Martin Allen has praised the work of Morecambe manager Jim Bentley ahead of Barnet’s meeting with the Shrimps at the Hive tomorrow night.

Morecambe took 12 points from their opening five games of the season, and are seventh despite winning just one of their previous four league matches.

They finished 21st last season after a poor 2015/16 campaign, but Allen says Bentley was always likely to turn around his side’s fortunes.

“They have had an excellent start and they have a very good manager who is very astute. We will have to be on top of our game and be ready to get out there on Tuesday night,” Allen told the Barnet website.

“There is no surprise [over Morecambe’s start]. Jim Bentley is an excellent manager and every season he loses good players from his squad who go onto so called ‘bigger clubs’.

“Then Jim has to go around finding free transfers who aren’t on big wages and mould them together with good team spirit and very good organisation.

“I think he has been there five years now, Jim, and they are always impressive.”

Barnet head into tomorrow’s match looking to bounce back from Saturday’s heavy 5-1 loss at the hands of Portsmouth by picking up their first home win in the league since mid-August.

They enjoy a less than stellar record against Morecambe, having won just three of their 14 League Two meetings in a run which stretches back to November 2007. Morecambe’s recent defensive record will give Barnet hope of claiming victory, however, with Bentley’s side conceding 11 goals in their last four matches.

John Akinde will hope to continue his personal form in front of goal after he took his tally to five for the season after scoring from the spot in the defeat at Fratton Park.

Cole Stockton scored his fourth goal of the league campaign in Morecambe’s 3-2 loss to Crawley Town last time out and will carry the majority of his side’s attacking threat.

Victory tomorrow night could see the Bees climb as high as 12th in the table, dependent on results elsewhere, while Morecambe will be looking to cement their place in the League Two play-off places.