Goals from Harry Bower and Nicky Maynard helped a Macclesfield FC XI secure a two-all draw against an Oldham Athletic B side earlier today.
The game was staged in order to give some First Team players additional minutes and to give fringe players the chance to stake their claim ahead of our trip to Glossop North End this Saturday.
The first real chance of the game came in the tenth minute when Joe Bunney rose to meet a corner from the left, yet he could only direct his powerful header over the Oldham bar.
The deadlock was broken in the 24th minute when a corner from the right broke to Jordan Windass and after some nimble footwork, he fired the ball past Joe Mason from ten yards out.
Macc looked to restore parity in as short a time as possible and in the 33rd minute they were desperately unlucky when Tom Clare’s driven cross agonisingly evaded Abs Obasoto at the back post.
Three minutes later, Obasoto’s mesmerising run down the left resulted in him crossing the ball to the back post – only to see Maynard’s ferocious volley fly inches over the bar.
Five minutes after the interval, Bower stormed into the Oldham area, before firing a rasping drive into the far corner to level the score.
Second later, Macc claimed the lead when Bower squared the ball for Maynard who emphatically put The Silkmen ahead.
The Latics then began to enjoy more concerted periods of possession and would claim their second goal of the game when Harry Vaughan spectacularly rifled the ball into the far corner of the net from twenty-five yards out.
Joe Mason then produced a string of fine saves to keep the score level, during what proved to be a very worthwhile exercise for all concerned.
Macclesfield FC XI: Mason, Hanson, Grimshaw, Bunney, Trialist, Duke, Bardsley-Rowe, Obasoto, Clare, Duffy, Maynard.
Subs: Bower, Pemberton, De Santos, Aberu, Jedzejczk.
