The Silkmen fell to a 3-1 defeat and their first loss at home in the Enterprise National League North against Merthyr Town on Tuesday evening.
Two changes were made from the side that defeated Darlington at the death on Saturday with Paul Dawson and Sam Heathcote replacing Luke Duffy and the suspended Rollin Menayese.
Macc began the game by pressing high against a Merthyr side who seemingly opted for slow build up play from the back, forcing the Martyrs to play forward quicker than preferred, though escaped without punishment in the opening stages.
It was the visitors who came closest to opening the scoring as Lewys Twamley’s mazy run allowed him to make progress as far as the byline but couldn’t produce anything other than a wayward shot in to the side netting from a tight angle.
It was a very even period mid way through the half with neither side able to break each other down, though not without a battle in the middle of the park. Various challenges were flying in with bookings exchanged, but chances at the business ends were few and far between.
Luis Lacey almost took goalkeeper Jaimie Cogman by surprise with a speculative looping effort from a tight angle, which almost unexpectedly dropped in behind him, but landed just the wrong side of the far post. Cogman then did well to hold on to Isaac Buckley-Ricketts’ low driven cross, bound for an onrushing Danny Elliott.
Noah Smerdon had a chance late in the half for Merthyr, finding half a yard of space inside the area, but Dearnley was on hand to gather his tame effort.
Two minutes were added on at the end of the half but there was nothing to separate the sides at the break.
Lee Lucas was the first to try his luck after the interval for Merthyr, bending a curling effort just wide of Dearnley’s far post. Dearnley then had to rush off his line to clear impending danger from a Merthyr through ball which slipped through the Silkmen back line.
Skipper Paul Dawson took a knock to the knee shortly after and was replaced as a precaution by Luke Griffiths.
The Silkmen eventually managed to get their noses in front ten minutes after the break, with Sean Etaluku keeping a deep cross alive at the back post before delivering back across the face of goal for Danny Elliott, who nodded home at the near post.
Luke Duffy entered the fray in the immediate aftermath of the goal, replacing Isaac Buckley-Ricketts.
Sean Etaluku almost doubled Macc’s lead a matter of minutes later, reading a well weighted ball and making a run the Merthyr defence hadn’t spotted, leading to a rushed clearance ricochetting back off the pacy winger towards goal, but only ended up in Cogman’s clutches.
Etaluku then very nearly produced a speculator solo effort, skilfully jinking his way through the Merthyr defence before firing towards the near top corner, requiring a brilliant save from Cogman to prevent what would’ve been a contender for goal of the season to-date.
Merthyr weren’t for rolling over though and proved as much with substitute Tom Handley steering home a testing corner at the near post to level proceedings.
Justin Johnson was introduced for the Silkmen as they looked to reinstate their lead, with Sean Etaluku making way.
It was Merthyr though who almost found a second, with Handley once more the man responsible, bending a first time effort towards the back post, clipping the upright on its way out of play.
Lewys Twamley also skimmed the woodwork with an effort from range, which Dearnley looked to have got an all important touch to.
Having threatened to steal a march, Merthyr eventually took their chance and it was Handley again, whose free kick from range beat Dearnley at full stretch, finding the very top corner via a combination of the keeper’s fingertips and the underside of the crossbar.
Regan Griffiths was withdrawn amidst the Martyrs celebrations, with Carlos Dos Santos taking his place.
Tom Handley completed his hat-trick from a third set piece in the closing stages, finding the opposite top corner to the more obvious option directly from another free kick, wrong-footing Dearnley.
Merthyr almost made it four deep in to stoppage time with Dearnley tipping a low, fizzing effort on to his far post and away from danger. Max stood strong once more to deny Cawley Cox from completing the same feat just before the final whistle.
It was a sobering defeat for the Silkmen on home turf, who now face a tough trip to Kidderminster Harriers on Saturday afternoon.
Attendance: 2,651 (66 away)
MOTM: Danny Elliott
