PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY

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. Their inaugural corner – taken on the left, courtesy of former Hatter Michael Rose, who had joined them just five days earlier – was powered in by fellow new arrival, and ex-Millwall striker, Harry Smith at close range.

But the visitors’ advantage was to be relatively short-lived, as, before the half-hour, central defender Ash Palmer – signed by County from Guiseley at the beginning of the month – rose in line with the far post to nod home Walker’s corner from the right.

Minutes later, the Hatters looked certain to earn a penalty after Fiacre Kelleher clearly put the ball behind with his hand – only for Referee Hull to award them a consolation