The Silkmen secured back-to-back league victories in emphatic fashion at the Leasing.com Stadium on Tuesday night, defeating Kidderminster Harriers by five goals to one courtesy of a James Edmondson brace and D’Mani Mellor hat-trick.
John Rooney made just one change to the side that beat Bedford on Saturday at the same venue, with Cameron Borthwick-Jackson coming in to the fold in place of James Gale, subsequently pushing Paul Dawson up in to midfield.
Play was paused almost immediately following a heavy challenge on Josh Kay, requiring immediate attention from the physios. Fortunately Kay was ok to continue after what looked to be a nasty tackle early on.
After a couple of late swipes at ankles, the Silkmen played through the pain, as Paul Dawson found Luke Duffy out on the right who beat his opposite man all ends up before finding D’Mani Mellor inside the six yard box, allowing the number 9 to tap home in the 9th minute!
The Silkmen doubled their lead ten minutes with another Dawson ball over the top finding James Edmondson who danced his way past Paul Kalambayi before smartly converting at the near post, firing beyond Christian Dibble.
A third was soon added as Elliot Osborne’s well-weighted free kick was knocked back across goal by Sam Heathcote in to the path of D’Mani Mellor who was on hand to prod home once more to double his tally and the Silkmen’s lead from close range on 37 minutes
Dawson’s header just before the half was up was the only other real chance of note which was comfortable for Dibble, though after four additional minutes, the Silkmen still held a healthy three goal lead at the interval.
Wholesale changes were made by Kidderminster at the interval as three switches were made by Adam Murray. One of those introduced, Seb Thompson, was keen to make an instant impact, though his low driven cross was well held by Dearnley just after the restart.
Harriers had their first real chance on goal of the evening on 52 minutes as they desperately searched for a way back in to the game, but Dearnley stood firm from a powerful effort from the second of three Harriers substitutes Ashley Hemmings before the rebound was inadvertently blocked by another red shirt on the line.
Just a minute later Emeka Obi nodded narrowly wide of the near post as a goal back seemed inevitable, though the Silkmen stood firm to the response early in the second half.
Having held off Harriers in the most part after the break, D’Mani Mellor managed to get in behind the Kidderminster back line at the other end, as the tide began to turn back in the Silkmen’s favour, though couldn’t quite find Luke Duffy at the far post with a low ball in.
It was only momentary however that Macc were back in control though as again Dearnley was forced to parry from Foulkes before firing home the rebound from the loose ball not dealt with by the Silkmen defence just before the hour mark.
Luke Matheson tested Dibble twice in quick succession as the Silkmen looked to reinstate their three goal lead before D’Mani Mellor narrowly missed getting on the end of Josh Kay’s low ball in from the left.
The Silkmen did eventually manage to restore their three goal lead with a third goal for D’Mani Mellor, firing home the rebound as Dibble parried Edmondson’s initial effort in to the forward’s path to smash home his hat-trick on 67 minutes.
Stabilising the situation with 15 minutes to play, Lewis Fensome replaced Luke Matheson, as the Silkmen looked to prevent any way back for the visitors with fresh legs at full back.
Elliot Osborne was able release Josh Kay with a perfectly weighted through ball, though Dibble outwitted Kay on this occasion as the midfielder looked to round the keeper and make it five with just over that to play.
Carlos Dos Santos and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts were the next two to be introduced from the bench by Rooney in place of Paul Dawson and Luke Duffy with four minutes left on the clock before James Gale also took the place of Josh Kay two minutes later.
A lengthy nine minutes were added at the end of the regulation 90, allowing the Silkmen to run the clock down and further frustrate Kidderminster.
Kacper Pasiek made way for Luis Lacey in the Silkmen’s final switch of the night before James Gale squandered a half chance on the edge of the area, followed up by Lewis Fensome who sliced just wide.
James Edmondson almost added an emphatic fifth with a strike from distance as he caught Dibble off his line, though his effort with great technique spun just over the crossbar.
Edmondson managed to then rounded off the contest with a fifth and final goal in the next attack, adding his second of the evening as he latched on to a wayward backwards header from Obi, before dinking over Dibble and walking the ball over the line with effectively the last kick of the game.
Referee Joe Moss eventually indicated the end of the contest with the final whistle, moving Macclesfield up in to 7th position, inclusive of the Enterprise National League North playoff places.
Attendance: 2,892 (138)
MOTM: D’Mani Mellor
