Jim Bentley hopes Morecambe can get up and running at Stevenage

Jason Oswell, left, in action against Crewe on the opening day of the season

ALSO READ: Jim Bentley looks to the positives after Morecambe exit Carabao Cup at PrestonThe Shrimps scored their first goal of the season in the 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat at Preston on Tuesday night having failed to find the net in two defeats at the start of their League Two campaign.

The 2-0 home defeat to Exeter last Saturday was a marked improvement on the opening day 6-0 hammering at Crewe however with Bentley confident his side will only get better again, starting this weekend at the Lamex Stadium.

“It’s a League Two game which will be a lot different to how it was on Tuesday night,” said Bentley.

“We were under the cosh for long spells so it became a fitness test at times where as Saturday will be more rough and tumble.

“They’ve had a good start, have good strengths, it’s early days in the season and we’ll go there and take the positives from the last two games and try and get up and running and get a point or three on the board.

“We can write off Crewe because that was a disgraceful performance.

“We were miles better on Saturday and having watched it back it was a game we shouldn’t have lost.

“We’ve got to cut out the errors that are costing us goals.

“But there’s plenty to be positive about and now we get back to our league campaign and hopefully we can get something on board.”

Bentley made four changes against North End for the League Cup tie at Deepdale with Jason Oswell in from the start up front.

The former Stockport man partnered AJ Leitch-Smith for the second half as the new arrival made a second appearance for the Shrimps off the bench.

“It’s about managing some players and getting minutes into others,” said Bentley.

“AJ Leitch-Smith we think is going to be a good player for us but only played 45 minutes in pre-season.

“He came off the bench and got 30 minutes on Saturday and another 45 on Tuesday night.

“He looked a threat against Preston and we think he’ll do well.

“Oswell came in and did well. He really battled away and competed.

“It’s going to take time. We’ve got a couple of players with injury issues we’re nursing or who have lacked game time in pre-season.

“We’ve also got one or two coming from a level or two below and we need to get them up to speed.”