Silkmen’s chance to widen gap
MACCLESFIELD Town will try to return to winning ways when they make the trip to The Gallagher Stadium to take on Maidstone United tonight.
It’s a re-arranged game between the two sides, as the originally planned tie earlier this month was postponed in strange circumstances, as travel congestion on the M25 meant that Maidstone players couldn’t get to the stadium, despite the Macc team already being there.
The Silkmen now return to Maidstone tonight, on the back of their 2-0 defeat at Dover Athletic on Saturday, with Keanu MarshBrown getting both goals for the hosts.
Maidstone did Macclesfield a favour on Saturday though, as they were able to pick up a surprise 1-0 win at home to second placed Sutton United. Stuart Lewis got the goal in the second half to condemn Sutton to defeat and ensure that Macc remain two points clear at the top of the table.
The Silkmen could potentially extend that lead to five points tonight, as this will serve as their game in hand on Sutton, who aren’t in action.
Maidstone’s win over Sutton on Saturday has seen them climb up to 16th place, with the team now looking very likely to avoid the drop after moving nine points clear of the relegation zone.
Macclesfield will have revenge on their mind in the game, as back in September they suffered an emphatic 4-1 home defeat to Maidstone when the two teams met in the reverse fixture at the Moss Rose earlier in the season.
Two goals from Zavon Hines along with strikes from Alex Wynter and Joe Pigott condemned the Silkmen to a dominant loss, despite a late consolation goal from Koby Arthur.
Tonight’s game against Maidstone kicks off a busy period for Macclesfield, as they then have three games in quick succession next week.
They aren’t in action this weekend, but they host Gateshead next Tuesday, before then making the trip to Woking for Good Friday on March 30. Their busy week is then completed when they welcome Chester to the Moss Rose on Monday 2 April, making it three games in six days for John Askey’s side.