Shrimps boss Jim Bentley spoke to his club’s official website ahead of his side’s Johnstone’s Paint Trophy second round tie at the Globe Arena this evening, Bentley saying the home side will be taking the game very seriously:
"The Johnstone’s Paint Trophy is something this club takes very seriously. In our first season in the league we got to the semi- final and I know just how disappointed everyone was that we lost the chance of going to Wembley by losing to Grimsby on that occasion. It is the competition that in reality gives players at this level the best chance of having their day in the sun at Wembley and – having been lucky enough to taste that feeling – is something that all players should remember.
"The game does give me the chance to give a couple of those players who have not had much match time recently to get some match action but I will definitely be picking a team to win the game. Carlisle will be tough opponents because they have a great record in this competition and have been to the final on a few occasions. Graham Kavanagh has taken over and will be looking to make his mark after a good start to his new job.''
In team news for the Shrimps this evening they will be missing two players through injury who are both expected to return to action in late November. Centre-half Chris McCready out since suffering a fractured collarbone in a 2-1 home League Two win over Plymouth in late August, while striker Jack Redshaw required a hip operation after suffering a serious pre-season injury in a 1-0 friendly victory over Burnley at the Globe Arena.
Carlisle have only played Morecambe five times in competitive action over the years, but one of those games did come at Christie Park in the first round of the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy in the 2009-10 campaign. United drawing 2-2, thanks to a brace, one of them a header in stoppage time, from current boss then player-coach Graham Kavanagh, before going on to win a penalty shoot-out 4-2 against the Shrimps. The Blues that season off course making it all the way to the final of the competition, only to be thumped 4-1 by Southampton at Wembley.
The referee for this evening's match is David Webb from Stanley in County Durham and he will be assisted down the lines by Alan Clayton from Hyde in Cheshire and Ryan Johnson from Swinton, Greater Manchester. Meanwhile the fourth official is Michael Denton from Todmorden on the Lancashire/West Yorkshire border. The officials perhaps also responsible for overseeing a penalty shoot-out if the two sides still can't be separated after the 90 minutes.
Meanwhile should Carlisle win through tonight then the draw for the area quarter-finals will be made this coming Saturday morning on Soccer AM, and the tie itself will take place in the week commencing 11th November.