Bolton will aim to make it five wins in succession tomorrow when they travel up to Morecambe.
The Mazuma Stadium holds good memories for Ian Evatt’s side after last season’s vital win there. About ten months on, we go there again with confidence after a good recent run. Realistically, we could move up a position tomorrow, above Burton. Technically Ipswich could be leapfrogged too, which would send us ninth, although that would require a swing in goal difference.
Team news
Kieran Lee should be available once again after sitting out Tuesday night’s win over Cambridge. Kyle Dempsey will be available for the first time since signing on Monday, having being ineligible last time out. Xavier Amaechi played for the reserves against Burnley the other day, but is less likely to be involved.
Possible XI: Trafford; Jones, Almeida Santos, Johnston; Fossey, Morley, Williams, John; Lee; Charles, Afolayan
Last time out
It probably doesn’t need a reminder, but let’s do it anyway. The last time we played Morecambe was last April as we were both going for promotion from League Two. Ben Jackson popped up from left-back to score the only goal, securing us a vital away win and eventually automatic promotion at the Shrimps’ expense, although they would win the play-offs.
The opposition
Morecambe were managed by Derek Adams last season, but he then left for Bradford, so former Oldham and Motherwell boss Stephen Robinson took over in the summer. Currently they sit in the relegation zone, two points behind Wimbledon and Fleetwood. They have a real threat up top though, Cole Stockton has been regularly linked with a move to us in recent windows but the 17-goal-this-season man will be wearing a red shirt tomorrow. Goalkeeper Trevor Carson was a January signing on loan from Dundee United, who worked with the Morecambe manager when together at Motherwell, while in midfield they have the experience and stability of Toumani Diagouraga. Arthur Gnahoua might well play too, having ended up there when leaving us this summer. Ryan Delaney also made the same move at the time, but he has been loaned out to Keith Hill’s Scunthorpe.
Prediction
A tough one, recent form has been excellent but three of those four wins have come at home. Yes, there was the win at Shrewsbury the other week, but it’s now a case of seeing whether this new-found defensive stability can hold up again on the road against a side who did beat Wycombe recently. 1-0 to them will be the bet, though we could well pick up one or three points.