John Askey is desperate not to let his Macclesfield side’s strong start go to waste.

Against all the odds the Silkmen occupy ninth place after 10 games, and Askey admits his thoughts are straying beyond the next fixture.

‘One game at a time’ has been his approach thus far but he has no option to look further down the line, given the injuries that are starting to emerge.

Danny Whitaker's ongoing back problem means he hasn't featured since mid-August's draw at Woking and fellow midfielders Paul Turnbull (calf) and Paul Lewis (ankle) are playing through minor niggles. Lewis will sit out Saturday's home game with Southport after seeing a second yellow card in injury-time against Gateshead, who only took a point thanks to a deflected goal on Tuesday.

“We can’t afford to have too many injuries, my concern is that the situation could let a good chance that we’ve given ourselves go by,” said Askey.

“We have had a really good start but we could do with a few more bodies coming in, we’re relying heavily on some young lads and, through sheer endeavour at times, we’re getting some good results. But quite a few didn’t train on Monday.

Winning at Dover made a long journey a lot shorter coming home, it was really pleasing. I'm disappointed to have only got a draw against Gateshead after we'd been in front at home, I can't really remember them having too many chances in the first half, or the second half, either.

 

"We knew how they played and we tried to press them high up the park in the first half and I think that worked for us, we got a good goal and in the second half a couple of players ran out of legs and, as you could see, we couldn't close them down and that's why David came off. He did really well in the first half but in the second he just ran out of steam.

"We worked really hard, we were organised and that's what's getting us results.

“But the pressure is still on us, it’s always there. You only enjoy it if you achieve something and that’s what I want for us.”

Andy Halls is on standby for the England C game in Turkey next month
 

Key to Macc’s success story so far has been a settled, solid defence, with five clean sheets in the 10 outings. And although right-back Andy Halls may yet pull on an England C shirt in Turkey next month Askey reckons Halls should have some company in the squad.

“Andy deserves the call-up, he’s been great this season,” added the manager. “He’s only 22 and still learning but he can't be decried this year. People forget he's still young and he's still learning but he's been terrific.

“And I thought we might have had another one in the squad. Paul Lewis should be in there too, I thought he was going to get the call he certainly deserves.”