The Silkmen secured a vital 3-1 victory over Hereford at the Leasing.com Stadium on Saturday afternoon to sustain their Enterprise National League North play-off hopes, courtesy of a Luke Duffy double and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts buffer.
John Rooney made two changes to the side that fell to defeat at AFC Telford United on Tuesday evening, with Kacper Pasiek and Cameron Borthwick Jackson replaced by Luis Lacey and new signing Anjola Popoola, the latter of which making his full Silkmen debut at the Leasing.com Stadium.
It was a relatively uneventful start to proceedings after a briefly delayed kick off as both sides paid their respects to the late Merrick Corfield, who was recognised with a minute’s applause before the game.
Freddy Willcox’s speculative effort was the first action of note of the afternoon, though not one which troubled Ravenhill as he watched it fly beyond his upright harmlessly for a goal kick.
Captain Paul Dawson was the first to have an attempt on goal at the other end, though saw his downward header from James Edmondson’s corner well held by Theo Richardson in the Hereford goal.
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts upped the tempo in the Silkmen’s attacking force, making a darting run round the outside to meet Osborne’s well timed through ball, though saw his first time effort well blocked.
Luke Duffy came closest to breaking the deadlock just before the half an hour mark, though was unfortunate as his looping effort towards the far top corner bounced off the wrong side of the crossbar and behind for a goal kick.
The Silkmen made mass appeals for a penalty before the half was out as James Gale and teammates were convinced that the striker’s powerful effort was blocked by an outstretched hand, though nothing was given by referee Oliver Noonan.
Gale came close once again to making the difference on the brink of the break, seeing two attempts which he’d turned goalwards from close range well saved by Richardson, keen to keep a clean visit on his visit to Macclesfield.
Hopes of such were dashed though when Harrison Sohna was given his marching orders as he lashed out at Luke Duffy as the lively winger looked to ignite a speedy break down the right which would’ve seen the Silkmen in on goal.
Four minutes were added at the end of the half, during which neither side could make a further impact on the affair, going in to the interval all square.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was introduced for the Silkmen at the break, as he took the place of Sam Heathcote who’d been booked just the other side of the whistle.
Macc took full advantage of the extra man in the second period, immediately piling the pressure on the visitors, as Popoola was inches away from getting his first goal for Macc on his home debut, but couldn’t quite connect with Luis Lacey’s flashed ball across the face of goal.
It didn’t take long before the Silkmen did manage to get themselves in front as Luke Duffy bundled the ball over the line from a corner, not dealt with by the Bulls on the 65 minute mark.
Theo Chapman was introduced with twenty minutes to play to make his home debut, swapping places with Anjola Popoola who’d enjoyed his first 70 minutes in front of our home support.
A further change was made just six minutes later by John Rooney as Lewis Fensome took the place of Luke Matheson, who seemed a little unsteady on his feet after an earlier heavy challenge.
Duffy then doubles his and Macc’s tally just two minutes later as he beat his man before firing low and hard beyond Richardson in to the far corner from an impressive angle to further assert the Silkmen’s dominance on the day.
The comfort blanket was soon snatched away from the Silkmen though as George Munday produced a clever finish from the edge of the area which beat Ravenhill to his right to halve the deficit with six minute to play.
Macc’s two goal lead was almost immediately reinstated though when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts cut in from the left flank in trademark fashion before lashing beyond Richardson at his near post to all but ensure all three points were wrapped up a minute before the end of regulation time.
Five minutes were added at the end of the afternoon, during which two final changes were made by Rooney as both goalscorers Luke Duffy and Buckley-Ricketts were replaced by Carlos Dos Santos and Mikey Stone to help see the game out for Macc, which they did in a composed fashion to keep the Silkmen’s play-off hopes very much alive with nine games to play in our inaugural Enterprise National League North season.
The Silkmen are next in action away from home on Tuesday evening as they take on Alfreton Town live on DAZN, going in search of another three points to maintain the pressure on the teams immediately above.
Attendance: 3,524
MOTM: Luke Duffy
