AFC Macc seal trophy double
STOCKPORT FA SENIOR CUP FINAL AFC MACCLESFIELD ..... 5 S’PORT GEORGIANS ...... 2
AFC Macclesfield beat Stockport Georgians on Friday night to secure victory in the club’s first ever cup final and complete their quest for a league and cup double.
The fixture saw Macclesfield’s biggest attendance of the season with more than 150 spectators getting behind the teams.
With both sides up for the game from the start, it was Macclesfield started the brightest and were one up after only seven minutes. Jack Banister found captain Greg Mathers inside the Georgians penalty area and he got his shot away quickly to leave the opposition goalkeeper with no chance.
Macclesfield continued to press with Banister causing Georgians’ full- back all sort of problems, but unfortunately, they couldn’t find a second goal.
With 30 minutes on the clock, the scores were levelled. A long ball from the back caught the Macclesfield defence back tracking and goalkeeper Dom Chell came off his line to gather the ball but was deemed to have made contact with the Georgians forward and a penalty was awarded which was duly converted.
With half time looming, Macclesfield were forced into a change when a reckless challenge by the opposition winger saw Alex Jackson leave the field with a badly twisted ankle. He was replaced by Nathan Jackson.
After the break, both teams knew that the next goal could be vital but neither could break the deadlock. Macclesfield’s Chris Holland and Pat Walker stood steadfast at the back and nullified any opportunities the opposition created.
In the 65th minute, Mathers was brought down on the edge of the penalty area and a free kick was awarded. Mather stepped up to the ball and curled it into the top corner of the Georgians net to make it 2-1.
Macclesfield started to dominate, knowing that a third goal was required to give them the cushion they needed.
It arrived when an outrageous pass from midfielder Jonny Cavanagh found Banister on the left side of midfield and he skipped past his marker and thundered the ball into the back of the net. After further pres- sure and some lovely football from Macclesfield, It was 4-1. Again, Mathers was the provider, slipping the ball into substitute Jackson’s path and he lost his man before slotting the ball under the goalkeeper.
With five minutes left on the clock, Mathers grabbed his hat-trick with another sublime finish to make it 5-1.
Stockport Georgians, against the run of play, grabbed an injury time consolation goal to make the final score 5-2.
Overall, a great performance from the Macclesfield team to bring home the cup to sit alongside the Cheshire League 2 Championship trophy. Sam Williamson was given the man of the match award for his outstanding performance in centre midfield.
With a semi-final in the JA Walton Challenge Cup still in their sights, the season for AFC Macclesfield is not over and more silverware – and a treble – is a possibility. MACCLESFIELD Town ended the Vanarama National League season with a draw at The Shay Stadium against Halifax Town.
The result meant the Silkmen finished in 10th position overall and condemned their opponents to relegation to the National League North.
Halfiax needed all three points to stay in the league and after Scott McManus gave the hosts the lead they looked on course, but a Danny Rowe equaliser left the Shaymen a point shy of safety.
The draw was thoroughly deserved for the Silkmen, who on another day would have ended the season with all three.
It was the Silkmen who began the better of the two teams, after a quick start saw two consecutive corners in the opening minutes, which resulted in Jack Sampson coming close with a header, but it went wide of the goal.
The hosts then had the first clear cut chance of the game in the fifth minute as Shaquille McDonald broke free, but Ritchie Branagan was quick off his line to make the save.
Despite this chance, Macc continued to push for an opener and top scorer Kristian Dennis, into the side in place of Reece Styche, almost provided a goal when he latched onto Danny Rowe’s ball, but he fired over the bar.
Rowe was causing problems for the Shaymen defence throughout the first half, and a curled effort from outside the box went wide in the 30th minute.
Next up was Sampson, who again was causing trouble in the area and a ball into the box by skipper Paul Turnbull almost saw the number ten on the end of the cross, but on the stretch he couldn’t get the connection it required.
As the news filtered through elsewhere of the results in the fight for relegation, it seemed to spur Halifax on and they carved out another chance and it was McDonald again, but his effort was well blocked