‘This group have been used to winning

MACCLESFIELD Town had to settle for a draw in their penultimate pre-season friendly of the summer after finishing all square with National League side Wrexham.

Manny Smith had put the visitors ahead in the game, but a late equaliser from Harry Smith ensured that the Silkmen avoided defeat at the Moss Rose.

Macclesfield boss Mark Yates felt his side weren’t at their best in the match, but was still pleased to get another friendly under the belt.

“It’s another game ticked off, and more minutes into the boys. The harsh reality is I’ve got to pick a team on August 4, and that’s not disrespecting the players who started the game, but if you compare last Friday’s performance to this first-half

CHESHIRE nearneighbours Stockport County and Macclesfield Town met in pre-season last Saturday for the fifth year running – producing, on this occasion, a well-contested draw at Edgeley Park.

The sides’ latest consecutive annual friendly did not prove quite so remarkable as the immediately previous one, which, just over a year earlier, had seen the Hatters run amok as 5-2 winners in SK3.

But both clubs could feel satisfied with a final workout ahead of their respective winter campaigns in the National League North and League Two, which get under way this coming weekend.

The Hatters took to the field in a 4-2-3-1 formation, and showing five changes from the initial line-up at Warrington Town four days earlier.

Ben Hinchliffe, Scott Duxbury, Jordan Keane, Sam Minihan and Sam Walker all started, while the players they replaced – namely, Ian Ormson, Kallum Mantack, Adam Thomas, Connor Dimaio and Nyal Bell - were named among the substitutes.

The Silkmen, playing 4-4-2 for their part, had brought a strong squad up to Edgeley, in readiness for new adventures in the Football League to which they are about to return following a six-year absence.

Just prior to kick-off, a breezy afternoon turned into a wet one, with a prematch downpour producing a slippery surface and, consequently, some cautious opening exchanges – before each side, from its first corner of the contest, was to score with a header by a close- season signing.

The Silkmen took the lead after 19 minutes. performance it just wasn’t the same,” he told the club’s official website.

“It wasn’t what we were after and that’s just the way it is sometimes – it just shows a few of the boys have got a little bit of work to do to get in the team.

“Nothings picked yet, corner. Remaining chances of the half fell to Macc. But Rose fired over from outside the area, and

David Fitzpatrick launched an attempt on the left that drifted harmlessly past the far post.

HALF-TIME: County 1 (Palmer, 28), Macc 1 (Smith, 19).

The game opened up further after the break – with Scott Wilson chipping a shot, and, subsequently, Walker a free-kick, narrowly wide of the respective right posts.

Then, with 66 minutes played, Frank Mulhern but we’ve got to make sure that we’re as strong as we can.

“I’ve picked what I thought was a strong team against Burnley last Friday night and I’ve given everyone else a run-out in this game.

“That’s nothing other than me picking two teams, but you know what they can do – they can make it work for themselves and make sure they perform to the best of their ability to make sure they force their way into the first team.

“This group have been used to winning, so it’s important that we try to carry that on and looking