Youngsters hit for six at Sandbach
A YOUNG Macclesfield Town side travelled to Sandbach United last week, as the club continued its preseason preparations.
The Silkmen side started the game full of confidence and energy, with Bevan Burey warming the hands of the Sandbach ‘keeper within the first two minutes.
Yet it would be the home side who would open the scoring with just five minutes on the clock, as Kieran Knapper broke free before calmly guiding the ball home from ten yards out.
This catalysed the visitors into a sustained period of offensive play and their reward was to come on eight minutes which Marcel Etoung reacted quickest to a loose ball in the penalty area, before firing home from close range.
Etoung then had a chance to put the visitors into the lead, when the latched on to Luke Monaghan’s teasing cross from the left - yet his fierce header screamed agonisingly over the crossbar.
Despite the fact that Macc had begun to dominate the game, with Burey’s electric pace causing a whole manner of problems for the home defence - it was to be the hosts who would take the lead once again in the 22nd minute when Matthew Pearson’s close-range header flew into the back of the net.
Knapper then claimed his second of the game when he finished a flowing Sandbach move and went on to complete his hat-trick three minutes later, when he nonchalantly lifted the ball over the advancing Macc ‘keeper.
The second half saw Macc show a greater degree of defensive resilience and this will have pleased manager Paul McGuire, as his side went in search of an epic comeback.
On 53 minutes Alpha surged through the Sandbach defence, yet he was unlucky to see his ferocious drive sail inches over the bar.
Macc continued to lay siege to the Sandbach goal, yet struggled to find the killer pass which would unlock the host’s defence.
Yet, this was achieved in the 69th minute when substitute Freddie Sass’ innovative ball set Liam Logan through on goal - yet the advancing Sandbach ‘keeper made a fine save to deny him from fifteen yards out.
With the visitors continuing to press, the hosts took full advantage of the additional space that this created in the 75th minute, as Tom Williams flew down the left hand flank before cutting inside and finishing at the near post to make it 5-1.
Two minutes later, Aaron Knight beautifully took down a ball into the area before sliding the ball home to make it six and complete the scoring.
Longato, Jones, Nolan, Okome, Fragapane (c), Etoung, Clegg, Monaghan, Bently-Knight, Alpha, Burey. Subs: Parkinson, Logan, Phillips, Sass, Hall, Osipitan, Ezzedine, Scully.
MACCLESFIELD TOWN XI: