League Two Form Guide

		P	GD	Pts
1	MK Dons	6	+7	15
2	Port Vale	6	+5	15
3	Walsall	6	+6	12
4	Crewe	6	+4	11
5	Cheltenham	6	+2	11
6	Chesterfield	6	+3	10
7	Accrington Stanley	6	+3	9
8	Salford	6	+1	9
9	Doncaster	6	+1	9
10	Notts County	6	0	9
11	Bradford	6	+1	8
12	AFC Wimbledon	6	+2	7
13	Bromley	6	0	7
14	Harrogate Town	6	-1	7
15	Grimsby	6	-4	7
16	Colchester	6	-1	6
17	Carlisle	6	-2	6
18	Fleetwood Town	6	-2	6
19	Newport County	6	-2	6
20	Tranmere	6	-4	6
21	Morecambe	6	-7	6
22	Gillingham	6	-4	4
23	Barrow	6	-4	3
24	Swindon	6	-5	2

Full Form Table
Prem|Champ|L1|NL|VN|VS
SPL|SC|S1|S2

Question of the Week

Is football a business or a sport?

Next Up: Moss Rose

Macclesfield v Grimsby

By: Alex Green
Date: 11/02/2008

AFTER the emphatic win against promotion contenders Chesterfield, the Mariner hope to close the gap between them and the play-offs even further with 3 points against struggling Macclesfield

Home > 2007-2008 Season > Previews > Macclesfield (a)

The Opposition

Overview

On the outer limits of Cheshire, Macclesfield have always been perceived as perennial strugglers desperate to hold on to their Football League status with some of the smallest crowds in the league. Last season the Silkmen narrowly escaped relegation after Boston’s financial problems finally caught up with them and were docked the points which would send them down several leagues and keep Macclesfield firmly placed in League Two for another season. This campaign the Cheshire outfit find themselves in the midst of yet another relegation battle and with all the teams below them having games in hand on them and teams like Mansfield, Lincoln and Notts County all picking up their form Macclesfield will be desperate for a win at home to keep them above the dreaded relegation places.

The Team

Though struggling manager Ian Brightwell (above) has been able to combine a team full of youth and experience. Former Town front man Martin Gritton, former Imp Francis Green (left), Richard Edghill and Brightwell himself all have made over 150 appearances each, while the youth and exuberance comes from midfielder Izak Reid, defender Neil Ashton and midfielder James Ashmore. All offer Brightwell options when it comes his selection. On the field it’s the two older strikers who have been able to keep Macclesfield’s scoreboard ticking over both Green and Gritton have 8 a piece. Green's late goal on Saturday meant The Silkmen recorded their first win of 2008 with the win over Morecambe and their first since November. Brightwell is desperate for that elusive run of form which would see Macclesfield push for the mediocrity of midtable rather then another nail biting finish.

Key Player

Former Newcastle Goalkeeper Jonny Brain has been outstanding form for the Silkmen of late and was a key reason why Macclesfield left Morecambe with 3 points after a superb display between the posts. Only 24 Brain has been at Carlisle, Newcastle and Port Vale before arriving at Moss Rose where he has become the first choice keeper and an essential part to pushing Macclesfield back up the table.

Recent Form

Town

Macclesfield

W	Chesterfield	(h)	4-2
D	Notts Co	(a)	1-1
W	Bury	(h)	1-0
D	Shrewsbury	(h)	1-1
D	Dagenham	(a)	0-0

Currently 11th in League Two.

W	Morecambe	(a)	1-0
L	Lincoln	(h)	1-2
L	Bradford	(h)	0-1
D	MK Dons	(a)	1-1
D	Darlington	(a)	2-2

Currently 19th in League Two.

Top Scorers

Town

Macclesfield

Danny North	8
Danny Boshell	6

Gritton	9
Green	8

Team News

Town	Macclesfield
Rob Atkinson, Nick Fenton and Peter Till are all doubtful after picking up knocks on Saturday and will face late fitness tests. Midfielders Paul Bolland and Ciaran Toner are both fully fit and available for selection.	Leading scorer Striker Martin Gritton will miss out with an ankle injury. His was also missing in the win at Morecambe on Saturday. Midfielder Levi Reid misses the game through suspension.

Probable Teams

Town

Macclesfield

G	1	Barnes
D	6	Fenton
D	24	Atkinson
D	3	Newey
M	14	Hird
M	2	Clarke
M	11	Boshell
M	4	Hunt
M	17	Hegarty
M	7	Till
F	9	North

G	30	Brain
D	15	Izak Reid
D	16	Cresswell
D	5	Hessey
D	21	Ashton
M	20	Blackman
M	25	Dunfield
M	15	Ashmore
M	12	Thomas
F	8	Green
F	14	Symes

Subs

Town

Macclesfield

13	Montgomery
15	Whittle
18	Bore
19	Jones
20	Taylor

1	Lee
6	Dimech
33	Dennis
11	Tolley
26	Evans

Head to Head

Games between Grimsby and Macclesfield have tended to be draws, with 3 of the 7 games so far having ended up 1-1. Town have never won at Moss Rose and only beaten the Silkmen once, two seasons ago. The only club in League Two who Grimsby have a worse record against than Macclesfield are Wycombe.

P 7 W 1 D 4 L2 F 8 A 9

Macclesfield Head-to-Head (79th on The Opposition Ladder)

Last Meeting

Grimsby 1 Macclesfield 1 (Sat 25th August 2007)

Town missed their chances and had to settle for a draw against Macclesfield in the early season game at Blundell Park back in August. Ex-Mariner Martin Gritton gave Macclesfield the lead but Taylor managed to grab a goal to spare Town their blushes.

Report

Prediction

Macclesfield 1-1 Grimsby Town

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League Two Form Guide

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Macclesfield v Grimsby

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