Cup can spark league revival
MACCLESFIELD Town manager John Askey believes this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Walsall is coming at a perfect time so his side can have a break from the league.
The Silkmen travel to the Bescot Stadium to take on the League One
‘If we can get a result at Walsall it will breathe confidence into the side and get us back on track’
club, with a place in the second round of the competition up for grabs.
After a good start to their league campaign, Macclesfield have now dropped to 10th after failing to win any of their last five matches.
With that in mind, Askey is glad to have the FA Cup to think about this weekend instead of the league, and wants his players to show him what they can do.
“We’ve got the FA Cup game on Saturday which is relief from the league, and if we can get a result at Walsall then it will breathe confidence into the side and get us back on track, so that’s one to look forward to,” he said.
“I’d have maybe liked a game on Tuesday to try and get back on it, but the FA Cup is always a nice distraction and something that the players can all enjoy.
“Walsall will be an important game as the money that will come from it is huge if we are able to win.”
This weekend’s opponents Walsall currently find themselves sitting in 12th place in the League One table.
The Saddlers are on a decent run of form, having gone unbeaten in their last five league matches, including three wins and two draws.
Macc’s last match saw them suffer 2-1 defeat to Maidstone United on Saturday, and Askey was frustrated with what he saw from his team.
“The players have played well over the last three or four games but it’s about getting points on the board and we’re not doing that,” he said.
“We need a bit more composure at times. On Saturday I thought we had our fair share of possession but it was just a disappointing afternoon.
“We’ll just have to keep working harder and hopefully things will change. There are fine lines at times and things might not work for you but eventually it will come right if you’re good enough.”
Macclesfield supporters are already able to purchase tickets for this weekend’s match with Walsall after they received an initial allocation.
Tickets are available from the club and priced at £15 for adults, £10 for seniors and £5 for juniors.
RUGBY UNION SHELDAN KEAY
MACCLESFIELD RUFC head coach Giles Heagerty has declared that every game counts from now on ahead of this weekend’s clash with Darlington Mowden Park.
The two teams meet at Priory Park on Saturday with Macclesfield looking to move off the bottom of the table, and Heagerty is hopeful they can change their recent fortunes.
“We’re fully aware of the challenges we face, not just this weekend with DMP, but also for the next 21 games,” he told the club’s official website.
“It all boils down to accountability once again. The situation we find ourselves in is entirely of our own making.
“What we have to do is roll up our sleeves and attack the challenge head on, because every game from now on in counts.
“DMP know they’ll face a challenge at Priory Park. It’s not an easy place to come to, and we’ll try our best to make their visit as difficult as possible.
“They have a strong squad that is predominantly full-time, whether they’ll admit to that or not. That affords them time to work consistently with their playing squad, and that’s a luxury many other clubs don’t have outside the Premiership and the Championship.
“The primary focus for us this weekend is to concentrate on our own game, and not worry about what the opposition may or may not do.
“We’ve suffered over the last nine games because of a consistent lack of attention to detail. I’ll be demanding the players execute processes to the minutest detail. If we can do that we can certainly make life uncomfortable for DMP.”