We face Crewe Alexandra for the first time this season on Saturday 2 March when we make the trip to the Mornflake Stadium.
Morecambe will be hoping to return to winning ways on the road when they head to Cheshire to take on Crewe Alexandra in a Sky Bet League Two clash.
The Shrimps will be hoping to go one better than their draw against Grimsby Town last weekend at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium. On this afternoon, an early Danny Rose goal for the visitors was cancelled out by a Jordan Slew goal in the second half. Neither team could find a winner, and the spoils were ultimately shared.
For the Railwaymen, the weekend presented them with a trip to Meadow Lane to face Notts County. Two first-half goals from Mickey Demetriou and Elliott Nevitt gave the visitors a 2-0 lead going into the break, before ex-Shrimp Josh Austerfield fired home to put Crewe three goals to the good. Jim O’Brien’s goal for the hosts proved nothing more than a consolation, and the match finished 3-1 in the visitors’ favour.
Despite the Shrimps’ having played 33 fixtures so far this season, they are yet to face Crewe Alexandra after the reverse fixture was twice postponed. Morecambe last made the trip to the Mornflake Stadium in the 2021/22 Sky Bet League One season. On this evening, an Arthur Gnahoua brace added to an Adam Phillips’ opener, ultimately resulting in a memorable 3-1 victory for the Shrimps.
The Opposition
The Railwaymen have had a strong campaign so far in Sky Bet League Two, Lee Bell’s side sitting in third position in the standings. 17 wins and 10 draws leave the Cheshire outfit on 61 points, two points behind the league leaders Mansfield Town.
Bell has been at the helm at the Mornflake Stadium since December 2022, after initially taking on the interim manager role in November 2022. He is more than familiar with the club, having started his playing career as a product of the Crewe Alexandra academy, and ultimately making over 140 appearances for the side over two spells during his career.
Key Players
Centre-forward Elliott Nevitt leads the goalscoring charts for the Railwaymen, the 27-year-old bagging 13 goals in all competitions so far this season. Nevitt has been at the Cheshire club since the start of 2023 after joining in the January transfer window from Tranmere Rovers.
Mickey Demetriou has also proven to be a crucial part of the Alex squad, offering both goals and assists from the centre of defence. Demetriou has scored nine and assisted six in all competitions so far this season, since making the move to the Mornflake Stadium in the summer.
Ged Brannan's Pre-Match Thoughts
Morecambe manager Ged Brannan spoke on the difficult challenge ahead, facing an in-form Crewe Alexandra side.
"It is going to be a really tough game," he said. "They're on a great run so it's going to be hard for us, but we've got a good game plan."
"We're going to go there and give it our best shot and see what happens."
"On our day we're a good match for anyone, so tomorrow we will be full of confidence."
The Man in the Middle
Referee Farai Hallam will take charge at the Mornflake Stadium on Saturday afternoon, the official refereeing his fifth game of the season. It will be Hallam’s first time taking charge of a game involving the Shrimps.
He will be flanked by assistants Thomas Harty and Danny Gratton, while fourth official Simon Mather will complete the team of officials.
Team News
Stu Moore, Donald Love, JJ McKiernan, and Brandon Barker remain sidelined for the Shrimps with their respective long-term injuries, midfielder Jake Taylor also a doubt. Dave Tutonda will also miss out due to suspension, following his accumulation of yellow cards.
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