BUOYED by the return of Thierry Audel, John Askey says Macclesfield Town will strive for top spot in the 12 huge games they have left.
The Silkmen boss swooped to bring the defender back to the Moss Rose, giving the club a new shot in the arm after the recruitment of Lee Bell and Theo Bailey-Jones.
And ‘Sir John’ is steeling himself for a frantic scrap to the end in the battle for the Vanarama Conference title, which seems set to go down to the wire.
Barnet had looked red-hot favourites for the title, having topped the pile since the end of August.
But victory in their midweek game at home to Braintree saw Bristol Rovers overhaul them at the summit. Macc Town, currently in third, look odds-on to make at least the play-offs but having secured a return for classy French defender Audel, Askey hasn’t given up on the title himself.
“Thierry’s settled in well, it was a shame he couldn’t play in the Cheshire Cup game (against Crewe on Tuesday evening) but his fitness is getting better,” he said. “We needed to get some defensive cover in and we’ve been able to bring him in and stay within our budget.
“He’s a very good addition, especially in our position.
“It was needed, especially when the games start to come Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday – when the games come along in quick succession that’s when injuries are more likely to be picked up.
“Everybody’s looking forward to the game on Saturday, the results last weekend went for us a bit – John Akinde was missing for Barnet and he’s obviously going to be a big loss for them but they definitely look like they’re getting the jitters.
“We can’t worry about them though, we’ll just concentrate on trying to catch them and getting that top spot. Eastleigh is an important game, but then they all are from here, aren’t they?”
Quite so. This weekend Askey’s men head for sixth-placed Eastleigh for the BT Sport-televised match well rested after their weekend off and with much at stake.
Success on the small screen – victory would stretch the gap between the sides to 13 points – would be a major boost ahead of another long journey south to face Braintree on Tuesday night.
And if Askey’s squad stay relatively healthy then there’s every chance they can return to the Football League without the inconvenience of the play-offs.
“The main thing is to keep our players fit, if we can do that we’ll have a chance,” added Askey.
“Some people were moaning (in the draw) at Southport about one or two but Scott Barrow was really struggling in that game.
“If he’d been 100 per cent fit they probably wouldn’t have got their goal, and also George (Pilkington) has got through the last game or two with a bit of an injury.
“His character means he wouldn’t have made a fuss, he just gets on with it. He’s tough, he's a bit ‘old school’ and I think that translates to the other players.”
