Morecambe are 90 minutes from making it a Lancashire double weekend at Wembley

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The Shrimps are close to making it a Lancashire double weekend at Wembley as they have a 2-1 lead over Tranmere heading into the second-leg.

Derek Adams’ side can return to home comforts in front of their supporters for the first time this season with a goal in hand before they could make an astonishing appearance in the League Two play-off final.

This season has been the best in the history of this football club and Adams has put together a team that look set on breaking more records and pushing their side into League One for the very first time.

Goals from Nat Knight-Percival and Liam McAlinden cancelled out a Peter Clarke equaliser to give the Lancashire side a fantastic advantage against a side with bags of quality under the new management of Ian Dawes.

Morecambe will look to the experienced head of Kyle Letheren to guide his side through the game from between the sticks, but ultimately Adams’ side show leadership and professionalism beyond their years.

Captain Sam Lavelle has been a pivotal figure in ensuring this team clicked and remained fluid throughout, riding their luck at times when required.

His vocal captaincy alongside his ability to lead by example in a defensive capacity will no doubt provide a major boost to the rest of the squad ahead of possibly the biggest game in the history of the Lancashire club.

Further through the team, you look to the likes of Carlos Mendes-Gomes, Yann Songo’o and Aaron Wildig to provide that creative quality that has been evident throughout the campaign.

As for the visitors they are very much still in the tie, having dominated large spells of possession at Prenton Park but failing to deliver the quality in the final thirds required to defeat a stubborn defensive unit.

Peter Clarke offered the foothold in the tie with his equaliser and the experienced defender will be invaluable in the second-leg given his experience of play-off football elsewhere.

That is the main difference between these two sides, one is a hungry young side that has pulled together to form a fantastic, relentless unit to defy the odds, the other has bags of experience and many have been there and done it when it mattered most.

Tranmere, given the upheaval of Keith Hill leaving the club, will look to those experienced heads to make the difference as they visit the Mazuma Stadium.

Jay Spearing, Liam Feeney and James Vaughan have all been there and done it much further up the Football League pyramid than they currently play at, but elements of that quality do not leave you and all three can provide the spark to make the difference.

It will be an intriguing contest either way and the margins will be fine as ever, but there is something about this Morecambe side that makes you feel it is their destiny to reach Wembley and what a moment for Lancashire it would be if another of their sides can make that happen.

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