After another draw at the SMH Group Stadium, Paul Cook’s men make another away journey, this time to Morecambe. They are looking to provide another impressive performance on the road for the travelling Spireites after delight in South Wales just over a week ago.
Morecambe have undergone a difficult start to the season, winning just one of their opening 13 games, a 1-0 win over north-west rivals Barrow, who sit a point and a place ahead of the Spireites in eighth place.
Head-to-head
After a first meeting with the Shrimps in the FA Cup first round in 2002 ended in 2-1 defeat, the Spireites have only got the better of today’s opponents on two of the 14 occasions that followed.
The first win came in 2010, when Martin Gritton scored the only goal in a 1-0 for John Sheridan’s men at Christie Park.
There was a four-year wait for the next win, which came in Paul Cook’s first spell at the club when Jay O’Shea scored the winner in another 1-0 win for the Spireites at the then Proact Stadium.
Today’s game will be Cook’s tenth meeting against the Lancashire outfit and he will be hoping to improve on his own record, with his only win coming in the game mentioned above.
His last meeting with the Shrimps came in 2021, as Ipswich manager, when Cole Stockton scored twice against the Tractor Boys in a 2-2 draw.
Derek Adams
Now in his third spell at Morecambe, Derek Adams is facing perhaps his toughest challenge yet as the club look to leave a troubled period ahead of the congested winter months.
In his first spell at Morecambe, Adams led his side to promotion to League One for the first time in the club’s history, but ultimately left the Shrimps before the season commenced.
He returned less than a year later, helping the club stave off relegation and remain a League One club for another year.
After his second departure in November last year to leave for Ross County, Adams made another return in the summer as the club looked to build stability after a troublesome period.
Player-in-focus
Ben Tolitt joined Morecambe in the summer as one of the 15 free agent signings they announced in one go after the club’s transfer embargo was lifted.
Having most recently played in the Football League back in the 2019/20 season for then League Two side Macclesfield Town, Tolitt has had several seasons in the National League and National League North, playing for Kidderminster Harriers and Chester last season.
He is Morecambe’s top scorer so far this season with three goals to his name, and his side will be hoping he can provide the goods again as they search for a second win of the season.
