MATCH REPORT: SOUTHPORT 1 v 2 MACCLESFIELD

There are many things that Macclesfield FC can quite rightly pride itself on, but none more so than a universally held defiance which has been effectively employed time and time again.

It’s written firmly into our DNA.

And it was this cherished quality that came to the fore in decisive fashion once again last night, as John Rooney’s side claimed an exhilarating 2 – 1 victory at Southport.

For the purist, the contest was far from a classic. Yet for the players, the staff and the 447 incredible Silkmen fans who were present, it was the manner of the victory which proved to be as inspiring as the results itself.

There can be no doubt that the hosts were looking to stamp their authority on the game from the very first whistle, with Teddy Lavelle’s fizzing drive that flew inches over Max Dearnley’s crossbar proving to be the first real chance of note in the fourth minute.

The Sandgrounders continued their assault on the Silkmen goal with both tempo and a clear sense of urgency.

Neil Danns’ side thought they had broken the deadlock in the eighth minute when Arthur Gnahoua struck a ferocious drive from distance, with Dearnley only able to parry the ball into the path of Danny Lloyd.

Lloyd coolly dispatched the rebound, yet Assistant Referee Jack Lambert came to the rescue by raising his flag for offside.

Less than sixty seconds later, Lloyd proved to be Southport’s main threat once again as he cut inside from the left before forcing Dearnley into a smart stop at his near post.

At this stage, Gnahoua and Momodou Touray were unquestionably dictating the play for the visitors as time and time again, they spearheaded the Sandgrounders assault.

Macc were resolute in weathering the Southport storm however, and started to grow into the game.

In the 11th minute, Isaac Buckley Ricketts innovatively set Lewis Fensome free down the right, and it was from his driven cross that Danny Elliott forced Lavelle into a desperate last-gasp block with Chris Renshaw well beaten in the Southport goal.

Brandon Lee was precautionarily withdrawn three minutes later after picking up a minor knock, with replacement Luis Lacey immediately making an impact by surging down the left and squaring the ball for Luke Duffy, who could only fire high and wide of Renshaw’s far upright from 25-yards out.

The deadlock was broken in the 21st minute when Duffy unleashed Elliott down the left, and it was from his pinpoint cross that Buckley-Ricketts pounced to tap home from close range.

 

 

The goal catalysed the visitors into seeking a second, and this could well have come seconds later when Buckley-Ricketts threaded the ball through to Elliott, who fired across the face of goal – yet wide of the far post.

Retaining its high tempo, the game’s pendulum then swung one way to the other with stark regularity, as both sides laid their bodies on the line in search of the next breakthrough.

Paul Murphy-Worrell proved to be particularly menacing for the hosts, as his mazy runs down the left required constant monitoring.

Macc had Dearnley to thank once again on the half-hour mark, as his remarkable stop at full-stretch denied Lavelle’s vicious 30-yard thunderbolt.

The Silkmen responded four minutes later, as Duffy brilliantly dispossessed Murphy-Worrell before seeing his teasing cross headed marginally wide of the near post by the advancing Elliott.

It wasn’t long before Southport came again however, as five minutes before the interval Lloyd tenaciously created space on the left before firing across the face of goal. The ball looked destined for the far corner, yet there was Fensome to heroically clear it off the line at the last second.

As the first period ebbed towards its conclusion, it was the visitors who looked most likely to extend their solitary goal lead.

Firstly, Paul Dawson surged down the right and after reaching the byline, pulled the ball back into the six-yard area – only for it to agonisingly evade Elliott at the back post.

Seconds later, Buckley-Ricketts’ cross from the right was headed towards goal by Josef Yarney – yet he was to be denied by an instinctive save from Redshaw.

The second period began in rather bizarre circumstances, as just two minutes in, Southport restored parity when Touray’s visionary chip beat Dearnley at his near post.

Back on level terms, it would have been easy for John Rooney’s side to lower their heads and settle for a share of the spoils.

Yet, that is not the way we do things.

The lads reacted to the goal with character, belief, but most of all, defiance.

In the 53rd minute, Lacey’s driven free-kick into the box was glancingly met by the head of Danny Elliott, and despite the fact that the majority of Silkmen fans were ready to celebrate once again, the ball flew straight into the grateful arms of Renshaw.

Three minutes later and Macc came again, as D’Mani Mellor was impeded on the right-hand side of the box and after picking himself up, he was desperately unlucky to see his resultant free-kick cannon off the far upright.

Mellor proved to be in threatening form once again in the 65th minute, as his magical run down the right ended with a low drive which spun inches wide of the near post.

For a period after this, the contest descended into a war of attrition, with both defences effectively cancelling each other out.

 

 

This came to an abrupt end in the 74th minute, when Rollin Menayese rebelliously won the ball back on the right and, after squaring it to Duffy, saw Lacey smash the ball past Renshaw to signal pandemonium amongst the Silkmen faithful once again.

It was at this point that the true unity between us all was exemplified once again, as buoyed by an incredibly vociferous travelling contingent, Macc fought with everything they had to preserve their lead.

In a remarkable show of togetherness, every single person with a blue and white persuasion stood up to be counted.

Just like they always do.

Despite the fact that Southport threw absolutely everything they had at us, we stood tall – confining the hosts to speculative efforts which Dearnley comfortably dealt with.

The outpouring of emotion at the final whistle celebrated more than just a victory.

It reminded everyone just who we are.

And who we will always be.

 

Because sometimes the most inspired victories are the ones you have to fight that little bit more for.

Last night proved this beyond any doubt, as for all those who made their way back to Cheshire, the one thing that united them all was an intense sense of pride in what they had seen.