MACC TITLE PURSUIT IS DURR-ABLE TO THE END

VERDICT: Below-par Silkmen strike a killer blow to the chasing pack as Scott Wilson’s last-gasp winner leaves boss John Askey sending out a ‘catch us if you can’ challenge to rivals

TITLE-WINNING teams find a way to win when they’re not at their best. Champions often do so right at the death.

And Macclesfield Town, who may yet go on to take the National League crown, landed a killer blow, not only to their visitors from Maidenhead, but also the chasing pack.

John Askey’s Silkmen maintained their five-point lead with Scott Wilson heading in the only goal of an evenly-matched game in the first minute of stoppage time.

If anything, Maidenhead had had the better of the game in the second half but were undone by Elliott Durrell’s superb cross for Wilson to break the Magpies’ hearts.

And manager Askey sent out the message that, unlike recent years when his sides have been weakened in January and fallen away, the Silkmen won’t surrender their lead at the top without a scrap.

“In previous years we’ve had to sell players but this year we’ve been able to keep everybody and bring in the likes of Nathan Blissett and Callum Evans so, instead of the squad getting weaker, we’ve grown stronger,” he said ominously.

“We’ve got momentum with us – and confidence. Just like losing, winning becomes a habit and that’s what we’ve got at the moment. We’ll enjoy this win then we move on to Boreham Wood (on Saturday). The pressure is on the other teams to catch us and make up five points now.

“We knew if we kept a clean sheet we’d be giving ourselves a chance, the conditions were not good but you’ve got to keep going right to the end if you want to win something.

“It doesn’t matter how you win – sometimes it’s not pretty but it’s a win and we’ll move on to the next one.”

Both sides impressed in fits and starts during the first half but neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled.

The evergreen Danny Whitaker, excellent once again in the heart of the Macclesfield midfield, was twice denied by Magpies keeper Carl Pentney, while, at the other end, Shwan Jalal had no trouble gathering a tame effort from Ryan Upward.

Those half-chances aside, both teams produced some impressive build-up play but with an end product sadly lacking.

In fact, the biggest reaction from the crowd was drawn by a hamstring injury to assistant referee Gareth Vickers, which eventually saw him substituted.

Although Alan Devonshire’s visitors had the lion’s share of possession after the break, it was Pentney in the visitors’ goal that had more to do, making a fine save from Mitch Hancox and an even better one when he recovered to stop Tyrone Marsh putting in the loose ball.

United will also look back on wasted chances with Adrian Clifton and Jake Hyde both heading over – the latter blowing a golden opportunity when unmarked in the centre of the goal.

Blissett put over a late chance for Macc and, with two minutes left on the clock, it appeared that would be that.

But in the second minute of stoppage time, Durrell and Wilson combined to send Maidenhead home, somewhat unjustly, empty-handed.

“It is a very cruel game sometimes,” rued Magpies coach Sam Lock. “Obviously, they are the team at the top, were pushing for a goal at the end and we were defending for our lives a bit, but to concede like that was poor defending on our part.

“We haven’t got out to Durrell and someone’s lost their man so it’s poor from us, we’re absolutely gutted.

“There were lots of positives but a very big negative at the end. It was a bit of naivety on our part, a bit of immaturity and good players punish you.” STAR MAN: Elliott Durrell (Macclesfield) ATT: 1,668 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Alan Young 5/10