Early Barnsley team news & thoughts from the Morecambe camp ahead of Saturday's game

On Saturday, Barnsley entertain Morecambe at Oakwell in the Sky Bet League One. The visitors currently sit 22nd in the table on 34 points just 3 points from safety.

The Shrimps face a strong Barnsley side who are in 4th place and only lost one game in 13. Morecambe have lost 4 and drawn once in their last 5 away games.

Joel Shooter from the Shrimps Trust Podcast gave us his insight into Morecambe`s season so far detailing the on and off field issues affecting the club.

Joel said “It’s been very tough going of late, with a burst of good form at the turn of the year turning sour into February and March, now compounded by defeat to relegation rivals MK Dons. It’s hard to see us catching them now. Oxford and Accrington seem achievable, but it would take a sensational turn around in form, and away at Oakwell isn’t exactly an ideal place to start!”

“Some aspects of our performances of late have been pretty good. Our pressing and shape has generally been ok, and at times we’ve worked the ball really quite nicely up the pitch with some of the good technical players we have. Sadly, we’re not clicking at all in the final third, despite having some talent in attacking midfield. Cole Stockton’s form has taken another dive, and the loss of Kieran Phillips to injury at the end of January has been a humongous blow. I’d argue it’s what triggered our loss of the form we had in that month.”

“Things don’t get any easier off the pitch either, with late wages this month as the takeover saga drags out. It’s incredibly disappointing that this has taken such a bad turn, with the player’s and staff’s wages seemingly a pawn in our owner’s (Bond Group) battle to force through his preferred sale to Sarb Capital, despite them having failed to provide adequate documentation to the EFL.”

“It’s a pretty gloomy time at the Mazuma to be honest. But this is football and with our terrible away form, playing away at one of the form sides in the division, during a week in which our players haven’t been paid (or at the least, paid late)…it’s got a scabby 1-0 win with about 18% possession written all over it!”

Barnsley would appear to have a clean bill of health going into the game with defender Liam Kitching apparently cleared to play despite a knock in the midweek defeat at Exeter City.

The Tykes are seven points off 2nd placed Sheffield Wednesday with a game in hand on the Owls. Manager Michael Duff will be keen for his players to go on another unbeaten run with only 9 games left of the regular season.