The Silkmen had to dig deep to grind out a 0-0 draw in the North East on Bank Holiday Monday away at Spennymoor Town in the Enterprise National League North.
John Rooney ringed the changes after Saturday’s stalemate at home to Alfreton with Lewis Fensome, Josef Yarney and Sean Etaluku coming in to the side, replacing Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, Danny Whitehead and the injured Paul Dawson.
The Silkmen switched to a 3-5-2 for the encounter, with Etaluku and Matheson acting as the wing backs, Duffy in the number ten role and D’Mani Mellor pushing up to join Danny Elliott as his strike partner.
It was a nightmare start for the Silkmen though as Luke Matheson pulled up with a hamstring injury after just seventeen minutes, forcing a rethink to the shape with Danny Whitehead taking his place, Sean going to right wing back, Luis Lacey moving across to the left and Danny making his way in to the middle.
A welcome break followed to take on fluids on a very warm afternoon in Durham, with the management team taking the opportunity to pass on new information to the squad.
Sean Etaluku felt he was fouled in the Spennymoor area not long after, though his somewhat muted appeals for a penalty were waved away by the referee.
It went from bad to worse just before the break as Rollin Menayese was judged to have committed a serious foul play offence and shown a straight red card.
Luke Duffy was withdrawn tactically soon after with Sam Heathcote slotting in to a revised back four.
Roons’ half time team talk was no doubt altered by the enforced changes to the side before the break with the plan reverting to shut up shop with the Silkmen down to ten for the best part of the next 60 minutes.
The home side were keen to make their man advantage count early on in the half, going close twice in quick succession through front man Rob Ramshaw, forcing Max Dearnley and Louis Lacey to clear the danger on both occasions.
Despite the extra man, Spennymoor’s chances were few and far between in the second forty five, as the Silkmen ensured if they didn’t have an even chance to win, they certainly weren’t going to concede.
A second drinks break ensued half way through the half as Roons and his backroom staff passed on more vital messages to the depleted side, keen to retain a vital point away from home.
It wasn’t without the back line being called in to action a handful more times though as Max Dearnley, Jo Yarney and Luis Lacey all stepped up to deny the hosts a late winner.
Danny Elliott and Sean Etaluku both made way in the closing stages, who’d worked tirelessly to ensure Macc maintained an attacking threat right until the very end.
They were replaced by Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Tom Clare who kept Spennymoor on their toes at the back despite The Moors venturing forward in search of a goal to separate the sides.
Despite a really tough afternoon littered with obstacles, the Silkmen secured a vital point away from home against a high flying Spennymoor side.
Darlington are Macc’s next opponents in the Enterprise National League North on Saturday 30th August at the Leasing.com Stadium.
