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Macclesfield v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 25/11/2008

THE Mariners travel to deepest, darkest Cheshire on the very edge of the Peak District for their Tuesday night game against a Macclesfield side who aren't fairing much better in the league then ourselves.

Home > 2008-2009 Season > Previews > Macclesfield (a)

The Opposition

Overview

One of the smallest clubs in the league seem to avoid relegation on a yearly basis just like Town did back in Division One, ahhhhh memories. Last season the Silkmen finished just 8 points ahead of the relegation zone and a few results either way would have seen them demoted to a league which some say may suit their attendances better then League Two but then again we know how much fun it is to be the fly in the ointment. Back in 2004/05 Macclesfield came so close to their greatest ever achievement, only a narrow defeat to Lincoln ironically against their now manager perennial hoofball lover the former Mariner Keith Alexander (left). (A drum roll would have really added suspense there.) Since that successful year the team from Cheshire have managed to avoid relegation time and again and just being 7 points ahead of ourselves hardly speaks of a team which will change that trend this year but then again I still think we’ll make the play-offs (God this absinthe is good!)

The Team
The Mariner that is Keith Alexander though famous for unleashing a shoal of inflatables back at Plough Lane in year dot also loves a simple game of Oi Gritton! Run after that hoof! Asides from the young strikers who have grown up at Moss Rose from wee baby footballers, Big Keith decided it was better that he didn't bother looking at other forwards then ones from Lincoln. Gritton, Yeo, Green and even the on loan Nat Brown (Wrexham) played down the road from that big church at one time or another. Nevertheless a partnership of Green, Gritton and Tony O’Neil (That reference is extremely vague only those who saw Oasis at the Old Wembley for their Standing On the Shoulder of Giants tour will get that. God they were good even if they did let Sky broadcast the Saturday night, or was it the Sunday?) Anyway it’s a trio of experience and some pace and a damn lot better then what we have at the moment, but who would have Gritton back really? Macclesfield are undefeated in their last 3 matches: a draw away at Rochdale, Saturday's win at Barnet and a win against Harlow in the FA Cup, though the last is hardly worth a note at least they're in the next round where they will meet local rivals Port Vale a team who they recorded their best win of the year so far (4-1) and it was at their place. So a team that can turn it on sometimes but not enough at the moment: the win at Vale Park was impressive but the heavy defeats to Shrewsbury (4-0), Darlington (6-0), Exeter (4-1) and Crewe (3-0). Pre Season saw four players all leave on free, two of which arrived in the city of dreaming spires, the remaining two found positions in this league: Folo Onibuji went north to Accrington and Tommy Lee skipped across the pretty hills to the town of a wonky spire. This year a team which Keith is slowly installing seems to follow his mantra of old: a strong hardworking team who stick to a rigorous game plan to bully and press for everything available and as at Lincoln it will be highly successful in this league when all the pieces are in place. Which is just not yet.


One to Watch
Simon Yeo. The striker once keenly sort by Town has found his feet in Macclesfield since joining in the summer and has hit the ground running with six goals already this season. Yeo has managed to jump to leading goal scorer at Moss Rose. Two Goals in the demolition of Port Vale helped his cause but Yeo’s impressive goal tally hasn't helped in much and hasn't scored in the last 5 games. Prior to that Yeo managed 5 in 6 games so lets not count him out just yet.

Recent Form

TownMacclesfield
DBournemouth(h)3-3
WBury(a)2-0
LMorecambe (FAC)(a)1-2
LDarlington(h)1-2
LDagenham(a)0-4
Currently 21st in League Two.
WBarnet(a)3-1
DRochdale(a)1-1
WHarlow (FAC)(a)2-0
LGillingham(h)0-1
LRotherham(h)1-2
Currently 18th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownMacclesfield
North2
Till2
Hegarty2
Trotter2
Jarman2
Bennett2
Yeo6
Evans3
Green3

Team News

TownMacclesfield

  • Midfielder Jean Paul Kalala will return from suspension, and Mike Newell will have to decide between him and Danny Boshell.

  • Peter Till is available again after recovering from an injury.

  • The game is the final match for Ipswich loanee Liam Trotter.

  • Striker Simeon Yeo took a knock at Barnet on Saturday and was withdrawn at half-time but is expected to be passed fit to give Macclesfield a full-strength squad.

    • Squads

    TownMacclesfield
    1GKPhil Barnes
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFTom Newey
    4DFRyan Bennett
    5DFMatthew Heywood (c)
    6DFRichard Hope
    7MFPeter Till
    8MFPaul Bolland
    9MFAdam Proudlock
    10MFChris Llewellyn
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13GKGary Montgomery
    14MFJames Hunt
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16MFJean-Paul Kalala
    17MFNick Hegarty
    18MFPeter Bore
    19FWDanny North
    20FWAndy Taylor
    22FWNathan Jarman
    23MFGrant Normington
    24MFLiam Trotter
    25MFRob Atkinson
    27GKLeigh Overton
    1GKJonny Brain
    2MFIzak Reid
    3DFAhmed Deen
    4DFSean Hessey
    5DFRichard Walker
    6DFPaul Morgan (on loan from Bury)
    7MFLee Bell
    8FWFrancis Green
    9FWMartin Gritton
    10FWSimon Yeo
    11MFJamie Tolley
    12MFDanny Thomas
    13GKMatthew Towns
    14FWJohn Rooney
    15FWNeil Harvey
    16DFShaun Brisley
    17MFJordan Hadfield
    18FWKristian Dennis
    19DFJames Jennings
    20MFNick Blackman
    21MFChris Hirst
    22DFMatthew Flynn
    23DFChristian Millar
    25MFTerry Dunfield
    26FWGareth Evans
    27DFNat Brown (on loan from Wrexham)

    Head to Head

    Honours are even between the two sides, with half the eight games so far ending up as draws.

    P 8 W 2 D 4 L 2 F 10 A 10

    Macclesfield Head-to-Head (50th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Macclesfield 1 Grimsby 2 (Tue 12th Feb 2008)

    Town won the corresponding fixture last season just 9 months ago, which was also on a Tuesday night. Jamie Clarke won the game with one of his trademark volleys, after Danny North had given Town an early lead.

    Report

    Prediction

    Maybe Town can get their 2nd away win of the season

    Macclesfield 1 Grimsby 2

    		Reader's POMs

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