Forthcoming Fixtures

City returned for a pre-season match at Moss Rose; the home of Macclesfield Town for the first time in five years after that fateful hot summer's day when the City faithful were unable to say goodbye to their little dynamo Shaun Wright Phillips as he was wisked away to Chelsea. Anyway this time it was City's elite development squad that was making the journey to south Cheshire; and a rather 'B' team one at that with a fair few first choice players still away with the first team squad in the United States. A first half equalizing goal was by Omar Elabdellaoui was not sufficient to get a result as Macclesfield went on to score a second goal in the second half.

City started brightly with a good chance inside the fifth minute when Ahmad Benali made a strong run on the right and cut inside into the area to beat a couple of Macc players and cut the ball back for trialist Mohammed Abu but the goalkeeper saved well. A minute later and City could have had a penalty when again Benali was clipped from behind in the area but the referee waved away the appeal.

Just over ten minutes gone and Macc win a free kick on the right after Tom smith is a bit over physical in the challenge. The inswinging ball comes over and is headed by Tyrone Barnett downwards and up against the bar and in as Loris Karius is unable to keep the ball out.

Two minutes later and City were level when Chris Chantler sees Benali in space in midfield and he moves on and then plays the ball into Omar who then beats a couple of defenders to put the ball into the far corner of the goal.

City suffered a blow after twenty four minutes when the injury ridden Sean Tse went down again clutching his left knee after a good challenge to deny a goal scoring opportunity. Three minutes later and we saw Sean valiantly hobble off ; we at MCRAA certainly hope that it is not another serious injury.

Macc finished the half the stronger with Benali clearing a header off the line from Emile Sinclair and the last minute of the half Richard Butcher saw his twenty yard shot fizz just wide after a very good spell of passing football by Macc.

Macc regained the lead in the fifty third minute when captain Javan Vidal was harshly adjudged to have fouled and the resulting free kick from the left was headed in by Macc's captain Nat Brown at the near post.

Two minutes later and Barnett was put clean through and he struck first time from twenty five yards but his shot went just wide. City had a lot of the ball and continued to press but did not really force any more saves from the goalkeeper and it was Macc that perhaps had the only other real chance when Matt Hamshaw's first time turn and shot that went narrowly over the bar.

City now travel up to Cumbria to play Barrow next Saturday who will probably be less difficult opposition as I was very impressed with the way that Macc were able to move the ball about at times.

Macc: Veiga(GK), Reid, Tremarco, Brown(Capt.), Brisley, Hamshaw, Butcher, Bolland, Daniel, Sinclair, Barnett.

Subs(all used): Cudworth(GK), Chalmers, Wedgbury, Lowe, Mukendi, Roberts, Beardsley.

City: Karius(GK), Vidal(Capt.), Smith(Bunn 57), McGivern, Tse(Veseli 27), Abu, Razak(Olle 68), Elabdellaoui, Poole, Benali, Chantler.

Sub: E Johansen(GK)

Attendance:1405