MORECAMBE manager Jim Harvey is keeping tight lipped over the play-offs and is rolling with the punches when it comes to the opposition his side will be facing tonight (Thursday) and on Bank Holiday Monday.

Up until Saturday the final standings in the Conference were still anyone's guess, and Harvey wasn't giving too much thought to who his Shrimps were drawn against.

He said: "I wasn't really bothered who we got as all three of the potential games would be difficult. On Saturday we still didn't know who we would be facing in the play-offs. We knew we wanted to finish second and if other results went other ways we could have been playing someone else. Anything could have happened."

As Harvey explained, he was thankful just to be in the top five: "Getting into the play-offs was our objective at the start of the season and our form has been steady throughout the year. But there have been no celebrations yet as there is still a job to be done."

Now Morecambe will have to face their fellow FA Cup third round qualifiers from the Conference having been knocked out by Ipswich this year, exactly 12 months after Dagenham were put to the sword by the Tractor Boys.

But Harvey is sure that his side will have their own ability which needs to be dealt with: "Dagenham have got a lot of good players which my squad will have to deal with, but we've got some talented players who they will have to contend with as well.

"Garry Hill has done a good job at the club and he's built up a good strong squad. He's made the club's money from the FA Cup runs whereas Doncaster and Chester have had benefactors help them out."

May 1, 2003 10:30