5-STAR MACC JUST TOO HOT
NATIONAL League leaders Macclesfield put reknown FA Cup fighters Stourbridge to the sword with a clinical display.
The Silkmen proved a cut above the Glassboys from the word go with Danny Whitehead and Tyrone Marsh firing them into a two-goal lead insode 12 minutes.
A third from Elliott Durrell on the stroke of half-time all but ended the contest before Koby Arthur and Scott Burgess compounded the home side’s misery.
“We scored two early goals at the right time,” said delighted Macc boss Josh Askey. “I was really pleased with the performance, the players are full of confidence at the moment.
In contrast, Stourbridge boss Gary Hackett accepted his side were well beaten, adding: “They had a great deal of quality. You could see why they’re flying high at the moment. At 2-0 down, we had a couple of chances, but the third goal deflates us a bit. There was no doubt the better side won.”
Macc went in front as early as the ninth minute when Stourbridge defender Stuart Pierpoint could only head Durrell’s corner to the waiting Whitehead, who walloped home from a first time shot.
Two minutes later, the Silkmen doubled their lead via route one – keeper Shwan Jalal’s long punt upfield found Marsh, who made no mistake with a shot into the corner of the net that gave Matt Gould no chance.
Stourbridge could consider themselves unlucky not to have hit back when twice the ball fell unkindly for Tranmere target Jordan Archer and then Aaron Forde following goalmouth scrambles.
But Macclesfield effectively put the game to bed on the stroke of half-time when Durrell finished off a precise passing movement with a shot on the turn past the hapless Gould.
Stourbridge might have been awarded a penalty when David Fitzpatrick brought down speedy Matt Dodd but referee Karl Evans ruled otherwise.
Instead, Askey’s men made it 4-0 on 69 minutes when a Whitehead free-kick was only half cleared into the path of Arthur, who met the ball with a thunderous drive home.
And Macclesfield left their best goal until last – substitute Gime Toure and then Whitehead breaking quickly from defence to set up Burgess, who struck home with a spectacular volley to leave the luckless Gould groping thin air.