McDonald Pleased With Morecambe Test

Manager Neil McDonald has said he was pleased with the test that Morecambe posed us in the two all draw in midweek.

Having led twice at the Globe Arena through goals from Mark Cullen and trialist Adam Drury, the gaffer explained that he was pleased with large parts of the game although there’s clearly work still to be done as there is after every pre season run out.

Blackpool:

Doyle (Letheren 45), Aldred, Jones, Robertson (Higham 45), Ferguson (Dunne 45), Drury, Potts, Oliver, Osayi-Samuel (Cameron 44), Redshaw, Cullen (Cato 68).

Speaking to the Official Site following the two all draw, the first half performance in particular stood out for him from the behind closed doors event.

‘It was a great test today, I thought that for the first 45 minutes we were excellent in everything we did, in the link play around the box we created a few chances and we played through midfield and passed and moved it really well. The defenders were really solid against a hardworking team in the first-half.’

Second half having made changes that wasn’t quite the case though and he admitted that the substitutions did effect the rhythm that we built up in the opening period but again we got ourselves in front and had moments of decent play.

With opening goal scorer Cullen leaving the field on 68 minutes, McDonald confirmed it was precautionary rather than an indication of anything more serious.

‘He just took a bit of a knock on his ankle, I asked him to play as much as he could in the second-half so we just took him off as a precaution. Everybody else is fine.’

With recruitment continuing we are also expecting the return of Costa Rica international Jose Cubero later this week and there have been reports suggesting that awol Nile Ranger is now back in training.

McDonald didn’t comment on Ranger, but he said of Cubero.

‘He’s going to go down to Cardiff to get his visa sorted out and then he’ll start back with us on Monday. He’s had a few days off because he’s been away with his international team in the competition in America and we look forward to him coming back. Hopefully he’s raring to go like the rest of the lads are.’