Competition for places key in promotion bid

MACC midfielder Danny Whitaker believes the Silkmen’s new additions will add the competitiveness required to boost their race to reach the play-offs.

Adam Anson and Louis Robles have been brought in from Wigan Athletic on loan deals, as has Oldham Athletic’s Rhys Turner, and Whitaker is looking forward to working with the new signings.

“It’s nice when you get some new faces in the dressing room. It gets you going in training because you’ve got to step up and everyone’s place is under threat, which is good for the team,” he said.

Although the former Chesterfield player sees Macc’s FA Trophy tie at Truro City as a slight inconvenience to their National League campaign, he believes it is the perfect opportunity for their latest acquisitions to settle in.

“It can be and it can’t be as you just want to get out there in the next league game and put right what you’ve done wrong today,” Whitaker said.

“But saying that it gives the new lads a chance to get integrated with the team and might give them a bit of game time.”

The Silkmen were unable to capitalise on a number of chances in the first-half against Halifax and the game eventually went away from them in the second period, something which disappointed Whitaker.

“We started the game well, we put them under a lot of pressure and created a few chances. Unfortunately, we couldn’t nick a goal in that period of time but that’s football,” he said. “We came out at half-time thinking that we could go on and win the game really.

“I think their formation had us pinned back and they were putting some good balls in the box which we defended well at times but all in all we’re very disappointed to lose the game.”