SHRIMPS' boss Jim Harvey must be counting the days until Neil Morton's long-awaited debut on Saturday.

The former Barrow striker was suspended from Saturday's game and was sorely missed from an attack which failed to make a single goal scoring opportunity against an uninspired Cheltenham side without him.

So good news that he's in but the bad news is defender David Hall won't be available for Saturday's game against Dover after suffering a knee injury.

Manager Jim Harvey is hoping that another bumper crowd (there was 1,354 there on Saturday and 1,200 the match before) this week. "Our fans have been excellent as always," agreed Harvey.

But this was a disappointing result for Morecambe and it served to illustrate the gulf which currently separates the two teams. Cheltenham look favourites to clinch promotion this season and despite a poor performance by their own standards, they had enough quality and appetite for the game to take all three points.

They also created few goalscoring chances but the partnership of Neil Grayson and Dale Watkins provided the cutting-edge that proved to be the difference between the teams.

Cheltenham's first goal, a 20 yard shot by Watkins was the only highlight of a scrappy first half which provided little enjoyment for the big crowd. The second half was played in much the same vane marked only by Grayson's 71st minute strike which effectively ended the game as a contest.

Slight consolation came from an assured return to the first team by John Kennedy after a lengthy injury and with the imminent debut of Neil Morton it will be a stronger team to face Dover at Christie Park on Saturday.

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