Sampson’s clean sheet earns point
MACCLESFIELD Town manager John Askey praised his players they played 86 minutes without a recognised goalkeeper to share the spoils with Dover Athletic.
At the same time he expressed his disappointment with the decision to issue Ritchie Branagan with a straight red card so early in what was the Silkmen’s final midweek match of the campaign.
“From what I could see, Ritchie didn’t made contact with the player,” said Askey. “And the ball went out for a goal kick.
“It wasn’t a goalscoring opportunity, so he shouldn’t have been sent off.”
Askey also revealed that the decision to hand the gloves to striker Jack Sampson was taken on the spur of the moment.
“We had no-one else in mind, and Jack’s six foot three,” he said.
“He made two saves – and one was a really good one. But he didn’t have too much more work to do, as the team played so well.”
The playing numbers were evened up again when Dover’s Richard Orlu saw red just before half-time, but Askey observed: “Even when it was ten against eleven, we were passing the ball about and creating chances.
“We showed great character and in the second half, if anyone was going to win it was us.
“Dover had no chances after the break, which shows what a good effort it was from our players.
“We’d like to be nearer the play-offs,” he said. “But, with the size of our squad, injuries have left us down to the bare bones at times.
“We’ll hopefully end up on around 70 points and that would make for another good season.”
Proceedings opened in dramatic fashion, when, with just four minutes on the clock, Ricky Modeste was played through on goal by Stefan Payne – only to be brought down on the edge of the home area by Branagan.
The Silkmen’s number one was promptly shown a red card – and, with no direct replacement on the bench, striker Sampson donned the gloves.
Ten minutes were to pass before Dover properly tested the stand-in goalkeeper. But, when called upon, Sampson used a foot to save a shot by Ricky Miller – before blocking even more impressively with his hands at point-blank range from Payne on two separate occasions.
Matters did not improve for the Silkmen when in-form midfielder Danny Whitehead limped off just before the halfhour mark having earlier fashioned Macc’s first and only attempt on goal from distance.
Orlu became the second player to be sent off on the night for raising hands to Reece Styche, who was himself booked following the one-onone tussle.
With numerical parity restored, the ten men of Macclesfield began the second half on the front foot against Dover’s ten. Chris Holroyd volleyed narrowly over and George Pilkington headed wide, as the hosts strove to get their noses in front.
Kristian Dennis was brought on with just over 20 minutes left. But save for a shot from the edge of the box that fizzed wide of the left post, Macclesfield’s leading scorer was unable to provide the cutting edge needed to break the stalemate.
Branagan, Halls, McCombe, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick, Holroyd (Sutherland 84), Whitehead ( Turnbull 29), Whitaker, Rowe, Styche (Dennis 69), Sampson. Subs not used: Byrne, Diagne.
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