MACCLESFIELD 0 SUTTON UNITED 0

WHILE other games were played out with high-stakes tension, there was no such drama at the Moss Rose, as Macclesfield and Sutton had little to play for, and my, how it showed in their goalless stalemate.

Highlights? We had a few, but then again too few to mention.

Silkmen keeper Scott Flinders made a few saves in the first half, but he was hardly tested to the limit in denying Kieron Cadogan, Adam Coombes and Adam May. He was rooted to the spot for Sutton’s best chance of the half, but Craig Eastmond’s low finish was inches wide of the post. Things improved marginally in the second half, but Sutton substitute Jack Jebb fired wide from a good position, as did Macc’s Rhys Browne. The Silkmen failed to muster a shot on target, James Thorne’s effort that crashed against the bar as close as either side came to a goal.

Nevertheless, with Macc looking forward to Wembley and Sutton finishing in mid-table after promotion, there is much for both to be pleased about.

Sutton assistant manager Micky Stephens is rightly happy with their 12th-placed finish.

“I think we had the better chances,” he said. “We felt we had a penalty turned down that might have been given and a couple of other chances, but they hit the bar. Where we have finished in our first season at this level is fantastic.” John Askey, who will be the proudest man in London when he leads Macclesfield out for the FA Trophy final, said: “It wasn’t a classic, was it? It was a typical end-of-season game. We’ve had a good season – for us to get to Wembley is really good, it’s a big achievement and hopefully we’ll go there and enjoy it.”