Fiacre’s flat feeling after Robins draw
FIACRE Kelleher was left disappointed following Tuesday nights 1-1 stalemate with Cheltenham Town as the Macclesfield defender believed that it should have been The Silkmen’s first threepoints of the season.
The former Celtic centre-back was voted Man of the Match with his standout performance against The Robins, although admits his frustration at not seeing out the victory.
Following the game, he said: “It’s a bit bittersweet and it’s hard to talk about really.
“It should have been three points, but again we missed one or two chances and we got punished for it in the end.”
The performance for large parts was encouraging from Mark Yates’ side, with the hosts delivering the pulsating first-half performance that had been missing in recent weeks.
Unfortunately for Macc, their ultimate fate stemmed from not being able to finish the game off.
However, Kelleher believes that if the team can replicate the performance of the first-half, then positive results will certainly follow.
He said: “We kind of had an identity today and played with the style of play that was suited to the game and definitely first-half it paid dividends - playing that longer ball and playing off Harry Smith and Nathan Blissett because the two of them are a handful to play against.
“I think second half we just stepped off a bit, we needed to win more second balls and again we got punished for missing those chances – we really should have been away with it by half-time.
“It’s one of them where we’ll take the point, but it should have been three points really.”
The former Solihull central defender delivered his best performance to date in a Macclesfield shirt against The Robins and one his former Moors manager Yates will expect more of following their time together in the West Midlands.
Kelleher was a colossus at the back – winning tackles, dominating in the air, and making crucial interceptions. Such a performance resulted with a very modest round-up of his game from the Oxford United loanee.
He said: “They kind of played to my strengths tonight, playing it up in the air, making myself go and win it so in that respect I did alright.
“I just want to keep pushing the team forward and try to get the most out of everybody.”
Kelleher is another player to witness first-hand the incredible nature of the Macclesfield support and the 22-year-old Irishman has been impressed with it in the opening games.
“So far they have been absolutely brilliant, even at away games they’ve been superb and always get behind us.
“Even when we’ve not performed at times and obviously the results haven’t gone our way, yet they’ve stuck behind us and we’d love more of the same from them.”