Timing of visitors second goal was crucial

MITCH Hancox says conceding on the stroke of half-time was a killer blow during Macclesfield Town’s 2-1 home defeat to Eastleigh on Saturday.

The Silkmen came up short in the game at the Moss Rose, meaning they have now dropped to second place in the National League table after two straight defeats.

Hancox made his return to the starting line-up in the match after recovering from injury, and it looked like the two teams would head into the interval with the scores goalless.

Eastleigh had other ideas though, as Mark Yeates netted with just moments of the first half remaining, before then doubling his tally shortly after half-time.

Hancox believes that lapse in concentration from his team right before the interval game Eastleigh a psychological edge in the fixture, and that proved to be the difference.

“I don’t think we played that well in the first half, but we still created one or two chances and if we go in 0-0 then we can regroup ready for the second half, so it’s frustrating,” he told the club’s official website.

“They scored early in the second half as well which killed us, but we created good chances in the game and fair play to Danny Whitehead as he’s got his goal. But, on another day we could’ve won the game three or four nil.”

Hancox has been one of Macclesfield’s most influential players since arriving from Crawley Town last season, and has made 14 league appearances during the current campaign.