The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

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Peacock: Up front again
Peacock: Up front again

Grimsby v Macclesfield Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 23/02/2010

SO close but yet so far. What do we say to our children when they are older and ask about this record-breaking run? Well son/daughter/monkey we played reasonably well actually but it just didn't happen time and time again.

Home > 2009-2010 Season > Previews > Macclesfield (h)


Who are they?

Their History

Could any team encapsulate Division 4 more than Macclesfield? Well maybe Rochdale they are the moderator of League Two after all they just permanently hang around a bit like Biccy really. Anyway they should be applauded, nestling at the foothills of the beautiful Peak District. Macclesfield have competition from Manchester, Liverpool and even Stoke for punters and as a result can boast some of the lowest attendances in the entire football league . Even with such a lowly budget it and a general apathy from the local community they really should be applauded for keeping themselves above the waterline.

Macclesfield could technically argue they are older than any club on the planet. Created in the mid 1800’s as a rugby union team they changed codes in 1874 and played under numerous names before settling on Macclesfield Town F.C. For a team which is so old the clubs achievements aren't up to much by many standards. They were founder members of the Northern Premier League and one the inaugural FA Trophy against Telford at Wembley, promotion from the conference in 1997 after two years previously not been allowed in the league due to the poor state of Moss Rose. Since then the club have struggled but survived in the Football League on their meagre budget and with the likes of Accrington showing what can be achieved promotion and more importantly the lure of more support must be the club's key objective.

This Season.

The Silkmen have yet to win in 2010 and are slipping ever closer towards the mess we find ourselves in at the moment. The team thought they had put all thoughts of relegation behind them in the run up to Christmas with a string of impressive results including a 4-1 win over Crewe and a 3-1 victory over Hereford. Though Macclesfield have been able to pick up victories from those around them it’s victories against the tougher opponents which has marred and progress this season for the Silkmen every victory has come against a team either below them or within 10 points of them. Macclesfield not unlike ourselves currently find themselves in the midst of a drawing palooza - 4 of their last 6 have ended all square while Grimsby have drawn 12 of 16. Hmm wonder how this may end?

Key Player...

Influential youngster John Rooney has impressed so much he is currently at Derby on trial so the Silkmen will turn to leading goal scorer Reniel Sappleton for inspiration. Sappleton also known as Ricky has had nearly as many clubs as Trevor Benjamin and is only 20. "Ricky" Started his career at QPR where he caught the wandering eye of Liverpool and Middlesbrough where he spent two week trials at both clubs before settling at Leicester. Numerous loan clubs followed but it was at Macclesfield where Sappleton found his level, in a brief loan spell last season Sappleton scored 5 in 8 guaranteeing him a contract with Keith Alexander’s men. Currently the powerful forward has 6 goals to his name and with the likely hood he may well be playing under the finesse tactic of Keithball expect our backline to take an aerial bombardment for 90 minutes.

Recent Form

TownMacclesfield
LLincoln(h)2-2
DNotts Co(a)1-1
DBradford(a)0-0
LNotts Co(h)0-1
DAldershot(a)1-1
Currently 23rd in League Two.
DBournemouth(a)1-1
DAccrington(h)0-1
LBury(a)1-2
LShrewsbury(h)0-1
DMorecambe(h)2-2
Currently 20th in League Two.

Top Scorers

TownMacclesfield
Sweeney6
Sappleton6
Bencherif5

Team News

TownMacclesfield

  • Peter Sweeney is still suspended.

  • Dean Sinclair (knock) is a doubt.

  • Speedy winger Paris Cowan-Hall (hamstring) is ruled out following a reserve game.

  • Just Adrian Forbes (leg) and Robbie Stockdale (hernia) on the treatment table.
  • New Belgian signing Francois Kompany has yet to get international clearance.

  • Left-back Carl Tremarco (hernia) remains out of action, as does midfielder Hamza Bencherif (ankle).

  • Kris Dennis (shin) and Paul Morgan (hamstring) are doubts. .
  • Squads

    TownMacclesfield
    1GKNick Colgan
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFJoe Widdowson
    4MFDean Sinclair (on loan from Charlton)
    5MFOliver Lancashire
    6MFPeter Sweeney
    7MFAdrian Forbes
    8FWNathan Jar man
    9FWAdam Proudlock
    10FWBarry Conlon
    13MFNick Hegarty
    14MFPeter Bore
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFPaul Linwood
    18FWChris Jones
    19MFMichael Leary
    20MFJammal Shahin
    21FWMichael Coulson (on loan from Barnsley)
    24DFJamie Devitt (on loan from Hull City)
    25DFRob Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    28FWJosh Fuller
    29FWBradley Wood
    32MFMark Hudson
    33FWAshley Chambers (on loan from Leicester City)
    34FWParis Cowan-Hall (on loan from Portsmouth)
    35GKLeigh Overton
    36FWTommy Wright
    1 1 GK Jonny Brain
    1 2 MF Izak Reid
    1 3 DF Carl Tremarco
    1 4 DF Sean Hessey
    1 5 DF Nat Brown
    1 6 DF Paul Morgan
    1 7 MF Lee Bell
    1 8 MF Ross Draper
    1 9 FW Emile Sinclair
    1 10 DF Stephen Reed (on loan at Weymouth)
    1 11 FW Ben Wright
    1 12 FW Kyle Wilson
    1 13 GK José Veiga
    1 14 MF John Rooney
    1 15 MF Paul Bolland
    1 16 DF Shaun Brisley
    1 17 MF Colin Daniel
    1 18 FW Kristian Dennis
    1 19 DF Matthew Lowe
    1 20 MF Hamza Bencherif
    1 21 MF Richard Butcher (on loan from Lincoln City)
    1 22 FW Ricky Sappleton
    1 23 FW Matthew Tipton
    1 24 FW Vinny Mukendi
    1 25 MF Michael Thomas
    1 26 MF Adam Roberts
    1 28 FW Craig Lindfield
    1 29 MF Greg Mills (on loan from Derby County)
    1 TBA DF François Kompany

    Head to Head

    Town have won just twice against the Silkmen. 4 out of 5 games at Blundell Park have been draws.

    P11 W 2 D 6 L 3 F 10 A 11

    Head-to-Head (66th The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Macclesfield 0 Grimsby 0 (Sat 28th Nov 2009)

    Town hit the woodwork twice and had a goal disallowed, and Macclesfield missed chances too.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    So Macclesfield have 4 draws in 6 Grimsby 12 in 16. It looks good doesn't it?

    Grimsby 1-0 Macclesfield

    Reader's POMs

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