Marcus Braddock looks ahead to this evening's Leasing.com game at home to Macclesfield Town
Macclesfield Town visit Montgomery Waters Meadow this evening in the Leasing.com Trophy with the pre-game attention focussing away from the pitch. Saturdays F.A. Cup 1st round game against Kingstonion saw a makeshift Silkmen eleven suffer a 4-0 home defeat after first-team players were forced to strike because of unpaid wages. However, wages have now been paid and further obstacles have been cleared, meaning we should have a game tonight. It must be a difficult time to be a supporter, player or a staff member with Macclesfield at the moment and I hope they can sort out the serious issues they're currently experiencing and concentrate on more frivolous matters.
Considering their off the field problems, their 15th place after 16 games seems quite impressive and I'm left wondering what might be possible if things were going more smoothly. The current form has seen the Silkmen lose their last two league games as well as Saturday's loss but before that, they had a brace of wins at home to Port Vale 2-1and away at Oldham 1-0.
That clean sheet at Oldham was their third so far this season in League Two and their fourth in all competitions after a 0-0 at Grimsby in the League Cup, although they lost the penalty shoot-out. Away wins have been difficult to come by but there have been two in the League including the previously mentioned win at Oldham and also a 2-1 win at Northampton.
Predictably, goals have been marginally easier to score at home and the goals conceded away have been more frequent away. Top goalscorers are midfielder Emmanuel Osadebe and right-winger Theo Archibald who have four each in the league. They also have five players who've scored twice in the league including ex-Town striker Arthur Gnahoua who is on loan from Carlisle United.
Town are obviously favourites for this one, we're the higher league team with a bigger budget and with none of the problems that have been afflicting The Silkmen. However, with all of the recent negative attention, I have a feeling that there may be a bit of professional pride being played for. Having been forced to take negative action at the weekend, I'm hoping we get to see the best of Macclesfield tonight.
COYB!!!