Era ends with limp exit from FA Trophy
MACCLESFIELD ............ 0 GUISELEY AFC .............. 2
THE First Round Proper proved to be the furthest Macclesfield could make it in the Isuzu FA Trophy following a substandard 2-0 home defeat to Guiseley AFC.
Joe Ackroyd put the visitors ahead early on, giving them the impetus to double their lead via Jake Cassidy later on in the first half.
In what turned out to be his final game in charge of the Silkmen, Danny Whitaker made a total of three changes to the team that suffered a 1-0 defeat to Northwhich last week, with Jacob Hanson, Joe
Bunney and Tom Clare all being reintroduced.
Newly announced loanee, James Hardy, was named among the substitutes.
A poor beginning to the game for Macc required strong defensive work to keep out efforts from Nicky Walker and Jake Cassidy.
Circumstances then went from bad to worse for the Blues after an outswinging corner ball was met by the head of Joe Ackroyd, who cushioned the ball into the far corner to award the visitors with an early lead.
Macc responded with a promising attack, however Alex Curran’s headed effort from close range could only land into the hands of Kyle Trenerry.
An impressive run from Neil Kengni saw him advance from the halfway line and beat several men before reaching the penalty area where his shot was blocked.
As Guiseley advanced towards the Silkmen’s goal, Walker saw his through ball met by the darting run of Ross Daly who was able to find Cassidy waiting in the area, however his turning shot took a slight deflection and trickled wide of the post.
After being taken down by Kwame Boateng, James Berry also took the subsequent free kick.
The lofted ball was met by the head of Bunney, however it didn’t have the required power to beat Trenerry.
Macc then had a huge chance squandered after a poor ball across the face of goal was intercepted by Kengni, before his shot was fired high over the bar.
The visitors then received a free kick which Walker delivered..
Daly was waiting on the edge of the box to rebound the cleared ball but it was Cassidy who was in the right place at the right time to get the final touch and double Guiseley’s lead.
Macc entered the interval with heads-in-hands and a two goal deficit with no sign of posing any sort of threat.
Luke Murphy was replaced by Nicky Maynard at the break.
The first chance of note
in the second half came from Ackroyd’s curling effort that looked to have been heading for the top corner, but a leaping save from Marcelo Pitaluga prevented any further damage.
This was then followed by another wonderful save from Pitaluga after Walker looked to convert a left footed effort, but the Silkmen ‘keeper was down quickly to keep it out.
The referee then received huge penalty claims from blue shirts after Jamal Ible appeared to have pushed Hanson over inside the penalty area, however Jordan Crossley was quick to wave away the appeals.
Alex Curran, who was an initial doubt before the
game, was replaced by Mark Duffy.
A looping ball was then delivered towards the edge of the area from Walker which was met by a volley from Daniel Ellis but despite a clean connection, the ball fell wide of the mark.
Macc then came the closest they had been to a goal all afternoon.
A one-two between Kengni and Hanson allowed Hanson to lift the ball over Trenerry, but the ball rolled past the outside the post despite having initially looked to have been heading in.
MACCLESFIELD: Pitaluga, Hanson, Lee, Fensome, Bunney, Mendy, Kengni, Murphy, Clare, Curran, Berry
GUISELEY: Trenerry, Boateng, Smith, Daly, Ellis, Ible, Qasim, Mbeka, Cassidy, Ackroyd, Walker
Jordan Crossley
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