A month-by-month review of the 2025/26 Enterprise National League North campaign, with a mammoth March up next!
The month of March got off to the worst possible start in Macclesfield as the Club was made aware of a fire within the stadium bowl in the early hours of Tuesday 3rd March. Emergency services raced to the scene to fight the fire and were able to save the Club from significant damage owing to their rapid reactions. A full investigation would follow to find the perpetrator.
That evening’s game away at Darlington would go ahead and result in another valuable victory for the Silkmen in their promotion push against a direct play-off rival up in the North East thanks to a James Gale brace.
Spirits were dampened somewhat however when the Club were saddened to learn of Merrick Corfield’s passing at the age of 81.
The Silkmen then took an unexpected hit to their promotion hopes when D’Mani Mellor departed for Forest Green Rovers, 24 hours before another crucial game against Chorley at the Leasing.com Stadium, which in turn didn’t go to plan, conceding at the death for the second time this season to the Magpies, becoming the second team to take maximum points from Macc.
Kacper Pasiek’s loan from Preston North End was extended through to the end of the 2025/26 campaign with Brandon Lee still sidelined with a long-term injury and Luis Lacey requiring back-up having played the majority of the season’s minutes to date in the left back position.
Having maintained a top half place throughout the second month of 2026, Manager John Rooney was once again nominated for Enterprise National League North Manager of the Month for February.
A trip to Merseyside was up next for the Silkmen as they faced Marine, another tough opposition who would put up a fair fight, though Macc were able to come away victorious, with Sam Heathcote, Josh Kay, Elliot Osborne and James Gale all on the scoresheet that evening, resulting in a 4-2 win which would propel us up to 5th in the league table.
A second successive three points on the road would follow away at Curzon Ashton five days later, James Edmondson and Luke Duffy would come up with the goods on this occasion to sustain 5th position in Tameside.
Manager Rooney made two additions to the squad ahead of the Silkmen’s next visit to AFC Telford United in the form of Theo Chapman, signing from Scarborough, and Anjola Popoola, temporarily joining Macc’s ranks on loan from Accrington Stanley, though were unable to prevent what would be a difficult evening in Shropshire, with a humbling 3-0 defeat to another play-off rival, reminding Macc of the battle they were facing should they wish to get promoted at the first time of asking.
In a further bid to provide senior football opportunities to those in our academy ranks, goalkeeper Brayden Gibbons joined Foley Meir on dual registration terms for the remainder of the 2025/26 campaign having gained valuable experience training with Macc’s first team, though would head to Stoke on Trent to get those currently evasive senior minutes.
Macc then took on Hereford in the first of two games in ten days against The Bulls, initially at the Leasing.com Stadium, from which the Silkmen would emerge victorious thanks to a Luke Duffy brace and a great strike from Isaac Buckley-Ricketts.
A further valuable three points would be earned at Alfreton Town in the midweek immediately after, Buckley-Ricketts would get on the scoresheet once more, as would James Gale, with both forwards hitting fine form in front of goal at a crucial stage of the Silkmen’s campaign.
A new date was then issued for our final home game of the regular 2025/26 season against Southport, which would take the final and only available midweek slot remaining after a jam-packed second half of the season for the Silkmen.
Harry McHugh was recruited ahead of our second stint against Hereford at Edgar Street, joining Macc on loan from Wigan Athletic to further boost our promotion hopes.
Captain Paul Dawson would lead by example in Herefordshire, providing two brilliant strikes as the Silkmen rounded off the month by doing the double in quick succession over a team fighting for survival whilst Macc edged ever closer to confirming a place in the play-offs.
Results in March:
Darlington FC 1-2 Macclesfield FC
Macclesfield FC 1-2 Chorley FC
Marine AFC 2-4 Macclesfield FC
Curzon Ashton 0-2 Macclesfield FC
AFC Telford United 3-0 Macclesfield FC
Macclesfield FC 3-1 Hereford FC
Alfreton Town 0-2 Macclesfield FC
Hereford 0-2 Macclesfield FC
Players signed:
Kacper Pasiek (loan extended from Preston North End)
Theo Chapman
Anjola Popoola (loaned from Accrington Stanley)
Harry McHugh (loaned from Wigan Athletic)
Players departed:
D’Mani Mellor
