Silkmen so close
EMIRATES FA CUP SECOND ROUND MACCLESFIELD .............. 0 OXFORD UNITED............ 0
MACCLESFIELD Town couldn’t make the breakthrough against League One Oxford United and were held to a goalless draw in their FA Cup second round clash at the Moss Rose.
The Silkmen had plenty of chances in the game, but they didn’t get the allimportant goal that would have sent them into a third round clash with Championship side Rotherham United at the New York Stadium.
A bumper crowd was in attendance to watch Macc, with the match also shown up and down the country live on BBC Two.
John Askey kept the same team that started against Dover in the previous game, and it was a fast start from the hosts.
Paul Lewis created the first chance of the evening following a neat pass from Chris Holroyd after just three minutes, but an Oxford defender managed to rush back and send the ball behind from a corner.
The Silkmen threatened from that set-piece, as John McCombe managed to get on the end of it, but his header sailed wide.
After setting up Lewis earlier on, Holroyd then had a chance of his own when he found room in a dangerous position, but his effort was off target.
Despite the promising start, Macc still had to be alert at the other end, and there was nearly disaster when an Oxford shot took a wicked deflection off George Pilkington.
Luckily, Macclesfield goalkeeper Craig Ross managed to react quickly and keep out the shot to deny the opposition.
Lewis was causing a lot of problems for the Oxford defence, and he went close again on the half hour mark when he fired a shot inches over the crossbar
He was then in again just a few moments later, but for the second time his effort flew into the crowd.
While Oxford may be two divisions above Macclesfield, it was the National League team who continued to create the majority of the chances.
Jack Mackreth smashed into the side netting, before Andy Halls powered a long-range effort off target to end the half.
It was more of the same from the Silkmen just after the interval, as they continued to dominate proceedings.
Oxford nearly caught them on the counterattack though, as Ryan Ledson forced a save out of Ross.
Macc then thought they should have had a penalty when Mackreth believed he was brought down in the box, but the referee waved away the protests.
Oxford goalkeeper Simon Eastwood was then needed to keep his side in the game, making a good stop to deny David Fitzpatrick.
Danny Whitaker was next to test the palms of the Oxford goalkeeper when he sent a 30-yard shot goalwards, before Eastwood blocked an attempt from Lewis to make it a trio of saves.
As the match entered the closing stages, it appeared that Oxford were content with the draw and a replay, but they had a chance to earn the win when they were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the box.
Luckily for Macc, the free-kick ended up coming to nothing as the ball sailed high over the top of the crossbar.
That turned out to be the last significant action of the match, meaning that the two teams had to settle for a 0-0 draw, with a replay taking place next week.
Ross; Halls, McCombe, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick; Rowe, Hancox, Lewis, Whitaker, Mackreth; Holroyd. Subs not used: Byrne, Sampson, Cowan, James, Sutherland, Madeley, Cook.
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