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More big games

Mike Glendinning
19/ 9/2007

THERE’S no time for Macclesfield Town’s players to feel sorry for themselves after their unbeaten league run ended against Wycombe.

The Silkmen’s defeat ended Brightwell’s ‘honeymoon’ period at the Moss Rose - but he is determined that his first setback will not lead him to panic as he prepares for four more difficult tests.

Licking their wounds, Macc travel to Rochdale this weekend - not a happy hunting ground in recent years - before hosting Chester City in the first Cheshire derby at the end of the month.

Following those two fixtures, the Silkmen will play relegated sides Rotherham United and Chesterfield within five days of each other.

But Brightwell is relishing the challenge and, as has become his mantra, he will aim to collect all three points each time his side takes to the field, starting at Spotland.

"We’ve not done too well at Rochdale in recent years," he told the Express. "They’ve not had the best of starts but they will be tough to beat. While you can’t read too much into early results, they can and have beaten some of the better teams in this league.

"But it would be nice to go and get revenge for last year’s 5-0 defeat and keep our away record intact. We’ve got two draws and a win away, which I think is great.

"The best way to approach this game is go and try to win it. I want to go and put them on the back foot."

Brightwell and Asa Hartford face the task of lifting the players after their unbeaten start ended. But the former Manchester City duo have confidence in the squad of players that Brightwell now leads.

"We’ve got a mutual respect here," he said. "We treat each other as we would like to be treated, even though my job is to make tough decisions, ones that can’t keep everybody happy. I won’t try to be someone I’m not, I just have to do what’s best for the players, the team and the club.

"I had to leave Carl Regan out on Saturday because I felt it was the right decision to bring Luke Dimech back in.

"Carl was disappointed, and I’m glad he was. He’s a good player, a good professional and he’ll play a big part for us this season."