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Macclesfield Preview

By: Richard Hubbert
Date: 28/04/2006

WITH their fate now back in their own hands, the Mariners travel to Macclesfield Town on Saturday for the penultimate game of the season knowing victory will edge them ever closer to promotion.

Home > 2005-2006 Season > Previews > Macclesfield (a)


The Opposition

Overview
Despite a fantastic 2004/05 season when they finished in 5th place in League Two, Macclesfield have struggled to recapture any similar sort of form this term. In fact, for the most part of the season, the Silkmen have been languishing in the lower reaches of the league. Manager Brian Horton (left) has plenty of managing experience in the league, but his side has had to endure the losses of some key players during the past twelve months. Matthew Tipton, Jon Parkin, Neil MacKenzie and Tony Barrass have all left whilst injuries to key players has seen them suffer. Though they have lost just four times at home, recording an impressive ten wins. They still need points to be secure from relegation from the Conference. If they lose to the Mariners and their rivals win, they could even be in the relegation zone at five o’clock on Saturday night.

Their Squad
Goalkeeper Alan Fettis (left) is a familiar face for most Mariners fans, having played 11 games for Town during a loan spell under Nicky Law in 2004. The Northern Ireland stopper has played for 10 different clubs and even scored a few goals when playing for Hull in the mid 1990s. Defenders Danny Swailes and David Morley have been regulars in the Macc defence. Morley is the club captain and has plenty of lower league experience with Doncaster, Oxford, Carlisle and Southend. In midfielder, former Barnsley midfielder Martin Bullock has been one of the few bright sparks for the Silkmen this term, starting all but two league games and chipping in with seven goals. Danny Whitaker is a tricky midfielder who has spent the whole of his career with Town, amassing nearly 200 appearances. He scored what turned out to be the winner in a recent home win over Wycombe. In attack, Marcus Richardson has been drafted in from Chester City until the end of the season. An unpredictable striker, Richardson has had spells with Rochdale, Yeovil and Chester in the last twelve months. In attack, they have John Miles who scored against Town last time they played at the Moss Rose and Kevin Townson who was suspended back in December and has started just three games since his move last summer.

Key Player
Paul Harsley. Energetic midfielder who started his career at Blundell Park. Harsley is a key cog in the Macclesfield side, playing virtually every game for the Silkmen this season. Capable of popping up with a goal or two, he has seven this season. Indeed, he scored within seconds of coming on as a substitute against Town in September 2004.

Recent Form

TownMacclesfield
WCheltenham(a)1-0
DOrient(a)0-0
DShrewsbury(h)1-1
LCarlisle(a)0-1
WWrexham(h)2-0
Currently 3rd in League Two.
LPeterboro(a)2-3
LTorquay(h)0-2
DNotts Co(a)1-1
WWycombe(h)2-1
DBury(a)0-0
Currently 19th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownMacclesfield
Michael Reddy14
Gary Jones14
Wijnhard12
Parkin9
Bullock8

Team News

TownMacclesfield

  • The Mariners will certainly be without club legend John McDermott for the trip to Cheshire. Macca limped out of training on Thursday with his back feeling sore. He also missed last weeks game with Cheltenham, so Gary Cohen is likely to deputise at right back again.

  • Left back Tom Newey remains sidelined with ankle ligament damage; Gary Croft will continue in his place.

  • The biggest concern for Town fans and Russell Slade will be the fitness of star striker Michael Reddy. He has a groin injury that has been given complete rest since the Cheltenham game in a bid to see him start at Macclesfield. Should Reddy not make it, Junior Mendes is the most likely candidate to partner Gary Jones in attack.

  • Also, Town fans will keep their fingers crossed that defender Rob Jones will play against his formed side. The giant defender’s partner is expecting a baby, though it remains unclear whether a birth over the weekend would see him miss the game.
  • Macclesfield have seven first team players either sidelined or doubtful with injury.

  • Alan Fettis is a doubt with a virus, but is likely to return after missing the defeat at Peterborough last weekend. His understudy Tim Deasy played last week but he picked up a slight knock in a midweek reserve game.

  • Defender Danny Swailes and midfielder Danny Whitaker will have let fitness tests over their hamstring and groin injuries. Captain Dave Morley has been suffering from a knock to the ankle but should still start.

  • Martin Bullock lasted just twenty minutes at London Road last week through a virus and has not trained since. Yet despite his lack of fitness, Brian Horton will hope that the winger is fit enough to take a place on the bench.

  • John Miles will hope for a start after coming off the bench last week to net two goals.

  • Finally, top scorer Clyde Wijnhard has been ruled out for the season. The ex Leeds and Huddersfield striker has been training at Lilleshall but the end of the season has come too quickly for him.
  • Probable Teams

    TownMacclesfield
    1Steve Mildenhall
    15Gary Cohen
    20Gary Croft
    12Rob Jones
    6Justin Whittle
    31Junior Mendes
    32Curtis Woodhouse
    8Paul Bolland
    10Marc Goodfellow
    19Gary Jones
    9Michael Reddy
    1Alan Fettis
    24Ian Brightwell
    4David Morley
    18Andrew Teague
    3Kevin Sandwith
    7Paul Harsley
    14Kevin McIntyre
    26Alan Navarro
    12Danny Whitaker
    10John Miles
    28Matty McNeil

    Subs

    TownMacclesfield
    7JPK Kalala
    4Ben Futcher
    11Andy Parkinson
    17Glen Downey
    18Ciaran Toner
    5Danny Swailes
    8Marcus Richardson
    6Martin Bullock
    9Kevin Townson
    19Michael Briscoe

    Head to Head

    In the three games between the two clubs, the head to head record remains finely balanced. Town have won one, lost once and drawn once – scoring four and conceding four. Interestingly, a 3-1 scoreline has occurred twice – once for Macclesfield last season and again for Town, this.

    P 3 W 1 D 1 L 1 F 4 A 4

    Macclesfield Head-to-Head (Not on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    The last occasion Town met Macclesfield, they ran out 3-1 winners. It was a vital win at the time – with the Mariners losing their previous three home matches. Town took the lead in the first half through Gary Jones before Jon Parkin netted minutes later. Two second half goals from Gary Cohen and a belter from Tom Newey gave Town the points. The last meeting at the Moss Rose ended 3-1, that time to Macclesfield. Grimsby Team: Mildenhall ,McDermott ,Whittle ,Ramsden ,Newey ,Cohen ,Toner ,Bolland ,Parkinson (Andrew ,81 ),Reddy ,Gary Jones
    Subs (not used): Downey, Barwick, Gritton, Croft

    Macclesfield Team: Fettis ,Bailey (Parkin ,32 ) ,Morley ,Briscoe ,McIntyre ,Bullock (Miles ,78 ) ,Harsley ,Whitaker ,Navarro ,Beresford ,Wijnhard
    Subs: (not used) Barras,Deasy,Brightwell,

    Attendance: 3,658    Report

    Prediction

    2-0 to the Mariners!

    2-0

    Recent Predictions

    GamePredictionScorePoints
    Cheltenham1-01-03
    Leyton Orient2-10-00
    Carlisle1-10-10
    Wrexham1-12-00
    Lincoln2-10-50
    Rochdale2-22-23
    Bury1-02-11
    Barnet1-03-01
    Rushden2-11-10
    Mansfield3-11-20
    Reader's POMs

    Directions

    Click on the link for directions to Moss Rose (left).

    Pubs

    Click on the link for pubs near Moss Rose.




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