Morecambe boss targets strong finish at end of nightmare season

The Shrimps have lost four of their last five as part of a run that has seen Bentley’s side slip to 21st in the table with just two wins in 19 League 2 games.

Having shipped 11 goals in their previous two defeats to Cambridge, 7-0, and Stevenage, 4-1, Morecambe next make the long trip south to face Exeter on Saturday in the penultimate game of their season.

Bentley: “I wouldn’t want to finish on a 4-1 defeat so I’m looking forward to the next game.

“It’s been a difficult season and we want to try and finish on a positive.

“It’s the last away trip, a long one. They’re a decent side and it’ll be a tough game but we’re not just going down there to make the numbers up.

“There’s six points to play for and we want six. If we can’t have six we’ll take four or three.

“We want to finish on a positive heading into the summer and we’ll be doing everything we can to do that.

“We want to win every game. I can’t understand any professional who wouldn’t want to or would not be particularly bothered about a game because they’re safe.

“There’s a lot for me to take into consideration, players for next season, trying to get some game time into the youngsters. 
“There’s a lot to play for, we haven’t given our fans enough to cheer about and we go into the final two games wanting to win them both.”

The Shrimps head to Exeter amid some uncertainty off the field with chairman Peter McGuigan indicating this week that a takeover of the club could be completed by the end of May.

Bentley said: “All I’m interested in is the football side of things and trying to win games of football. 
“We’ve got a long away trip down to Exeter and that’s what all our energies are going in to.

“We’re making sure we’re getting the preparation right for what will be another tough game.

“What goes on behind the scenes is nothing to do with me. It’s for the chairman and the board of directors.

“That’s the way it is and that’s the way it should be.”

It does however mean planning for next season has been far from straight forward.

Bentley said: “We’ve got players that we want to keep, players will leave and there are some we want to bring in to freshen things up to make us stronger.

“It’s a little bit up and down at the minute but that’s football.

“There’s nothing I can do about it, I’ve just got to do the job to the best of my ability and what will be, will be with regards to if there’s a sale or not.”