Macclesfield FC made it 13 games unbeaten in all competitions as they saw off Glossop North End with a comfortable 2-0 victory.
Recent signing Dylan Fage marked his debut with a goal inside the opening 17 minutes of the game before Ntumba Massanka got his second goal in two games just after the restart to seal the win for the Silkmen.
As you would expect, with the teams where they are in the league, it was Macclesfield who made most of the running in the game and, their first chance came just two minutes into the match when some neat build-up play saw the ball fall to Massanka but, he put his shot over Craig Ellison’s goal.
However, Massanka was to be involved in the game’s opening goal which came on 19 minutes. Alex Curran played a defence-splitting ball to Neil Kengni whose low cross picked out the former Stafford Rangers forward. He tried a cheeky backheel which Ellison turned onto the post but, the rebound fell to Fage who made no mistake in rolling the ball into a virtually empty net for a dream start to life at Macclesfield.
The next Silkman chance of note came on 18 minutes when Fage came off the wing, looking to run at goal which was eventually stopped by a Glossop North End defender. However, the ball fell to Curran who hit his effort straight down the throat of Ellison.
Massanka was looking to add to the goal he scored against Witton Albion last time out and, he had two decent opportunities to double the Silkmen’s lead before the break. The first saw a deep cross find him at the back post but, he was to put his header into the side netting. In fairness to Massanka, it would have been some goal had he found the back of the net considering he was level with the post when he connected with the ball.
His second chance came on 32 minutes when he showed great upper body strength to wrestle his way past Niall Moran and Louis Jeanne to get into the penalty area. However, he was to put his shot straight at Ellison.
Glossop did push for an equaliser just before the break as Jacques Etia headed a corner just over Wyll Stanway’s crossbar, while Hillmen captain Nathan Valentine hit an effort from around 30 yards out but, his shot was to sail well wide of the goal.
Macclesfield doubled their lead just five minutes into the second half when Curran’s free kick was knocked down at the back post by Lewis Fensome for Massanka to tap over the goal line. The knockdown from Fensome may have drifted in at the post but, Massanka did what all good strikers do and follow in to get the ball over the line.
The second goal took the pace right out of the game. Macclesfield were pleased with their two goals and, Glossop did not want to concede any more goals and probably knew they wouldn’t be able to get back into the match. As such the ball spent a lot of time in the middle third of the pitch and, when the Silkmen did try to break forward they found their route to the goal blocked by a stubborn Glossop defence.
Despite the lull in the game, Neil Danns and his assistant Mark Duffy opted to send on Dan Sweeney for his debut as he replaced goalscorer Massanka. The former Hednesford Town and Kidderminster Harriers forward offered the Macclesfield fans glimpses of what he can do as he put himself about in the final half an hour or so. Sweeney even had a great chance to score near the end of the match when Nicky Maynard dummied Kengni’s low cross to Sweeney who saw his shot deflect out for a corner off Jeanne.
The 2-0 win could well be an important one for Macclesfield in their quest for back-to-back promotions as they move six points clear of 2nd place Leek Town who drew 0-0 with Hanley Town. The Silkmen are at Workington next Saturday in a big game at the top of the Northern Premier League West division.
Macclesfield FC: Stanway, Pemberton, Lee, Fensome, Mendy, Murphy, Kengni, Danns, Massanka (Maynard, 60), Curran (Drummond, 82) and Fage (Sweeney, 60)
Unused subs: Cowan and Nasseri.
Glossop North End: Ellison, Burey, Sanogo (Mialwoski, 88), Moran (Nock, 85), Magurie (Okome, 22), Jeanne, Gillam, Valentine, Etia, Yoak and Lavelle.
Unused subs: Wilshaw and Bevan.
Attendance: 4,013
