Bentley rues another missed opportunity against Accrington

John Coleman’s side stood firm for a 1-1 draw on Good Friday despite playing 50 minutes with 10 men after Terry Gornell’s sending off.

The Shrimps also had a goal controversially disallowed and saw Laurence Wilson miss a second-half penalty in a pulsating derby clash.

Bentley said: “I think both sets of players had a right good go, it was a proper battle.

“There were some key moments in the game, obviously the sending off.

“Some times they can work for you and some times against you but I’ve got to give Accrington credit because they dug in and worked hard.

“And when you’ve got a team down to 10 men it’s about getting the second goal and building momentum and there were two big moments.

“The disallowed goal which in my opinion should have stood but that went against us and obviously the penalty miss.

“Laurence Wilson in the past has scored 12 in 12 for us and that’s probably the first time I’ve seen him not hit the target, even in training.

“After that I thought our game management was poor and on another day we could have lost it.

“We’ve missed out another opportunity to beat our rivals.”

Bentley was particularly aggrieved with the disallowed goal as Jamie Devitt capitalised on a quickly taken free-kick to score only for referee Eddie Ilderton to bring play back.

The Shrimps boss said: “Why hasn’t he blown up straight away?

“I looked at Lloyd Jones’ body language when he walked over to the bench and it proved he’d taken a quick free-kick.

“Devitt took advantage and put it away and that would have been 2-1 against 10 men with the crowd bouncing.

“It just one of them decisions that’s gone against us. People say it evens itself out over the season but I don’t think it has for us.”

Bentley was also involved in a first-half confrontation with good friend Coleman but said the pair would put it behind them over a post-match drink.

He said: “John’s passionate and wants to win, I’m passionate and want to win and we just had a difference of opinion.

“We’ll go and have a drink in my room and I’ll give him a cuddle.

“If he wants to rumble with me he can do,” Bentley added with a smile.