Morecambe squad preparing for the tough festive tests ahead
Morecambe boss Ashvir Singh Johal says his side will be doing all they can to build on their recent upturn in form as they face high fliers Rochdale at the Mazuma Mobile Stadium on Boxing Day.
Sunday’s win at Brackley Town saw the Shrimps follow up their FA Trophy victory at Gateshead to record two wins on the bounce for the first time this season – and give them a huge lift ahead of their game against the National League leaders.
The Shrimps’ boss said: “It’s been a good week with a lot of positives and has given us a really good blueprint for games ahead.
“Sunday was a really tough game but we prepared well for it and the lads were fantastic.
“Brackley is not an easy place to go because it is a very tight pitch and quite an intense atmosphere, but the lads handled the pressure really well and got stuck in and did all they could to keep a clean sheet.
“We know our next two games (against Rochdale and Carlisle United) are going to be tough, but every game in this league has its challenges.
“It is important we stay as focused as possible and work as hard as we did at Brackley.
“Rochdale are a very good team and have a lot of good players, but some of our better performances this season have come against the top teams and we will need to focus on reaching those levels again this week.”
With 23 league games now played, the Shrimps are at the midway point of the season with Johal saying he feels his side will build on what they have achieved so far.
He added: “We are now at the halfway stage of the season in the league and we know what we need to do to improve in the second half.
“We know a lot more about our players. We have got great individuals and we are becoming a good team.
“It is about staying resilient because there will always be ups and downs, but it is about remaining focused on producing more consistent performances.”