The Silkmen fell to a 1-0 defeat in their final game of the 2025/26 Enterprise National League North season away at Radcliffe on Saturday afternoon
John Rooney made ten changes to the side that claimed victory in Macc’s final home game of the season against Southport on Tuesday evening, with only Luis Lacey remaining in the starting XI.
The game’s first chance fell to Danny Whitehead inside the opening 120 seconds at the Neuven Stadium, though fired wide of the target on his return to the side.
John Taylor tried his luck for the hosts with a speculative effort from range as he attempted to lob Dearnley, though failed to hit the target, as it sailed well over the crossbar.
Harry McHugh came close to a first goal in Silkmen colours directly from a free kick which curled narrowly over Mateusz Hewelt’s crossbar.
Mikey Stone was also close to the same feat, though his half-volley flew in to the wrong side of the side netting from a tight angle.
McHugh attempted to replicate Taylor’s earlier long range effort at the other end, also narrowly missing the target.
Rollin Menayese made an important block on the half hour mark to deny Rio Clegg an opener for the Boro, getting his body in the way of the forward’s low drive from the edge of the area.
Anjola Popoola came closest so far to notching for the Silkmen, though glanced his header from Luis Lacey’s free kick narrowly wide of the far post.
There was no additional time required at the end of the first half after what had been a relatively uneventful opening phase of the game with minimal stoppages.
As the game got back underway, Popoola positioned himself well to try and get on the end of Mikey Stone’s low cross, though just evaded the onrushing forward.
Dearnley was on hand moment later to deny Clegg another chance to get Radcliffe in front, with a reactionary save from point blank range from an effort which seemed to hit Clegg on the way through rather than from any intended connection.
Dearnley had a couple of relatively basic saves to make following this in a period of Radcliffe dominance, though comfortably prevented both Michael Afuye and substitute Tyler James from making a dent in the scoreline.
John Rooney opted to make his first change of the afternoon midway through the second half as Danny Whitehead made way for Isaac Buckley-Ricketts with attacking intent.
Shortly after, Anjola Popoola was also replaced by James Gale in another change at the top end of the field with the Silkmen’s on show for all to see.
It was Radcliffe who managed to find the decisive goal though with just less than twenty minutes to play as Clegg, who’d been the focal point for the Boro up until that stage, eventually got his goal, bundling the ball over the line having got the better of Max Dearnley and the effort had just enough on it to prevent the chasing Lewis Fensome and Rollin Menayese from hooking the ball clear off the line.
A drinks break then ensued on a sweltering afternoon in Greater Manchester before Dearnely had to be alert to another attempt on goal from Afuye, though the shot-stopper was more than equal to it.
Rooney made two further changes eleven minutes from time as Captain for the afternoon Lewis Fensome and Justin Johnson were replaced by Elliot Osborne and IFG student Jamie Walker for a deserved first team appearance late on.
Theo Chapman tested Hewelt before the game was out, though couldn’t beat Radcliffe’s number one with two minutes of regulation time to play before fourth official Dominic Jackson indicated that there would be a minimum of six additional minutes to play, at which point Luke Matheson took the place of Harry McHugh.
There was little more the Silkmen could do to change the scoreline in the extra few minutes, bringing their regular season to a close on a dampened note, though with their heads remaining held high with a play-off eliminator to look forward to at home to Chester on Wednesday evening.
Tickets are available now for season ticket holders until 12:00 tomorrow, shortly after which general sale will follow.
Attendance: 1,502
MOTM: Mikey Stone
