| Wrexham continue the battle for survival with our
first ever trip to Christie Park to face Morecambe who have had made a good
start to life as a Football League club. The
Shrimps celebrated promotion last season following a memorable play off
final victory over Exeter at Wembley and they have hit the ground
running this season.
Their form has dipped in recent weeks and have gone
three games without a victory but Morecambe still occupy a healthy ninth
position, three points off a play off spot with forty three points from
their twenty-eight games.
Morecambe have won half of their league matches at
Christie Park this season and their home form has been the backbone for
their success with manager Sammy McIllroy now looking for a final push
to secure a play off place.
Morecombe are the second side that manager Sammie
McIlroy has lead into the Football League after achieving the same feat
with Macclesfield during the 1990s. The former Manchester United
striker, who has also managed his native Northern Ireland, went one step
further with the Silkmen by taking them up to what is now League One
before he left to try his managerial skills in the international arena.
Top scorer for the Shrimps is midfielder Carl Baker
with ten goals so far this season.
Baker arrived from Southport in the summer along with
former Wrexham striker Jon Newby who has also scored six times this
season from only nine starts and sixteen substitute appearances.
Morecambe have been active during the transfer window
with Stuart Drummond arriving from Shrewsbury in a £15,000 move and
goalkeeper Shwan Jalal has arrived on loan from Peterborough.
Recent Encounters:
The match at the Racecourse this season was the
Shrimps' first away game in the Football League.
A first half brace from Michael Proctor gave us a
comfortable half time lead but Morecambe came back strongly after the
break and were only narrowly defeated 2-1 with former Red Jon Newby on
the score sheet for the new boys.
The only other game between the two sides was back in
2003 also went the Way of Wrexham courtesy of a 4-1 victory at the
Racecourse in the LDV Vans Trophy.
Team News:
On loan Rob Duffy is suspended for the game after
collecting his fifth booking of the season for his parent club Oxford
before joining us last season.
There are no fresh injury worries from the weekend and
striker Drewe Broughton is expected to continue up front alongside
Stuart Nicholson in the absence of Paul Hall.
Morecambe also have no fresh injury concerns and have
defender David Artell and midfielder Stewart Drummond back after
suspension and injury respectively.
Elsewhere in League Two:
Lincoln are involved in their second six pointer of
the week and they have home advantage again as they face Mansfield at
Sincil Bank.
The Imps defeated third bottom Dagenham on the weekend
to open up a three point gap on them and a win over the Stags will see
them pull seven points clear of their opponents.
Dagenham will be looking to bounce back with a
difficult trip to fifth placed Wycombe whilst fifth bottom Bury are on
the road at in form Grimsby.
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