Jim Bentley: Morecambe players looked like they’d just had a week in Benidorm

Jim Bentley said his Morecambe players looked as if they had just got back from “holidaying in Benidorm” after they were thrashed 6-0 at Crewe on the opening day of the League Two season.

The Lancastrians escaped the drop into the National League on goal difference on the final day of last term and their dismal start suggests they could be in for another hard season.

Bentley admitted it was his “lowest day” in his 16 years at the club as player and manager.

He said: “That’s the lowest I’ve been. We got beat 7-1 at Cambridge one year, but we didn’t have anyone over 21 in the back line that day.

“We got what we deserved that day, but today it could have been more than six. It was absolutely atrocious.

“We’ve had a positive pre-season, but it looks like they’ve just had a week in Benidorm and got off the plane. They played like a load of strangers.

“I don’t think we won a second ball and we didn’t lay a glove on Crewe, who are a good footballing side if they get their noses in front.

“But we still had good chances and should have easily scored, but at the other end we lacked desire.”

Crewe were two up after 10 minutes with Charlie Kirk and debutant Alex Nicholls registering.

Ex-Barnet man Nicholls volleyed in his second after the break before young midfielder James Jones scored two well-struck goals from distance either side of substitute Chris Porter’s 87th-minute header.

Bentley added: “I’ve never seen such a clumsy performance in terms of how many times players ran into each other.”

Crewe boss Dave Artell has opted for experience in the summer market, with veteran full-back Nicky Hunt, midfielder Paul Green and striker Shaun Miller arriving alongside Nicholls.

After enduring two difficult campaigns since relegation from League One in 2016, Artell is hoping for better, but he stressed he was not getting carried away with their six-goal start.

“We started well last August and then didn’t win a game for four months,” he said.

“It is a marathon and not a sprint and while it is a good start that’s all it is. It’s one game out of 46, or 56 if we are going to be successful.”

Artell was also pleased to see his substitutes play a big role in the victory.

He added: “The lads who played were terrific as were the lads who came on. But we’re not going to have a successful season relying on three players or 11, we need to rely on 18 or even 24.”