Relentless AFC show no mercy in thrashing

CHESHIRE FOOTBALL LEAGUE 1 AFC MACCLESFIELD..8 MERSEY VALLEY ........0

AFC Macclesfield picked up their most emphatic win of the season after a dominant victory at home to Mersey Valley.

Macc faced the third placed side hoping to make amends for their 3-2 away defeat earlier in the season, and they did just that.

The early stages of the game were a cagey affair with neither side creating any clear chances, but on 25 minutes, it all changed.

The Mersey Valley goalkeeper came rushing out to claim the ball and realising he was close to the edge of the box and to avoid being penalised, dropped the ball, with Macclesfield skipper Greg Mathers first to react by slotting the ball into the back of the net from an acute angle.

A minute later, Chris Coppenhall broke from the back and danced his way in to the opposition box to go one on one with the on rushing goalkeeper. Coppenhall dinked it over him, only to be denied by the crossbar.

Macclesfield now started to tick and were producing some fantastic football with Jonny Cavanagh dictating the tempo from midfield. Five minutes before the break, Macclesfield’s dominance paid off and with one-touch football around the Mersey Valley penalty area, Jack Banister took the last touch, smashing the ball into the back of the net.

The second half started in the same vein and within a minute it was 3-0.

Tom Bowey, returning to the team after missing last week’s cup victory, delivered a perfect ball into the box to find an unmarked Greg Mathers, who slotted the ball into the bottom corner of the net. Mersey Valley didn’t have any answers to Macclesfield’s tempo and the great football they were playing.

On the hour, it was 4-0 when Jay Burgess played the ball into the path of Mathers who struck the ball first time to grab his hat-trick.

Minutes after the goal, Mersey Valley were reduced to 10 men when their centre back received a second yellow card for a foul on Jack Banister.

Unfortunately for Mersey Valley, the damage was done and Macclesfield were relentless in their task. Within two minutes of the sending off it was 5-0. Jack Hunter pushed forward into the box and controlling the ball well, placed the ball into the corner of the visitors’ net, giving the Mersey Valley goalkeeper no chance.

Sam Dickov was brought into the mix and instantly made an

‘A truly outstanding performance from all the Macclesfield players’

impression. He received the ball on the right wing and whipped a ball into the box. Greg Mathers was again on hand and he controlled the ball to take the defender away and made it 6-0 and moved his personal tally for the game to four.

Jay Burgess got his name on the score sheet with a delightful 25-yard side-foot effort to leave the Mersey Valley goalkeeper again with no chance.

Greg Mathers capped off a captain’s performance by grabbing his fifth and Macclesfield’s eighth with a 30-yard volley to cap off a truly outstanding performance from all the Macclesfield players.