Silkmen deliver right response
DANNY Whitaker got the response he’d asked for when his Macclesfield FC side kickstarted their FA Cup campaign with a resounding 4-0 win againats Burscough at the weekend.
Boss Whitaker had been disappointed with aspects of the Silkmen’s showing in the midweek 4-4 draw against Winsford United, when his men were pegged back having led 2-0.
And on Saturday they raced out of the blocks to hit Burscough for four. While the second half was more low key, Whitaker was pleased with his team’s game management and the securing of a place in the next preliminary round.
“I asked for a reaction after Tuesday’s game and one hundred per cent the lads did that. I thought they were outstanding from minute one to seeing the game through the way we did.
“We created a lot of chances in the first half, put a real good shift in and I was really pleased with that. It’s always difficult to come out in the second half and replicate that when you’ve been so good in the first half – I know that from past experience, it’s happened to me on numerous occasions. It’s difficult to get going – but the lads saw the game through and that’s all that matters in the end.
“We made a big point of telling the lads after Tuesday’s game when we were 2-0 up not to sit back after scoring, we stressed it a hell of a lot in training on Thursday – if we were in a similar situation again we wanted them to keep going at the opposition.
Once you’ve conceded a goal your head goes down, body language is poor and you don’t want to get on the ball as much, and we wanted to capitalise on that.
“Some of our counter attacking was rapid. We have players who can carry the ball good distances and we said to them, if you can get the ball in good transitions then play forward with purpose or just dribble forward – it puts the opposition under a lot of pressure.”
“Every player put an excellent shift in and that’s all you an ask for. It was excellent to see.
“At half time we asked them to go back out with the same mentality and intensity and look to punish them.
“Unfortunately it didn’t happen but the win was all that we wanted and we got that.”
Whitaker added: “The second period didn’t have the same intensity and it hard to replicate it when you’ve worked really hard for 45 minutes and you’ve put yourself four goals up. Potentially it could have been more. Then you sit back and you don’t play with the tempo and intensity going forward and it’s difficult – but the lads played well.
“We massively set a benchmark – for me it was all about the reaction after Tuesday’s game and the lads went out there with that intent. It petered out in the second half but that happens, the main thing is we go the win.”