PROMOTION hopefuls Morecambe will arrive at York City tomorrow with the fifth-worst defensive record in Sky Bet League Two.

The Shrimps currently lie just two points and two positions outside the play-off places but their efforts are being undermined by a defence that has shipped 32 League goals this term.

Only Torquay (37), Portsmouth (36), Cheltenham (33) and Mansfield (33) have higher goals-against columns in the division.

Portsmouth, Chesterfield, Cheltenham, Southend and Oxford have also all scored three times against Jim Bentley’s men in games this season.

At the other end of the pitch, top scorer Padraig Amond has found goals on his travels difficult to come by in 2013/14.

The Irishman has seven goals to his name this season but all but one have been scored at Morecambe’s Globe Arena.

His solitary effort on the road came during a 3-2 win at Newport in mid-September and he has not hit the target in seven subsequent away fixtures.

As a consequence, Amond’s place is under threat from Jack Sampson.

He replaced the former Accrington Stanley attacker during Sunday’s 2-1 home defeat to Hartlepool, grabbing the Lancashire side’s 87th-minute equaliser before Jonathan Franks pounced in stoppage time to earn the visitors maximum points.

Morecambe boss Bentley is also still likely to be without injured pair Marcus Marshall and Andy Wright for his team’s trip to North Yorkshire.

Bentley is looking for a reaction from his team, who failed to follow up a 1-0 Boxing Day win over local rivals Fleetwood with a strong performance to end 2013 on a positive note.

He said: “I was absolutely gutted (after Sunday’s game) but that’s football for you. After Boxing Day, we were on a high but we’ve come back down to earth with a bump.”

Team (probable): Roche, Parrish, McCready, Hughes, Threlfall, Kenyon, Drummond, Fleming, Sampson, Ellison, Redshaw.