Aldershot have already achieved two things this week that they have been struggling to meet: a win and a clean sheet, thanks to Tuesday night's 1-0 win at home to Port Vale.

On Saturday they will try to put a third problem to bed: their away woes.
 
Morecambe is the latest in a run of long-distance trips, where Gary Waddock's men will attempt to arrest a record that now stretches to six straight away league defeats.
 
The Shrimps have not won in nine league games, however, and are as low as 20th in the League Two table. Not that that means too much, given Aldershot’s alarming defensive displays away from home, in a league where results can be difficult to predict. Look at , for instance, Chester 3 Brentford 0 and Exeter 1 Chesterfield 6 in this midweek.
 
But, Tuesday's clean sheet against Port Vale should bring renewed confidence to Aldershot and a belief that, finally, they can win again away from home. That they will be playing in yellow - the only other time they have worn that kit, they won, at Accrington Stanley, on the opening day - increases the hope that they will turn the corner beside the waves of Morecambe Bay.

Morecambe have won just once in the league all season - albeit an impressive home victory over Shrewsbury Town, in early September. They have drawn as many as half of their 14 games, including a 1-1 stalemate in the Lancashire derby against Accrington on Tuesday evening. Morecambe had plenty of chances to win that game and were also unlucky to lose 2-1 at Port Vale in injury-time a week ago.

So, despite their lowly position, Sammy McIlroy's men, who finished 11th last year, are probably a better team than their position suggests. In goalkeeper Barry Roche, defender Jim Bentley, midfielder Stewart Drummond and forward Rene Howe (on loan from Peterborough United) they possess a solid spine, although free-scoring Michael Twiss is out injured.

McIlroy has recently switched to a formation incorporating three centre backs. With the wide defenders not necessarily pushing on too far, it is more 5-3-2 than 3-5-2.

After such a solid display against Port Vale, it will be an irritant to Waddock that Anthony Charles’ one-match suspension for five bookings means that Aldershot's back four must be adjusted.

Dean Howell may come in at left back, unless Anthony Straker, who has just returned to training, has sufficiently recovered from injury to play a competitive game.

Manager Gary Waddock said after Tuesday's match that he had been hoping to arrange a friendly to give Straker some match action this week but could not find a club free to help out.
 
If Howell does play than he will line up against one of his many former clubs. He made 30 appearances at the Lancashire club five years ago, playing as a left winger, which may yet prove to be his best position still - but one where he has not be used by Waddock, as of yet. To that end, should Straker be fit, then he will probably get the nod over Howell at the back.
 
Chris Blackburn is another former Shrimp and he made a significant impact at the club, clocking up more than 100 appearances and helping the club into the Football League for the first time, 18 months ago.
 
Junior Osborne should continue at right back, with Louie Soares further forward, after his match-winning display against Port Vale.
 
“We will be full of confidence after a win and a clean sheet,” said captain Rhys Day, who will line up alongside Blackburn, provided Blackburn has recovered from the injury to his face he received early in the game against Vale.

“Bring on the game. We need to enjoy ourselves again away from home. When we do, the results will come," added Day.

The Shots may not boost a good record at Morecambe but they certainly enjoyed their jaunts to the seaside under Waddock last season.

Torquay and Exeter will linger longest in the memory, of course, but don't forget the 2-0 win at Weymouth, which came after an away blip - and is almost a year ago to the day.

Admittedly, the away problems this season have been far, far more acute and even just a point on Saturday would surely be regarded as a good one.

But, for the more superstitious Shots fans, the yellow kit and the sea air - not forgetting Tuesday's first win in six games - bring hope of more than that: all three points.