Two playoff-chasing League Two outfits struggling for form at a crucial point in the season square off at the Mazuma Stadium on Tuesday night, as Morecambe host Crewe Alexandra.
The Shrimps were crushed 3-0 by Doncaster Rovers last time out, while their visitors' scoreless run continued in a goalless stalemate away at Accrington Stanley.
Match preview
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A corner appeared to be turned for Morecambe after a dismal March period, where Wrexham, Newport County, Salford City and Gillingham condemned Ged Brannan's men to four straight defeats and put their playoff hopes in serious jeopardy in the process.
Tuesday's hosts enjoyed a productive Easter period, though - getting back on track with successive 2-1 wins over Accrington Stanley and Barrow - but Saturday's showdown with fellow mid-table charges Doncaster Rovers was a humbling experience for Brannan's troops.
Indeed, Luke Molyneux's brace and Tommy Rowe's injury-time effort subjected the Shrimps to a chastening three-goal defeat at the Mazuma Stadium, leaving the playoff outsiders 10th in the rankings with just four games remaining, five points off the top seven having played a game more than Crawley Town.
While fixtures with bottom-half outfits Swindon Town and Forest Green Rovers will be welcomed with open arms by the Morecambe faithful, Brannan's troops must still pit their wits against champions-elect Stockport County before the season draws to a close; as such, the hosts can ill-afford any more dropped points in their other three fixtures.
Saturday's abysmal showing versus Doncaster also saw Morecambe ship three goals for the third time in four home matches, but thankfully for the 10th-placed outfit, Tuesday's visitors have misplaced their shooting boots during the run-in.
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Since sharing the spoils in a 1-1 home draw with AFC Wimbledon on March 23, 270 minutes of League Two football have passed without a goal for Crewe Alexandra, who have coincidentally been consigned to their own embarrassing 3-0 loss in front of their own fans during that time.
Either side of that home battering at the hands of basement side Forest Green Rovers, Crewe Alexandra have taken two points from two scoreless stalemates with Gillingham and Accrington Stanley, failing to make the most of a multitude of set-pieces against the latter over the weekend.
Crewe Alexandra's absentee list was in the double figures as Lee Bell's side arrived at the Wham Stadium, but the Railwaymen boss refused to point to his side's 10 infirm players as an excuse and instead waxed lyrical about his players' work ethic during a tense April affair.
Still in control of their own playoff destiny despite their recent toothless displays, the visitors lie sixth in the standings with a five-point lead over both Wimbledon and Walsall, but now would be an ideal time for Crewe to snap their five-game winless run lest they cast their eye over their shoulder.
Declining away form is doing the visitors no favours either - they have taken just two points from their last 12 on offer on rival turf after accruing 13 from a possible 15 at the start of 2024 - and an enthralling battle with Morecambe just one month ago saw the Shrimps run out 3-2 victors.
Team News
There were minimal positives for Brannan to take from Morecambe's display against Doncaster, but the Shrimps boss at least witnessed no more players come off injured, and a couple of troops also made their long-awaited returns.
Key defender Farrend Rawson and JJ McKiernan were both fit enough to come off the bench over the weekend, and Brannan ought to consider the pair for promotion to the first XI in the wake of Saturday's humbling.
However, Donald Love, Jacob Davenport and Stuart Moore are still on the sidelines for the hosts - the latter's absence means that Norwich City loanee Archie Mair will continue to guard the posts.
As mentioned, Crewe Alexandra are currently without a devastating 10 men through injuries, including Jack Powell (knee) and Owen Lunt (back), neither of whom will be back in action any time soon.
Joel Tabiner and Courtney Baker-Richardson are not too far away from first-team comebacks, though, while Christopher Long and Ed Turns failed fitness tests before the weekend but are not expected to return just yet.
Charlie Kirk is also in the care of the physios for the Railwaymen, whose defenders earned their keep at the Wham Stadium, and Bell should keep faith with the majority of his XI unless fatigued legs force his hand.
Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Mair; Senior, Stokes, Bedeau, Tutonda; Khumbeni, McKiernan; Brown, Adams, Edwards; Garner
Crewe Alexandra possible starting lineup:
Booth; Billington, Williams, Demetriou, Adebisi; Austerfield, Leigh; Rowe, Holicek, Tracey; Nevitt
We say: Morecambe 1-0 Crewe Alexandra
With the Crewe Alexandra treatment room still full to the brim, there may be no immediate solution to the Railwaymen's attacking woes, especially on a ground where they have not triumphed since 2010.
Low morale reserves in the Morecambe camp may mean that Tuesday's affair is not a classic, but we have faith in Brannan's men to find a way through and reignite their playoff bid in front of the home crowd.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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