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Morecambe
League Two | Gameweek 16
Nov 16, 2024 at 3pm UK
Mazuma Stadium
Port Vale

Morecambe
vs.
Port Vale

Preview: Morecambe vs. Port Vale - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Saturday's League Two clash between Morecambe and Port Vale, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

League Two leaders Port Vale will be bidding to return to winning ways when they head to the Mazuma Mobile Stadium on Saturday afternoon to tackle bottom-of-the-table Morecambe.

The hosts have picked up 30 points from their 15 matches this season to top the League Two table, three points clear of second-placed Walsall, while the Shrimps sit in 24th, boasting only 10 points from their first 15 games.


Match preview

Morecambe manager Derek Adams pictured in June 2024© Imago

Morecambe have a record of two wins, four draws and nine defeats from their 15 League Two matches this season, with a total of 10 points leaving them 24th in the table, two points behind 22nd-placed Swindon Town.

Derek Adams's side have actually won two of their last three matches, including a 2-0 success over Worthing in the FA Cup on November 2, before beating Harrogate Town 2-1 in the league last weekend.

The Shrimps will enter this match off the back of a defeat, going down 2-1 at home to Carlisle United in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, but they still progressed to the next round, finishing top of Northern Group C.

Morecambe will face Swindon in a relegation six-pointer next weekend, before ending the month with a home fixture against Bradford City in the second round of the FA Cup.

The Lancashire outfit have lost two of their last three matches against Port Vale, but they recorded a 1-0 victory when the two teams last locked horns in a League One fixture in February 2023.

Port Vale manager Darren Moore in April 2024.© Imago

Port Vale were relegated from League One in 23rd spot last season, but they are top of the pile in League Two and have shown enough this term to suggest that an automatic return to the third tier is entirely possible.

The Valiants have won nine, drawn three and lost three of their 15 league matches in 2024-25 to collect 30 points, which has left them three points clear of second-placed Walsall, who have a game in hand.

It is incredibly tight at the top of the division, with only three points separating fourth-placed Doncaster Rovers from the summit, so there is pressure on Port Vale to return to winning ways this weekend, having lost at Gillingham last time out.

Darren Moore's side will enter this match off the back of a positive result, though, beating Wrexham on penalties in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday, which has seen them advance to the next stage of the competition.

Port Vale have won eight, drawn four and lost 10 of their previous 22 matches against Morecambe, but this game will be the first time that the two teams have locked horns in League Two since April 2021.

Morecambe League Two form:


Morecambe form (all competitions):


Port Vale League Two form:


Port Vale form (all competitions):



Team News

Morecambe's Rhys Williams pictured on September 23, 2024© Imago

Morecambe will again be without the services of goalkeeper Stuart Moore due to the injury which forced him off against Harrogate in the league last time out, so Harry Burgoyne, who started against Carlisle, is in line to feature between the sticks.

Head coach Adams will make changes to the side that took to the field for the first whistle in the EFL Trophy on Tuesday night, including a recall for on-loan Liverpool defender Rhys Williams.

Ben Tollitt is Morecambe's leading goalscorer in League Two this season with four, and he is a certainty in a forward area.

As for Port Vale, head coach Moore made a number of changes for the EFL Trophy fixture with Wrexham on Tuesday, but it will be a more familiar XI for the trip to Morecambe in League Two.

Jayden Stockley has scored four times this season and will again lead the line, while Ronan Curtis has three goals in 2024-25 and is also expected to be in the starting side for the visitors.

Rico Richards has been another impressive performer this season, coming up with three goals from a wide area, and the on-loan Aston Villa attacker is set to feature in the final third of the field.


Morecambe possible starting lineup:
Burgoyne; Hendrie, R Williams, Stott, Tutonda; White, Jones; Tollitt, Lewis, Edwards; Dackers

Port Vale possible starting lineup:
Ripley; Debrah, Heneghan, Hall; Cover, Sang, Croasdale, Grant; Richards, Stockley, Curtis


SM words green background

We say: Morecambe 1-2 Port Vale

Morecambe have the worst home record in League Two this season, picking up just three points from seven games, while Port Vale have the strongest away record, boasting 16 points from eight matches. We are actually expecting it to be tight in terms of the scoreline on Saturday, but we are backing Port Vale to navigate their way to all three points.



For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.


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Who will win Saturday's League Two clash between Morecambe and Port Vale?

Morecambe
Draw
Port Vale
Morecambe
0.0%
Draw
0.0%
Port Vale
100%
3
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Port Vale159332316730
2Walsall1483327151227
3Notts County1576223131027
4Doncaster RoversDoncaster158342117427
5Crewe AlexandraCrewe147431713425
6MK Dons157352417724
7Grimsby Town158071925-624
8Gillingham157261612423
9Chesterfield1557328181022
10Bradford CityBradford156452016422
11BarrowBarrow156451612422
12Fleetwood TownFleetwood145632015521
13Salford City155551417-320
14AFC Wimbledon126151810819
15Newport CountyNewport156181926-719
16Cheltenham TownCheltenham155371922-318
17Tranmere RoversTranmere144551017-717
18Accrington StanleyAccrington144461822-416
19Bromley143651618-215
20Harrogate TownHarrogate154381221-915
21Colchester UnitedColchester142751721-413
22Swindon TownSwindon152671623-712
23Carlisle UnitedCarlisle1532101328-1511
24Morecambe152491426-1210


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