from four to five weeks with a thigh injury.
He also confirmed that a few niggles were picked up from Boxing Day's visit to Port Vale.
Ash Hunter and Courtney Duffus remain sidelined with long term injuries.
Meet The Officials
Sebastian Stockbridge will be in charge of Thursday night’s game. He will be assisted by Matthew Parry and Blake Antrobus with fourth official Jonathan Hunt completing the line up.
Stockbridge has taken charge of six League One games, five in League Two and two in the Papa Johns Trophy, FA Cup and Carabao Cup respectively.
The official last refereed Morecambe back in August when the Shrimps drew 1-1 at home to Fleetwood Town.
Admission
Tickets remain on sale for the derby, both online and via the club shop, which will open at 12pm on the day of the game. Visit here for full details
Watch The Match Live
If you're not attending the fixture in person, you can purchase a match pass to watch all of the action live via iFollow Shrimps. Simply click below for full details on how to purchase a match pass.
