Morecambe players' efforts paid off with a point

After two heavy defeats, where they conceded 10 goals in the process, Johal was happy with his players’ response against an in-form Tamworth and wants it to be a platform for improving fortunes.

Speaking after the game he said: “We know what we can be if we work hard and focus on the things we need to focus on.

“Although we are still a team in progress, I am very confident that by the end of October – and by the end of the season – we will have a team that is a lot more competitive in games.

“The jigsaw is getting there piece by piece and we are slowly getting to where we want to.

“We haven’t had a pre-season and, with playing every Tuesday and Saturday, we haven’t virtually had any time to train so we knew performances were going to be mixed because of the situation.

“We made a real concentrated effort last week to work on our defending with video sessions, team and individual meetings and in training sessions – and that work paid off.

“We can’t be too encouraged by Saturday’s performance though, because what we don’t want to do is revert back to where we were the last few weeks and it is now about maintaining that concentration.”

Johal’s players face a third consecutive midweek match this evening, when they travel to Scunthorpe United (7.45pm).

It is one of their matches in hand, having initially been postponed following the Shrimps’ suspension from the National League amid the summer’s ownership crisis at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium.

Last weekend’s point wasn’t enough to lift Morecambe off the foot of the table, as they travel to a Scunthorpe team in fifth position after defeat against Carlisle United on Saturday.

Tonight’s game is then followed by Saturday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round home tie against Chester FC.

Victory will put the Shrimps into round one proper next month, with the draw for that stage taking place on TNT Sports 1, discovery+ and on the TNT Sports YouTube page next Monday, October 13, from 6.30pm.