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Jevvo Returns!
Jevvo Returns!

Grimsby v Morecambe Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 18/12/2009

IT’S freeze for a fiver on a Friday at Blundell Park as they take on the unstoppable force that is Morecambe. Now that just sounds odd. Morecambe? Really?

Home > 2009-2010 Season > Previews > Morecambe (h)


Who are they?

Their History

Formed in 1920 the club nestle in Morecambe Bay have spent the majority of their history in the non league. The club won the FA trophy in 1974 at the home of football which was the start of several struggling years for the Shrimpers but that all came to an end with promotion to the Conference in 1995. 12 years later at the new Wembley Morecambe sealed their first time in the Football League with a 2-1 win over Exeter.

Last Season Was….

Morecambe's previous season shows just why they are being so successful now the club steadily rose up the table after a dip in October counter balanced the clubs good start. From then McIllroy’s men impressed all who played at Christie Park. So much so in fact that many fans were hoping for a late play off surge but the club ended up a respectable 11th with on loan striker Rene Howe and Captain Jim Bentley taking most of the plaudits.

This Season….

The key to this season was building on what the club gathered last year with Rene Howe going back to his home club Peterborough it was essential The Shrimpers found another talisman to support the ageing Paul Mullin up front and they may have found him in a guy called Phil Jevons. All seems to have fallen into place and the club has improved every week. Currently 7th Morecambe have lost just 3 matches on the road and currently sit on top of the form table but the most worrying fact is this. In the last 5 league games Morecambe have scored 15 goals and conceded 0 that’s zero, nothing, Akpro’s goal tally.

The Future Is….

Looking brighter than our own. Unlike ourselves Morecambe have started the construction on a new ground which will play host to its first match next season. The new facility will be a four sided stadium with training pitch and community facilities included and this could all be the start of their very first campaign in the third tier no wonder Morecambe fans have a smile on their face.

Key Player

Phil Jevons. A little known striker captured for £250,000!! from the mire of Everton youths along with fellow scouser Chris Thompson from the red half during the Lawrence era. The striker settled quickly at Blundell Park, becoming a regular even at his young age forming a partnership with young wonky legs Johnny Rowan (who?). The striker is obviously remembered for his tap in against Liverpool which every time I hear about it the distance gets longer at current count he struck it from Warrington. After the collapse of ITV Digital blah blah he went to Yeovil on a free after a short time on loan at Hull. He then headed for cider country being the league’s top goal scorer in 2005 and after spending a few years experiencing the rural west country decided to pop up the M5 to Bristol City on a free, then Huddersfield where he scored against us and now on loan at Morecambe. Let’s face it Jevvo is what we're missing in this squad all 24 strikers the club currently have could all be handed their P45’s if we had someone like him on loan. He’s an ex-Mariner legend. Cue a hat trick in front of the Pontoon.

Recent Form

TownMorecambe
DShrewsbury(a)0-0
DDagenham(h)1-1
DMacclesfield(a)0-0
LBradford(h)0-3
DLincoln(a)0-0
Currently 23rd in League Two.
WBournemouth(h)5-2
WPort Vale(a)2-0
WBury(h)3-0
WDarlington(a)4-0
WCheltenham(h)1-0
Currently 7th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownMorecambe
Sweeney5
Conlon4
Jevons14
Drummond6

Team News

TownMorecambe

  • Olly Lancashire ruled out with the hamstring problem that forced him off early at Shrewsbury. Paul Linwood will play in his place.

  • Adrian Forbes (leg) and Danny North (ankle) are doubts,.

  • Joe Widdowson (foot) and Bradley Wood (ankle) will both miss out.

  • Robbie Stockdale is still injured.
  • Morecambe boss Sammy McIlroy is expected to again name an unchanged side.

  • On-loan Huddersfield midfielder Ian Craney is still ruled out with an ankle injury.

  • Fellow midfielder Manny Panther (toe) has returned to full training.
  • Squads

    TownMorecambe
    1GKNick Colgan
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFJoe Widdowson
    5DFMatthew Heywood
    6MFPeter Sweeney
    7MFAdrian Forbes
    8FWNathan Jar man
    9FWAdam Proudlock
    10FWBarry Conlon
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13MFNick Hegarty
    14MFPeter Bore
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFPaul Linwood
    17MFGrant Normington
    18FWChris Jones
    19MFMichael Leary
    20MFJammal Shahin
    21FWMichael Coulson
    23MFOliver Lancashire
    24DFDamien McCrory
    25DFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    27FWDanny North
    28FWJosh Fuller
    29FWBradley Wood
    31MFNicky Featherstone
    32MFMark Hudson
    33FWBen Wright
    35GKLeigh Overton
    1 GK Barry Roche
    2 DF Darren Moss
    3 DF Danny Adams
    4 DF David Artell
    5 DF Jim Bentley (captain)
    6 MF Craig Stanley
    7 FW Michael Twiss
    8 MF Garry Hunter
    9 FW Wayne Curtis
    10 FW Phil Jevons (on loan from Huddersfield Town)
    11 MF Neil Wainwright
    12 GK Scott Davies
    13 MF Ian Craney (on loan from Huddersfield Town)
    14 MF Emmanuel Panther (on loan from Exeter City)
    15 MF Fraser McLachlan
    16 MF Stewart Drummond (vice-captain)
    17 FW Aaron Taylor
    18 MF Mark Duffy
    19 DF Laurence Wilson
    20 MF Matty Poole
    21 FW Paul Mullin
    22 DF Andy Parrish
    23 DF Henry McStay
    24 DF Rory Winters
    25 MF Ben Jackson
    28 DF Will Haining
    30 GK Ben Smith (on loan from Doncaster Rovers)

    Head to Head

    Honours are fairly even between the sides but Grimsby have never won at Blundell Park against the Shrimps

    P8 W2 D3 L3 F 11 A 9

    Head-to-Head (75th The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Grimsby 2 Morecambe 3 (Sat 24th Feb 2009)

    Grimsby threw away a 2-0 half time lead, conceding three second half goals, the winner being inevitably in the 90th minute.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    Morecambe’s run has to end sometime soon but it won't be against us. League Two for me is defined by us losing to small clubs who play in red.

    Grimsby 0-2 Morecambe.

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