1.7 billion years of universal existance and it all comes to this - a trip to a damp Moss Rose on a Wednesday afternoon to see the Macclesfield Town Reserves take on Shrewsbury Town Reserves in a Pontin's Holidays League Division One West game. Macc lined up with a 3-5-2 as follows - Deasy in goal, a back three of Briscoe, Brightwell and Teague. A midfield five of Captain Carr, Moogan, Morgan, Jones and Smart with Fayadh and Rooney up front. It was Steve Carroll in the technical area. Shrewsbury lined up in a 4-4-2 with ex-Silkmen Dave Ridler and Pedro Matias playing.
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Both teams launched early sorties as the threatened rain held off - which was nice! It was Carr getting into the box but he was put off from making a shot, and the ball ran on to Rooney whose shot was pushed over the bar. From the corner, Briscoe got to the ball but couldn't direct it. Then at the Macc end it was Darby breaking through the back three and firing in which gave Deasy something to dive for. The Shrews continued the action, a ball from the right giving Matias and Aiston something to jump for, Matias heading over. It was Aiston showing his pace down the Shrews right, beating Smart and putting in a good ball that Carr had to get back to flick away. Then it was Macc on the attack and getting a corner. Fayadh's delivery was poor but the clearance fell to Jones whose shot into the box hoped for a deflection but Tynan covered it easily.
On 12 minutes, things got a lot noisier as Brian Horton arrived in the Macc dugout. It was Aiston again causing problems, collecting a clearance from Jones and setting up Matias and he shot wide. Macc then took a grip of the game without really threatening the visitor's goal. A period of Macc pressure was relieved with Aiston galloping away with the ball down the Shrew's right, but nothing came of it and it was Briscoe doing the same for Macc before coming to a halt at the half way line. Eventually the ball came to Moogan who tried a shot that was wide.
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The game settled down with both teams playing some nice midfield ball. But both defences were well on top and there were few chances of note created. On 28 minutes Shrewsbury substituted on the nippy Addagio with Stephens going off, Matias appearing to drop back into midfield. Macc were now playing the ball around, Briscoe picked out Rooney who swept it wide out left for Smart but nothing more came of it. Then on 32 minutes, from some scrappy play, Fayadh put in a good cross ball that Rooney did well at the back post to get to but his header made one bounce and into the arms of Tynan. Macc were now looking well on top of the game but were unable to convert it into anything like a goal. On 37 minutes the best chance of the game came to Morgan. Fayadh again put in a great cross from the right. This time it was the near post and Morgan rose well, and headed against the upright.
Then it was Shrewsbury on the break, again that man Aiston causing the problems with his running. Matias shooting and Deasy diving to save. Then it was Addagio nearly in, Briscoe having to get quickly across to head away. Then on 41 minutes a terrible mistake in the Shrewsbury defence gifted the home team the goal that decided the game. It appeared that a defensive back pass to Tynan went astray, the keeper had to scramble to get to the ball and only managed to kick it straight to TOMMY ROONEY who with an open goal in front of him, easily put the ball away. Macc carried on with the pressure up to half-time, Smart putting in a looping cross from wide out that Fayadh got up well for although his header did not create any danger.
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Second half and Macc brought on Cooke for Brightwell, Carr dropping into the back three. 49 minutes and Aiston bumped Smart as he headed towards the Shrews area, but nothing came from Fayadh's free-kick in. There was then a period where the Macc defence appeared to lose the plot a bit. A ball in from a corner had the defence dithering but eventually everything was tidied up and the defence resumed it's attention. Some good work by the Macc midfield put pressure on the visitor's defence but the chance wouldn't come. Ridler was making his presence felt and for Macc Cooke was looking dangerous down the right wing. He was linking up well with Morgan who in turn was supporting Rooney and Fayadh up front.
Then a Macc break looked dangerous. Fayadh having options, chose to set Smart free up the left and his dangerous cross in was just out of reach of Rooney. The game was now opening up with the action swinging from one end to the other. On 58 minutes a long range effort from Walton went just past the far post of the Macc goal. It was now Shrewsbury looking to get on top of the game with Macc starting to sit back in a defensive mode. But then it was Macc breaking away, a lovely little back heel flick from Fayadh found Smart and again a wicked ball in found Morgan but he couldn't get a shot in. Then it was Aiston breaking away as he lost first Fayadh and then Smart and got the ball out left to Matias and his near post ball was somehow blocked away by the Macc defence.
Then it was another Fayadh ball in that Morgan just couldn't quite get to. Then in the Macc box, the game was stopped for attention to Carr. The game restarted with a drop ball that the Shrewsbury player knocked back to Deasy. All rather more sporting and correct than what happened last Sunday at the same goal end. Shrewsbury made a double substitution, Ridler and Aiston going off and Price and Tolley coming on. On 80 minutes a good ball was put in by Shrewsbury, Darby heading just wide. Macc then substituted the goal scorer Rooney and brought on Owens. Without their main threat Aiston, Shrewsbury didn't really look like getting anything from the game in the last period up to the final whistle, the only note made being that Goh had a long range blast that went over.
Man of the Match: Michael Briscoe, looked class.
Ref: K Friend
Attendance: about 60?
All times approximate.
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