Historic opening day win for new Silkmen
NW COUNTIES PREMIER DIVISION MACCLESFIELD .............. 1 BURSCOUGH FC .............. 0
LEON Arnasalam scored the first competitive goal of the new Macclesfield FC era on a historic afternoon at the Leasing.com Stadium.
The winger flicked the ball on to Aaron Dwyer as the Silkmen broke from a Burscough corner to devastating effect - before darting into the penalty area and keeping his cool to slot home from close range as Dwyer laid the ball off to him.
The former Skelmersdale man looked lively from the outset as the Silkmen started strongly, but his cross from the righthand side evaded both Laurent Mendy and Aaron Dwyer in the opening seconds.
The threat from the right persisted in the opening minutes, with Arnasalam proving a constant threat to the Linnets’ defence. His cross moments later found Danny Whitaker who directed a glancing effort wide of Joseph Waugh’s far post.
The Silkmen continued to press for the opener with both Arnasalam and
Tom Clare seeing efforts blocked inside the opening ten minutes.
Captain Laurent Mendy was next to try his luck as he found himself with time and space from Arnasalam’s corner; but his header bobbled wide of the mark.
The Macclesfield onslaught continued as Aaron Dwyer fired towards goal from the edge of the area, but his strike was too high to trouble Bursough goalkeeper Waugh before Arnasalam’s opener moments later.
The visitors would have their best opening of the half with ten minutes to play as Declan Daniels ran in behind the Silkmen’s high line; but his effort squirmed narrowly wide of Ben Pierce’s goal.
Daniels continued to threaten and looked to have found an unlikely leveller on the stroke of half time but the last-ditch intervention of Curtis Obeng ensured the Silkmen would go into the interval with their lead intact.
The second period lacked the intensity of the first, with Aaron Fleming providing a consistent threat down the left flank in an otherwise tentative opening 25 minutes to the half.
Both sides sparred but created little of note until Aaron Dwyer looked set to double the advantage with fifteen minutes to play, but his header off the back of a late charge into the Burscough area lacked the power and direction to challenge Waugh.
Burscough committed more players forward as the game ebbed towards its climax, but it would be Macc who came closest to adding to the scoreline as Tom Clare did well to hold off his man before striking inches over the crossbar.
Danny Whitaker looked set to seal the points for Macc in the final moments as Fleming pulled the ball back to him from the touchline, but his effort was well saved by Waugh as the Silkmen claimed a memorable victory.
Ben Peirce, Curtis Obeng, Aaron Fleming, Kieran Kennedy, Ekow Coker, Sidi Sanogo, Leon Arnasalam (Kieran Curtis, 55’), Danny Whitaker, Tom Clare, Laurent Mendy (C), Aaron Dwyer.
MACCLESFIELD FC:
MEANWHILE, Macclesfield FC has announced the signing of left-sided midfielder Aaron Fleming, who agreed a deal with the club on the eve of the 2021/22 campaign.
Growing up in Blackpool, Fleming began his career by progressing through the youth team ranks at Bloomfield Road before making the short move to AFC Fylde in the summer of 2014.
After earning a first team contract at Mill Farm, Fleming would then enjoy spells at Bamber Bridge, Droylsden and Padiham ahead of a move to Kendal Town in January 2020. Coupled with two stints in Gibraltar, Fleming, a rapid attacking midfielder who can be employed as a striker, also represented Abbey Hey, Kendal Town and most recently Prescot Cables.
Fleming made his debut for Macc in Saturday’s 1-0 win against Burscough.