Aldershot Town 0 Macc Town 1
John Askey refused to get too excited despite seeing his Macclesfield Town side earn their first away win in seven games.
Danny Whitaker’s 57th minute goal took the Silkmen up to second in the Conference table but Askey still only dared to admit: “We’ve battled hard, as we’ve done all season, and come away with another good victory.
“We’re not getting carried away, and we’re still learning each week.
“We’re conceding very few goals, and that’s the secret. Tonight we might not have played as well as we can do but we made sure Aldershot didn’t either.”
Askey made one change to his starting line-up, replacing top scorer Waide Fairhurst with Denny Johnstone, and even though the Shots had a one-man advantage in midfield, Macc overcame that with an impressive workrate.
The first half was a rather tepid affair, devoid of genuine chances, but, by being solid in defence and industrious in midfield – with Chris Holroyd and Adriano Moke particularly willing outlets down the flanks – Macclesfield forced their hosts to work even harder for any shred of optimism.
The game was largely scrappy, and that suited the visitors better as they looked to earn a first away win since mid-September.
Jaydon Gibbs’ volley was easily saved by Rhys Taylor, before Phillip Smith smothered Moke’s attempted curler and Scott Barrow scuffed his effort wide under pressure.
Right-back Andy Halls fashioned the best opportunity of the half all by himself, marauding into the box to hit an angled drive which Smith did well to parry. From the resulting corner, Whitaker pulled a shot wastefully wide.
By contrast, Aldershot struggled for cohesion.
Glenn Wilson headed Sam Hatton’s corner over the bar and, on 42 minutes, Andre McCollin had a shot blocked after patient build-up play and a neat interchange with Dan Holman.
That, though, was their sum total of endeavours until the 49th minute, when Hatton smuggled the ball out to Holman down the left.
Driving forward towards the box, past two defenders, he smashed a swirling, dipping shot which Taylor scrambled away at the second attempt.
However, Mark Phillips’ 25-yarder, which he sliced rather apologetically wide, was more in keeping with the game’s style, and the game’s only goal somewhat followed suit.
Matthew Barnes-Homer outpaced Phillips in the 57th minute, and Smith’s brave block merely allowed the ball to fall at the feet of Whitaker, who found the bottom corner of the net with the goalkeeper still in search of his bearings.
Hatton’s measured shot, from Tristan Plummer’s pull-back, was deflected inches wide, and the winger’s introduction, coupled with a switch to 4-4-2, belatedly galvanised Aldershot Town.
His 71st-minute shot was bound for the top corner until it struck Paul Turnbull’s head, and he combined with Gibbs down the right to set up Holman for a drive which crashed off the crossbar.
Yet Turnbull’s clever free-kick – whipped around the inside of the wall and fumbled behind by Smith – could have sealed victory, and ultimately it was a toothless storm and Macc sent their 33-strong band of hardy souls making the trip home happy.
Macc were relatively comfortable, and their momentum continues to gather pace, however much Askey may try to suggest otherwise.
