FL2: Macclesfield v Torquay Utd 19 March 2011

another blood pressure raiser of a game,usual us,but all in all thankful for a point,and we could of even won it

Well for the first time in a very long time, I took my radio with me to watch a local match and wished I had not bothered. I gave up as I’m sure many of you did that were listening on 1458.

Even coming home in the car trying to listen to the match summary the very same thing happened, so I had no idea how well we played in the match. Thankfully we already have one excellent match report from tufc01, so at least I have got an idea how the game went.

Have to say I was a bit surprised we were two down by halftime, but then thinking about the first half against Bury on Tuesday night where we could have been three or more down by halftime, I’m starting to ask myself why I should have been surprised.

Two away games on the trot were it seems we were not at the races and ended up being behind at halftime. It’s a good job Bucks is good at halftime team talks that’s all I can say.

Reading the match report it does sound like we wanted to hit and hope far too much, its no good just humping the ball from the back and hoping something will come of it. We can play very good football and we do that by keeping the ball on the floor and passing it to each other.

Still another fine second half comeback and we were unlucky at the death not to get all three points. Would love to hear what Bucks has to say about our poor first half displays in our last two matches, is it just the fact the home team have done what most home teams try to do and that is to take the game to the away side.

Tufc01’s ratings seem to suggest a number of our players were not at their best today, I’m happy to accept what he say’s, but just think how good we can be if and when all the players are playing to the high standard they can.

Happy tonight to see us now in a play-off spot, not going to get to carried away just yet, but boy would promotion make up for a certain big disappointment not so long ago.

I made the trip up to Maccy today via a new 15 mile 50mph zone on the M1 and and the stunning roads and scenery of the Peak District and the Staffordshire Moors through the picturesque towns of Ashbourne and Buxton plus past the post industrial slight eyesore of Leek.

We started off ok for the first 5 mins and then we were appaling for the next 41 minutes. It was like watching talentless statues at times. Bugger all movement when defending and bugger all pressure being exerted on the home team. With the ball it was even worse. No movement, no cohesion, absolutely nothing. I looked into the blue Cheshire sky and wondered which brain cell had made the decision to drive up all the way up from London.

First goal. Deep corner. Unmarked bloke headed it in from close range. Bevs got grief from this knobhead scouser (kangol style cap, geeky glasses, guardian reader) in our end who called him a "f**king Sh**ehouse". The second goal came from Mansell falling asleep, the cross came in and the bloke finished it very nicely. Macc could and should've been at least 3 or 4 nil up half time. They had a screamer which shook the goal for a couple of minutes afterwards and Robbo made a very good defensive block when a goal seemed inevitable.

The first half ended with Bevs giving the prat behind us a gobful. I think I read the words "flipping" and "twonk". Not the greatest first half I've ever seen.

Bucks sent them out early in the second half. A bit more effort and movement but no cohesion. Then suddenly a good move and wee Jack finishes superbly. 2-1. More like it. Then a few minutes later we conceed another corner. Another unmarked man scores with a header. 3-1! Bullocks! Lathrope and Nico off for Murray and LRT. O'Kane on for the slightly lacklustre Zebroski. Then their turn to do something daft at the back. The most needless of needless handballs. Wee Jake steps up and scores the penalty. 3-2. Macclesfield retreated onto the back foot. Tomlin made a nuisance of himself. Stanley worked so hard in midfield. Murray and Robinson looked dangerous. We won a good corner. The ref delayed it to sort out some pushing and shoving between the Pickler and two Macc defenders. The corner taken and the Pickler got an excellent glance with looped up over the Portuguese time waster with the two foot neck and into the net. At least 124 calories were burnt off celebrating that one!

And then the Jake Robinson chance at the death. Good save from the keeper.

All in all a decent point against a robust team, a weak referee and crap pitch. It could've been all three but that would've been unfair on Macc.

Do we know the definitive answer regarding Lathropes suspension. Apparently the HE said in the week he was unavailable and Paul Buckle had said Lathrope was unlucky to miss out. There were a few others at yesterday's game enquiring as to how he was available to play.

After what has recently happened you would think that the club would be completely sure he was available but I would like some confirmation that he was available. A second offence within a month wouldn't do us any favours with the football league. Like I said the club MUST know, but i would be happier when I know for sure.

Rob posted this up the other day




I would imagine that as he was sent off in a game that was not a football league match, the ban will only apply to any game that is not a league match. Maybe the ban can be served out in the next reserve team match?

I'm sure everything has been checked, doubled checked and then checked again before he was put in the squad for yesterdays game. Bucks won't want to risk and further points deductions and must be keeping his fingers crossed after getting us into a play-off spot, the league don't come down to heavy on us over the Robinson affair.

Not the greatest display by all accounts but a well earned point none the less.
What is apparent to me is that tiredness and fatigue is taking its toll on one or two with such a busy schedule. Ten games in a little over a month. I reckon the players and management have coped wit it it exceptionally well ,what isn't always recognised is the handling and management of injuries and niggles. Have we been lucky well maybe a little on that front but when did we last have a long term injury problem and maybe not handled so well at Swindon where Benners has been out for a good while now. The chopping and changing of personnel yesterday also emphasised that its important to try and keep players fresh and each of them will have their own way of coping and react differently to such a demanding schedule.
One other thing I have consistently noticed over the past few seasons is that for many decades we always fell away badly in the second half and closing months of the season. Rarely did we maintain or improve form and results in the final 15/20 fixtures as we have under PB. It was always expected that we would tail off and we usually did when in a position of relative strength and supporters would always say that we didn't want it or the club simply couldn't afford to go up a level. Well that notion has certainly been thrown out of the window and long may it continue.

Can see what you mean aussie - Branno's header at the death was the only time we won anything from a long throw or corner all afternoon. Glad you guys cleared up what Bev said at half-time, as I couldn't hear it from where I stood. Have to say I'm totally fed up with those so-called supporters (surely the wrong word !) who give the team or individual players a hard time, like the bloke next to me who did nothing but moan from start to finish, slating Tomlin in particular. I just fail to see how it helps -might just incline loan players to want away, if anything, surely. On a less grumpy note, I thought the pitch didn't help yesterday - firm and bobbly, with a bit of a breeze blowing, all of which Macc seemed to cope with better than us. Have to give Bucks credit for making decisions which had an effect on things, even though I have to admit I was surprised by them at the time, such as taking off Nico and Zebs. At least it's clear that he has no favourites and will do whatever he thinks is needed to improve things.