Morecambe boss boosted by return of Andy Fleming

Five wins and two draws in their last 10 matches have seen the Shrimps move up to 19th in the table.

With five games of the season remaining, they are now nine points clear of the relegation places.

A win tomorrow and defeats for the bottom two, Yeovil Town and Notts County, would move Jim Bentley’s players a dozen points clear with as many left to play for.

Much of Morecambe’s struggles this season can be attributed to the club’s injury list.

At one point, Bentley was without 11 players but has been able to welcome some of them back recently.

One of those players is Andy Fleming who, having scored the winner against Macclesfield Town in September, picked up a knee injury which kept him out for five-and-a-half months.

Having made four appearances off the bench, beginning with last month’s win against MK Dons, Fleming was back in the starting XI last weekend – against Macclesfield.

“Flemmo is a good player and he’s always been a good player for us,” Bentley said.

“He was playing well before the injury and he’s the only outfield player left from when I was playing.

“It’s great to see him back on the pitch – with some of the injuries we’ve had, we’ve struggled to fill a bench.

“At the moment, the players who have come back have done well. All the players we’ve spoken about are making decent progress but we don’t want any more.

“That isn’t just from the club’s point of view or mine, it’s not nice for a player to be out but it’s pleasing to have someone like Andy Fleming back in the ranks.”