Ian Holloway Pre-Morecambe Press Conference

Ian Holloway says Grimsby Town are focused on their next challenge as they welcome Morecambe to Blundell Park in Sky Bet League Two on Saturday (3pm).

The Mariners won 3-2 away at Colchester United on Tuesday, thanks to a wonderful Charles Vernam hat-trick, as they moved up to 16th-place in the League Two table.

But Town manager Holloway says his side are fully-focused on this weekend’s task at hand as they face Derek Adams’s Morecambe, who have lost just two of their last eight league matches.

He said: “I don’t think it’s me getting performances out of people – it’s the players doing it.

“What I do is a way of training – it’s a way everybody understands what I want to do, and I believe in it.

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“If they’re enjoying it that’s a question that you should ask them because I believe if you’re enjoying what you do you become better at it, so hopefully they’re enjoying what they do.

“This division is really, really hard – there’s not a bad team in it, and there’s not an easy game in it.

“And every minute of every day you have to be ready for the next challenge, and that’s what we are and we’re going to keep doing that.

“I’m really enjoying the way the fans are with us – I think our fans are absolutely sensational with what they’re doing.

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“How they’re making us feel – like we can make a mistake and they won’t turn against us – is absolutely vital for our future.

“It’s a very dangerous thing to be expectant – you have to earn the right.

“We all want to be optimistic, but you can’t ever turn up to a ground like that – that makes you a big head if you ask me.”

Holloway also gave an update on the future of Vernam, who’s scored five goals in his last four appearances.

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He said: “We’ve got an option in his contract to take up another year.

“Do I want to extend it, with the way he’s going? Yes. Would I want to do it now while he’s on fire? No, I want to see how long he can stay on fire for.

“But I’m not a fool – I’ve been in this job a long, long time, and I’ll be doing the right thing at the right time.

“But just because someone’s done well for me, I don’t give them an ice cream until they’re ready.

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“He’s proved he can do it on a regular basis – he’s been playing really, really well.

“And well done to him because he’s the one putting in those performances – nobody else is doing it for him – and hopefully he can continue to do that for a while.

“Confidence goes in and out sometimes so I’ll be there when he needs a little booster.

“But at the end of the day I’m very pleased with him because he’s paid to score goals, and that’s what he’s doing at the minute.”

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