Morecambe bid to take step closer to Wembley at Fleetwood

Jim Bentley celebrates the win over Rochdale in the last round.

The Shrimps head to their Lancashire rivals for the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy area semi-final having seen off three of the Cod Army’s fellow League 1 sides in the earlier rounds.

Bentley is readying his side to cause another shock having won 3-1 in the first round of last year’s competition at Highbury.

He said: “No-one really gave us a chance at home to Walsall, especially with the injuries we had at the time.

“It was a superb performance on the night to beat the League 1 leaders at the time and then to go away to Bury who were the form side at the time was great and then against a very good Rochdale side we won 1-0 again.

“We’re yet to concede a goal in the three ties we’ve played and hopefully it’s more of the same on Tuesday.

“It will be a difficult game for us. Fleetwood have got a new manager in there and picked up.

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“They’ve had some decent results and performances and brought in some new players who seem to be doing well for them.

“Any game against a League 1 club is a difficult one but certainly against our local rivals who’ve got a bit of new manager syndrome it’ll be a tough game for us.

“But I’m sure their manager is saying the same to his players because you only have to look at what we’ve done in the previous three rounds.”

Having regularly shared the touchline with Graham Alexander Shrimps boss Bentley will come up against new Fleetwood manager Steven Pressley for the first time.

The Globe Arena chief said: “I think Alexander did a good job there and got them promoted.

“For one reason or another it hasn’t worked out for him but Steven Pressley has come in a guy who I met a couple of years ago and I respect.

“They’re an ambitious club and will probably be looking to get to the next level now.

“He’s doing okay for them, has brought in some good players and they’ve picked up some good results.

“It’ll be a tough game for us but it’s a challenge we’re looking forward to.”

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