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Macclesfield Town 2 Blackpool 0

13/ 8/2008

MACCLESFIELD Town set up a potential big-money second-round Carling Cup tie with a revitalised display against Championship side Blackpool.

Having rode their luck in the opening stages, Macc grabbed the win with two opportunistic strikes either side of half-time to banish the memory of the league season’s opening-day humiliation at Shrewsbury Town.

The win had normally laconic manager Keith Alexander punching the air, his face wreathed in smiles as he praised his players after the game.

"I was very disappointed on Saturday," he said. "And we had words, first on Sunday and then again on Monday, and the boys have reacted well and worked really hard and I think that showed tonight.

"We defended really poorly on Saturday and teams of mine don’t usually do that, but then again, even in the first half we didn’t attack a couple of balls that came into the box and that has got to improve."

Blackpool looked a class above in the first half but could not put a finish on their flowing football.

In the 13th minute, Ben Burgess had a near-post attempt disallowed for offside and in the 19th minute centre-back Ian Evatt had space and time to nod an inswinging cross onto the underside of the bar.

Macc capitalised on 24 minutes when 18-year-old Shaun Brisley was first to a nod down from Martin Gritton.

The youngster poked the ball through the advancing Matt Gilks’ legs and then saw it inch over the line, despite a desperate lunge from the Blackpool defence.

Moments later Macc were again under the cosh, Gary Taylor-Fletcher was left unmarked but blazed a free header over the bar from six yards.

The key moment came when niggling rivals Terry Dunfield and Keith Southern were sent off for fighting, Dunfield grabbing the defender by the collar, only to be head-butted for his troubles.

Macc were first to regroup and when Blackpool failed to clear the resulting Jamie Tolley free-kick, Gritton nodded home neatly from the six-yard line.

Thereafter Macc played with increasing confidence and fluidity, defending in numbers and with the resolution to counter on the break.

Indeed, first Tolley and then substitute Francis Green might have added more as they rounded in on goal.

Tolley fired wide from a narrow angle and Green, the only change from Saturday’s defeat, forced a stunning low stop from Gilks in injury time.

MACC TEAM: Brain, Brisley, Walker, Morgan, Hessey, Deen, Tolley, Dunfield, Thomas (Reid 76), Gritton (Green 78), Evans (Bell 86).

SUBS NOT USED: Towns, Yeo, Rooney, Hadfield.

BOOKED: Brisley.

SENT OFF: Dunfield.

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