No rain, but a greasy pitch on a dark evening at the Moss Rose for the Coca-Cola League Two match between Macclesfield Town and Cambridge United. Macc lined up with Fettis in goal, a defence of Weaver, Carragher and Barras. A midfield of Bailey, Whitaker, Widdrington, Harsley and Potter, and Parkin and Tipton up front. The U's played in a similar 3-5-2 also with a defender dropping off as Carragher does for Macc Town.
Cambridge appeared to win the toss and left the sides unchanged. Almost from the start, Whitaker was in for a shot that that Ruddy in the U's goal saved. Then it was Cambridge on the break as Taylor got away and fed a ball in from the left that Potter did well to get away. It was end to end stuff with Macc forcing a series of corners and free-kicks for infringements on Parkin. On 9 minutes, Tipton fired in a long range effort that was just tipped over for another corner. On 15 minutes a Barras header from a Harsley corner appeared to be blocked by a Cambridge hand but the referee ignored it. On 20 minutes, Cambridge showed how dangerous they could be on a break, the ball being put across the Macc goal without contact and away. After a number of incidents, Cambridge's Easter was booked. Macc applied the pressure to the Cambridge goal but could not create a clear chance as the visitors defended well. Cambridge were giving away so many free-kicks that it appeared that under pressure from the U's fans the ref started to give them the 50/50 incidents as a way of "evening things up"!
On 25 minutes Nicholls had a long range effort for the visitors that was just wide. Macc came back and a good move saw Tipton almost get the ball into the corner of the goal, Ruddy having to make a good save. Then on 38 minutes Cambridge scored from a corner. JERMAINE EASTER was left unmarked and he had a free header past Fettis into the Macc goal. Turner then nearly made it two, running in and firing just wide. Macc tried to get the equaliser before half-time. A Parkin header couldn't get past a packed U's goal area and then just on time, Tipton fired in again a shot that Ruddy saved.
Into the second half and Cambridge started with a well worked free-kick went just wide after Barras had impeded a Cambridge player running across the front of the area. On 49 minutes, Macc got the equaliser. Inevitably it came from a free-kick, Harsley's kick being headed down, Ruddy and a defender appeared to have the ball safe but somehow spilled it and MATT TIPTON pounced stabbing in from close range. On 57 minutes, Macc had the chance to take the lead. Tipton, wide on the right beat the ball off two U defenders and crossed in, the ball dropping for Harsley, but with Potter in a better position, Harsley fired over the bar.
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The game opened up, both sides swinging the ball around looking for the winning goal. Cambridge continued to look the more dangerous from set pieces. On 71 minutes, it looked like Cambridge would score but Fettis blocked and anyway, the linesman's flag was up. On 73 minutes, Horton put Sheron on for Whitaker and went 3-4-3 looking for the winning goal. Sheron was soon into the action winning well in midfield and releasing Potter up the left side. He beat his marker and put a ball in, but Tipton couldn't get his head on the ball properly and the ball went wide.
Another Cambridge corner had to be scrambled away by the Macc defenders. Then a long range shot for the visitors took a wicked deflection off the Macc defence and Fettis had to scramble to clear it. On 83 minutes Macc should have scored. Parkin did well to get the ball and get Sheron away down the left. He put a great ball in for Tipton, who normally scores these but his feet let him down and the chance was lost. At the other end, Cambridge had a run through and blasted over as the goal beckoned. Cambridge nearly got their goal as a Carragher back header nearly beat Fettis, the Macc keeper having to dive and push the ball around the post. As full time approached, it was Macc looking for the winner as yet another free-kick just outside the Cambridge area couldn't be converted and then in extra time, a Barras header was well saved by Ruddy.
A game Macclesfield should have won, but with recent games against struggling opponents having been lost some comfort can be taken from the point.
All times approximate.
Ref: A Penn
For Footymad match report with statistics see Match Reports on left.