The Silkmen emerged as 5-2 victors from our third from final pre-season test against Altrincham at the J.Davidson Stadium, with five goals provided by five different scorers.
For the first time in our 2026/27 pre-season campaign, John Rooney named a starting eleven fully containing only registered players, with just four trialists named on the bench. The signings of Hassan Ayub and Adan George in the 24 hours prior to the match-up allowed Rooney to name a fully recognised side with preparations fast ramping up ahead of the opening day of the Enterprise National League North season.
It was a fast start to the afternoon with three goals coming inside the opening seven minutes, the first of which coming courtesy of Luke Duffy, who tapped home following good work from Jon Ustabasi down the left flank before cutting back for the winger from the opposite flank to provide the finish at the near post after just three minutes.
It wasn’t without a rapid response from the Robins though, who turned the game on its head within four minutes after Aidan Barlow finished off a move similar to the Silkmen’s moments earlier, providing the finishing touch to a cut back from the wing after 5 minutes before Lucas Weaver timed his run well to meet a through ball which cut through the Macc back line, with only Christian Dibble to beat, which he did so despite the shot-stopped getting a strong hand to the effort from close range with less than seven minutes on the clock.
The game eventually settled around the ten minute mark on an afternoon not to arrive late to the J.Davidson Stadium, with Luke Duffy speculatively searching for his second of the afternoon, attempting to lob back-pedalling goalkeeper Evans, though applied just too much weight to the attempt as it eventually landed on the roof of the Altrincham net.
Ustabasi, who’d been a thorn in Alty’s side since the opening minutes continued to pose a threat from the left, this time going alone and for goal himself, though could only fire just beyond the far post after a mazy run inside.
The Silkmen’s attempts to level proceedings would come to fruition just beyond the 25th minute as Luke Duffy’s well-weighted free kick found the head of a rising Osborne, who glanced home in to the far corner, leaving Evans rooted to the spot as he watched the ball nestle in the back of the net.
It only took another ten minutes before Macc were able to re-take the lead originally sourced inside 180 seconds, as George Wilson let fly from distance, which unfortunately struck fellow midfielder Fin Shrimpton in the box, though nicely teed Wilson back up for a second attempt, which he struck sweetly, again leaving Evans stranded between the posts as he was only a spectator to the effort which found the far corner to put the Silkmen back in the driving seat before the break.
With Macc in front for the third successive occasion in pre-season, just one change was made to the side that started to the afternoon with Luis Lacey taking the place of Lincoln McFayden in a like-for-like swap at left back, with the team looking more and more recognisable.
Ammar Dyer came closest to extending the Silkmen’s lead with the first real effort in anger after the interval, firing narrowly over just four minutes in to the second half.
Macc would double their lead just six minutes later as a repetitive, quick-fire onslaught on the Alty goal in would eventually result in a goal as Duffy’s free-kick from a tight angle took Evans slightly by surprise as he was forced in to a smart stop at his near post directly from the set piece, before recovering well to keep out Osborne’s headed rebound, though couldn’t prevent Borthwick-Jackson’s follow up from finding the back of the net, nodding home to ensure of a fourth goal, which may have already been over the line following Osborne’s prior effort.
The Silkmen continued to run riot having asserted their authority on the afternoon after the break, as newest recruit Adan George was tripped inside the area, winning a spot-kick, which he dusted himself down to take and cooly roll home from twelve yards moments later.
Wholesale changes to the side would immediately follow George’s penalty, with a further nine changes made to the starting eleven, which saw only Dibble and half time substitute Lacey retain their places.
Trialist wearing nine came closest to making it six as he held the ball up well inside the area before rolling his man, cutting inside and forcing Evans in to a smart stop to his left to keep the effort bound for the top corner out to spare further Alty blushes.
This would prove to be that particular trialist’s last notable involvement in the game as he required treatment ten minutes from time and was deemed unable to continue, requiring quick thinking from the Macc bench, who had already used all of their outfield subs and with no reintroductions permitted, were forced to bring on a trialist goalkeeper in his place up top for the closing moments.
It wasn’t long after that victory was confirmed, ensuring the Silkmen secured the bragging rights against our local rivals and retained our unbeaten run in pre-season, with only two tests to go.
MOTM: Elliot Osborne
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