Browse Sections

• Macclesfield Town FC
• Local football
• Local cricket
• Golf

Hometown blues

Mike Glendinning
3/10/2007

MACCLESFIELD need to find their shooting boots if they are to join the League Two contenders this season.

Despite a host of chances, Ian Brightwell’s men found the net just once in Saturday’s derby defeat to Chester City, and the Macc boss was left scratching his head at how they managed to lose the game.

The loss saw the Silkmen drop to fifth from bottom, ahead of Tuesday night’s game against Rotherham United at the Moss Rose, where they have registered just two points from a possible 12.

His side’s home form, and an inability to convert their many chances, will be a concern for Brightwell, who said: "How we lost that game, I don’t know. They had one shot and one header and they scored them both.

"We had a dozen or more good chances to score and, for the majority of the game, we were by far the better team. I did tell them at half-time that I wanted more from them, because the first 20 minutes wasn’t up to standard.

"We had more fire in our bellies in the second half and I didn’t think Chester were threatening enough in attack after the break."

Saturday’s loss meant that Macc are the only team in League Two without a home win and the sheer volume of wasted opportunities meant that shooting practice was high on Monday morning’s training agenda.

But Brightwell still has belief in the squad he has assembled.

"They showed their spirit and dominated a top five team," he added. "We showed that we can be in the top half, we just need to be a bit more clinical.

"It was an excellent free kick from Terry Dunfield for his goal. It’s nice when something you work hard at in training comes off. I am looking for more goals from the midfield if we are to make a challenge."

Each of Brightwell’s four midfielders had chances against Chester, including Adam Murray’s late shot that hit the post, and blame cannot be laid solely at the feet of the strikers.

n Macc will face Chesterfield, and possibly Stockport next Tuesday, without calf strain victim Richard Edghill.