Morecambe‘s search for their first victory of the 2024-25 League Two season will continue on Saturday afternoon, when they make the trip to Holker Street to tackle high-flying Barrow.
The visitors are bottom of the table, having picked up just four points from their opening 10 matches of the campaign, while Barrow are up in third, boasting 19 points from their first 10 fixtures.
Match preview
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Barrow were so close to making the League Two playoffs last season, finishing in eighth spot in the table, just one point behind seventh-placed Crawley Town.
The early indications are that the Bluebirds will again be challengers for promotion this season, with a solid start to the campaign seeing them pick up 19 points from 10 matches to sit in third spot in the table, only behind leaders Walsall on goal difference.
Barrow’s recent form has been hugely disappointing, though, losing four of their last five matches in all competitions, including two of their last three in the league.
Stephen Clemence‘s side will enter this match off the back of a 3-0 defeat to Fleetwood Town in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, but they did manage to triumph in League Two last weekend, recording a 2-1 win over Cheltenham Town.
Barrow were 1-0 winners over Morecambe in the corresponding match during the 2023-24 campaign, but they suffered a 2-1 defeat when the two sides last locked horns back in April.
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Morecambe will enter this match off the back of a much-needed win, recording a 4-2 victory over Nottingham Forest Under-21s in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, but their start to the League Two season has been disappointing.
Indeed, the Shrimps are still waiting for their first league win of the campaign, boasting a record of four draws and six defeats from their 10 matches to sit at the bottom of the table on four points.
Derek Adams‘s side have only actually lost one of their last six matches in all competitions, which proved to be a 2-1 defeat to Accrington Stanley in the league last weekend.
There have been positive signs in recent weeks, with four of their last five matches in League Two finishing level, but they simply have to put a victory on the board as soon as possible.
Morecambe have struggled in the final third of the field this season, only managing eight goals in their 10 matches, which is the third-worst attacking record in the division at this stage of proceedings.
Barrow League Two form:
Barrow form (all competitions):
Morecambe League Two form:
Morecambe form (all competitions):
Team News
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Barrow head coach Clemence rung the changes against Fleetwood in the EFL Trophy, but it will be a more familiar side for this match, with Emile Acquah set to return to lead the line.
Acquah has scored twice in League Two this season, while there will also be a spot at the back for Theo Vassell, who is actually the team’s leading goalscorer in the league this term with three.
With no fresh injuries to report, it could be the same XI that started against Cheltenham last weekend.
As for Morecambe, Ben Tollitt scored twice in their EFL Trophy success over Forest Under-21s last time out, and he will retain his spot in an attacking position on Saturday afternoon.
There will be changes to the side that started on Tuesday, with Hallam Hope likely to find himself back on the bench this weekend despite scoring in a strong performance last time out.
Marcus Dackers is yet to get off the mark this term, but the 21-year-old is again set for a starting role at centre-forward, with Lee Angol a fitness doubt for the visitors.
Barrow possible starting lineup:
Stanway; Feely, Vassell, Stokes, Jackson; Spence, Campbell; Popov, Foley, Newby; Acquah
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Moore; Williams, Stott, Tutonda; Hendrie, Songo’o, Jones, A. Lewis; Tollitt, P. Lewis, Dackers
Despite their struggles, Morecambe have proven to be difficult to beat in recent weeks, drawing four of their last five games in League Two, but we are expecting Barrow to navigate their way to all three points on Saturday afternoon.
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