MACC FIGHTBACK DELIGHTS DARYL
MACCLESFIELD boss Daryl McMahon insisted his side were deserving winners after coming from behind to see off Port Vale.
Emmanuel Osadebe hit the Silkmen’s winner midway through the second half after Arthur Gnahoua had cancelled out Ritchie Bennett’s opener for Vale.
After their first League Two victory since August, McMahon said how pleased he was that his side had fought back from their early setback.
“It was a very good performance from us,” he said. “We played some good football, we were clinical with the chances we had in their box, we had a number of set-pieces, particularly in the first half, we put them under real pressure, it was a deserved win for us.
“We reacted brilliantly to going behind, we didn’t change it at all, we kept playing, creating chances and putting them under.”
McMahon also had plenty of praise for Gnahoua, a free agent who has hit two in two games. “Arthur’s given us something different going forward that we didn’t have before,” added McMahon. “He has got that strength and pace to get up at defenders and take them on I still think there’s more to come from Arthur.”
Bennett’s fifth of the season had put the visitors ahead after 12 minutes, out-muscling Miles Welch-Hayes to reach David Worrall’s free-kick and power a firm header home.
Macclesfield wide man Theo Archibald had brought decent saves out of Vale goalkeeper Scott Brown as they pushed to get back on terms before the break. And the Silkmen deservedly levelled shortly before the break via Gnahoua, who collected Corey O’Keeffe’s pass and drilled into the bottom corner.
Macclesfield were by far the better side in the second half and made their dominance pay when Osadebe completed a fine passing move to hit the winning goal from Welch-Hayes’ pull back after 64 minutes.
Vale went close to snatching a point, but Leon Legge and Bennett both cleared the crossbar as Macclesfield saw out the win. While Macc broke a seven-game winless league run, Vale’s search for a first win away from home this term went on.
Downhearted manager John Askey was visibly frustrated on his return to the club at which he spent more than 30 years as player and manager.
“We didn’t play, right from the off,” he said. “We never got the ball down or passed it like we can do, it was very disappointing. We got what we deserved today. Our past few performances have been decent and, even though we haven’t won away from home, we’ve played some good football. But today we never got going.
“In the last 10 minutes we showed a little bit without being a real threat, but it just wasn’t good enough.”