By ALEX NAREY

WHEN I watched Macclesfield in last season’s FA Trophy final, I remember asking myself how a side that was flowing with such creative flair and footballing talent could have finished in the lower reaches of mid-table mediocrity. It may have been a different side and they may have lost on that sunny day under the arch to an equally impressive – and already relegated – York City, but there was so much to admire about the way they played. It was neat. It was tidy. And they had the cutting edge in front of the posts. They were never on my radar at the start of the season. I backed Tranmere from the off and even in the depths of October, with Micky Mellon’s side languishing down in 17th place during a horror run where the ex-Shrewsbury boss appeared to have his head on the block, I still fancied them. The congested nature of the National League table, with the top seven vying for a play-off shootout, meant the Birkenhead giants were never out of it. The expected run of form followed after Christmas. So now surely Mellon’s boys are still my tip? Not anymore. Macc’s imperious run of results in February, chalking up six wins on the spin that included back-toback away victories at Aldershot and Tranmere – both of who were sitting second to the Cheshire side at the time of those clashes – sent out the biggest warning shot of the season. Despite off-field issues with players not receiving their wages on time and a managerless Grimsby sniffing around John Askey, this was a championship charge that was gathering unstoppable momentum. For Tranmere, that may be the league’s most talented squad, and if the season started again tomorrow I would still back them to take care of business. But they paid the price for a poor start to their campaign. A slow start can kill off even the best of chances and in their opening seven games in the month of August, Rovers returned a paltry nine points with notable defeats at home to Sutton and away at Eastleigh, with single points taken against Torquay, Guiseley and Boreham Wood. Just not good enough! Meanwhile, Sutton haven’t stopped impressing me all season. I watched them carve up fellow promotion chasers Aldershot back in October and although they could only bag a 2-2 draw on that night, there was more than enough to suggest Paul Doswell’s side were banging the drum for the part-timers at the top for good reason. They just keep knocking at the door but something tells me this is a season too early for them and the play-offs may trip them up.

NLP VERDICT: There have been plenty of surprises this season, but the biggest one for me would be if Macclesfield don’t see this one home. They would be worthy winners of the crown. Tranmere to end their play-off hoodoo.