Morecambe boss aims to avoid outside distractions going into automatic promotion decider

Victory, and results elsewhere going their way, would mean a first promotion into League One for the Shrimps.

The temptation is there, then, for Adams to try and be kept as informed as possible on the matches involving promotion rivals Cambridge United and Bolton Wanderers.

However, tunnel vision seems to be the order of the day for everyone at the Mazuma Stadium.

Adams said: “We’re trying to keep things as normal as possible.

“We’ve had lots of media requests this week, asking to do interviews, but we’ve tried to knock them back because it’s important we concentrate on our job.

“Cambridge and Bolton are in pole position and, if they win, they are going to be in the automatic promotion places.

“If we win, then we’re looking for them to suffer a defeat or a draw in order for us to get automatic promotion.

“We’re only going to focus on what we can do. A draw is good enough if Bolton lose but we will be going out to try and win the game.”

Defeats for Cambridge and Bolton last time out, coupled with Morecambe’s win at Walsall, have given Adams’ players a chance to finish in the top three.

Victory against Walsall was achieved the hard way, certainly in terms of the players available to Adams.

Kelvin Mellor’s suspension for his red card against Bolton, coupled with a number of injuries, meant Adams could only name five substitutes.

Liam Gibson and top scorer Carlos Mendes Gomes were among the absentees, though Adams had hoped to have Aaron Wildig available after he sustained a jaw injury, also against Bolton.

However, as the manager outlined, it was another knock which ended any hopes of Wildig taking to the pitch at the Banks’s Stadium.

Adams explained: “He (Wildig) twisted his ankle on the Friday morning.

“We were down to the bare bones last week with seven players out through injury and suspension.

“At this stage, I’m unsure if that is going to change. None of the ones who were out last week have trained this week.

“There’s a distinct possibility we could be without them again.”

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