You won’t catch John Askey coming down hard on his players, even though they didn’t take full marks at lowly Southport.

After kicking off 2015 with five straight wins Macc Town dropped their first points with the 1-1 draw at Haig Avenue.

It’s no surprise then that Askey is reluctant to lambast his over-achieving squad, who closed the gap on table-topping Barnet but were overtaken in the race for the title by Bristol Rovers.

“People will be disappointed that we could have got within two points of Barnet but it’s a point closer and obviously they’re feeling the pressure but we just have to concentrate on ourselves,” said the Silkmen boss.

"I'm disappointed with a draw, as the players are, the goal they scored should have been dealt with, it was sloppy. We were sloppy all through the game in defensive areas, but it's a point away from home which you can't argue with.

"It should have been cleared, but you can't be too critical because of the position we're in and the again the players have run their socks off, and we could have had two or three more goals. We've hit the bar through Waide and Barnesy should have scored, Rowey should have scored in the first half too.

"But the main thing is that we're creating chances. It's pointless criticising, I have to encourage the lads right to the end of the season, they're giving it everything they've got and they know what's at stake. I wouldn't get on their backs anyway because I know what they're going through.

“The frustrating part now is that we haven’t got a game for two weeks but it gives us time to regroup and hopefully get somebody in. I thought we were perhaps lacking that bit of experience at the back that Luke Waterfall and Liam Hogan gave us, that bit of extra strength.

“Alex Grant (above) is going to get that as he gets older but sometimes the physical side outdoes him.

“It’s not a lack of ability or a lack of attitude, it’s just that he’s a young lad.

“You can’t really criticise him at all, he’s been brilliant since he came in – he’s good on the ball, he’s good defending one v ones, but when they start lumping balls into the box, we perhaps need that bit of physicality.”

Meanwhile, Malachi Lavelle-Moore has joined Witton Albion on a short-term loan deal.

The former Notts County forward has found first-team opportunities limited, with just one Conference Premier start - in the home victory over Torquay United in November - to his name.

The 20-year-old did get on the score sheet recently though, with a goal in the Cheshire Senior Cup win at Hyde earlier this month.