Morecambe 2 Macclesfield Town 1: Match reaction

Morecambe boss Jim Bentley and his Macclesfield Town counterpart, Mark Yates, met the press after Saturday's win for the Shrimps; here's what they had to say.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Jim Bentley: “It was a big game for us obviously after losing last week with it being second-bottom against third-bottom.

“I’m pleased with some aspects of the game and not so much with others.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I still think at times, some of our approach play is really good but it’s picking that final pass or getting that shot off so I’m disappointed we didn’t score more than the two goal.

A-Jay Leitch-Smith scored the opening goalA-Jay Leitch-Smith scored the opening goal
A-Jay Leitch-Smith scored the opening goal

“It was a contrast of styles if you like; they were direct up to (Nathan) Blissett and we worked on things like long throws and set-pieces.

“Our football was very good at times and we created chances but we didn’t finish the ones we should have; it was highlighted in the week and we have to be better than that.

“We dug in, it went 1-1 and you could understand the anxiety and the nerves of the players and fans.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“We gave the ball away from the restart, gave away a corner and then it was all hands to the pump but I was really pleased for Andrew Fleming.

“Michael Rose’s red card looked like him and Flemmo (Fleming) coming together and Alex Kenyon came across and got there first.

“At the time I thought it looked a bit tasty but I think it was an honest attempt to win the ball but Alex and Rosey are good friends and they both want to win.”

Mark Yates: “It’s obviously not what we wanted and we weren’t helped by Callum (Evans) getting stretchered off and Rosey (Michael Rose) getting sent off a minute later.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“My reaction to that was that Rosey was fouled seconds earlier and that made him have to lunge in.

“The ref apologised to me at half-time but we still had to play 70 minutes with 10 men.

“Callum was knocked out so he will be out for a couple of weeks but the red card affected it massively.

“I thought we were marginally the better team for the first 25 minutes but then we had to work even harder and change our shape with 10 men.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“I spoke at half-time about keeping a shape but the first goal is a joke goal to be fair.

“We should have cleared it, the ball gets crossed into the box, we let them out too easily and the lad (Leitch-Smith) has literally toe poked it and it’s beaten us at the near post.

“That’s where we are at the minute; there’s no point feeling sorry for ourselves but we showed a bit of character and came into it after scoring a decent goal from Danny (Whitaker).

“I felt that was probably our best way of winning the game but we didn’t defend right from a set-piece.

“It’s difficult to go in after a game and say ‘go again’ but you have to tell a few home truths and that’s what we’ve been doing.”