Bentley owns up to Kenyon mistake

The Shrimps threw away a chance to do so in midweek when they surrendered a two-goal lead against bottom side Chesterfield.

A point left them seven points clear of second-bottom Barnet and with a game in hand going into the final three weeks of the season.

They now come up against a Carlisle team for whom victory is also essential if they are to keep alive their play-off ambitions.

While everyone in the Morecambe camp was disappointed with Tuesday night’s draw, no one was unhappier than manager Jim Bentley.

The Shrimps boss was a frustrated man at the final whistle after a half-time tactical substitution full of good intentions.

Instead, it was one that backfired after Chesterfield made changes of their own and adapted their style of play.

He said: “I’ll take responsibility because, with their clever play and Alex Kenyon on a booking and having been kicked, I thought we might have to go with Andy Fleming after the break

“In the second half, they went more direct and we took one of our best aerial players off because he was on a booking.

“When you see Chris O’Grady coming on, it made me think we could have done with Alex in there.

“When we come up against direct sides, Alex has been great at dealing with their targetman.

“I’m the first to analyse my own performance and the decision with Alex was a key one – we didn’t know about O’Grady coming on.

“It would have been a hammer blow if we had lost the game but at least we have gained something from it, which is key.”