Morecambe players challenged to keep up their home form against Burton Albion

The Shrimps begin the year by welcoming Burton Albion to the Mazuma Stadium (3pm).

They go into the match unbeaten in five on home soil following Thursday’s victory against Accrington Stanley.

Although it kept Morecambe at the foot of League One, they are only two points behind second-bottom Forest Green Rovers and four adrift of Burton in 20th.

Back-to-back wins against Lincoln City and Forest Green mean Sunday’s visitors have climbed out of the drop zone.

While they have the same points and goal difference as Accrington, Burton’s greater goal tally means they are now fifth-bottom instead.

Eight points separate the bottom eight teams going into the second half of the season with Adams anticipating plenty of twists and turns to come.

He said: “It’s always important to have good home form and I think the supporters enjoyed the win and the performance against Accrington.

“We haven’t been able to get the wins we feel we should have had, so we have to back that up.

“It’s very tight, so Burton is another big game because they are just above us in the table.

“I think there are a number of teams who think they are safe, above the relegation zone, but they could be drawn back into it.

“We need to try and win this game and, if we do, that drags others back into it.

“Burton have a very big squad, a very talented squad, and they have done well to get those two wins.”

While respectful of tomorrow’s visitors, Adams hopes his players can build on the feelgood factor generated by Thursday’s victory.

It was only the fourth time they had scored two goals in a game across all competitions this season.

The clean sheet was also the Shrimps’ first since their previous win against Barnsley two months earlier.

Top scorer Jensen Weir scored his seventh of the season with another midfield man, Liam Shaw, also on target.

Adams said: “I think it’s always important you have that in your teams, players from all over the pitch scoring goals.

“I like my midfielders getting up in support beyond the strikers, which is what Weir and Shaw did the other night.

“Defensively, a lot of teams have had to have shots at goal from 20 yards because we’re trying to keep the opposition out of our 18-yard box.

“It was a good night for us, getting the three points and the clean sheet – and the performance levels throughout the team were very good.”

The only downside to Thursday’s win was the injury to Max Melbourne which saw him replaced by Adam Mayor late in the first half.

Melbourne had only returned in mid-November, having been out for three months with an injury sustained in the Shrimps’ loss at Bolton Wanderers in mid-August.

The 24-year-old was due to be assessed in order for the severity of his latest setback to become clearer.

Unless there are any late problems, it will be the same squad tomorrow as that which ended 2022 with three points.