“Winning becomes a habit”: Morecambe players challenged to keep churning out the victories
Morecambe’s focus switches back from cup to league this weekend.
Morecambe boss Adam Lakeland says he is looking for his side to maintain the winning habit when they travel to Oxford City this weekend, writes DEREK QUINN.
The Shrimps go into the game on the back of winning five of the last six matches across all competitions, having defeated Southport in their FA Cup second qualifying round tie last weekend.
Lakeland is hoping his players can add to that run against a team currently sitting second in the National League North table behind the early pacesetters, Hereford.
The manager said: “Our priority is the league but we want to win every game of football, irrespective of the competition, which is why we want to do well in the cups too and which is why Saturday’s win over Southport was so important.
“Winning becomes a habit and we have now won five from the last six - and we have got to keep working hard to get better.
“I still feel that even though our form is good, we have so much improving to do and to come, so we have to stick at it, keep working hard and trying to win games.
“It will be a difficult game on Saturday because Oxford City are a good team who play good football and have made a good start to the season, and we have to be ready for that.
“We are a good team too and we are in good form, and it is important we are ready for it.”
Morecambe’s turnaround in results since the August Bank Holiday weekend sees them sitting 10th in the table, six points behind Saturday’s hosts.
They face an Oxford team which plays on an artificial surface, something that Lakeland believes is not ideal.
“It’s never easy when jumping from grass to 4G pitches,” said the manager, whose players have taken three points from 12 away from the Halo Aerospace Stadium so far.
“I think this is a really good, competitive league but I think there are far too many artificial pitches in it now.
“I think there are nine or 10, which means you are playing nearly half of your away games on artificial pitches.
“I don’t think it is ideal, but it is what it is and we will work hard to get ready for it.”