Train £6-80
Entry £15
Programme £3
Teas x2 £3-40
Total £28-20
The jewel in the crown? Moss Rose certainly sounds like it so I was looking forward to today. I often say this but Macclesfield has genuinely been on my list for a while. It is one of the few grounds I've not done where I could get back from after an evening match. So for today to be a Saturday was a bonus as it meant a shorter trip in the January gloom.
Macclesfield is another nice Cheshire town, so before heading to the ground, I wandered to the market place in the centre. I found an impressive building with almost classical pillars imposing itself on the town.
The ground was a short 20-minute walk south of the town, and before sorting a ticket I did my usual circamambulation around the perimeter. One corner backs onto the railway line, so the ground is just visible from the West Coast Mainline. Bizarrely Macclesfield don't have cash turnstiles so I had to buy a ticket at the office before walking through the turnstile about 3 yards away!
The ground is a decent Conference stadium. Both ends have terraced sections, with the away section exposed to the elements (much like Accrington). The stand opposite me was completely seated, whilst the stand on my side was a hybrid of terrace and seating. The floodlights were on already at it was only just coming up to 3pm!
'Macc' as they are affectionately known, were doing reasonably well this year, pushing for a playoff place. Halifax were less successful, having spent much of the season at the wrong end of the table. It was an evenly matched and tight contest, and the first half was littered with chances.
Halifax's 18 ran through but couldn't convert, while M23 had a long shot saved. M11 fired over, while h4 did the same at the other end with his left ft. I was particularly impressed with m23, who played passes with plenty of vision and forethought. On 30 minutes, m5 headed wide and then m11s effort was well saved by the away keeper. Halifax had a purple patch just before the break, rattling the post with 35's effort (via the keepers fingertips). H11 blazed over from close range, and h2 fired massively wide.
The second half was a fierce territorial battle in the middle, with less chances registered than before. A couple of half chances resulted in m6 scoring a drop goal (high and over!) and a mixup in the Halifax defence nearly resulting in a goal. Then came the breakthrough. A slick move from the Yorkshire side - instigated by h4 - resulted in a lovely team goal by 18. The combination between 4, 19. 35 and 9 was outstanding. The remaining effort - much to the home fans frustration - came when h15s shot was well saved.
There were boos around the ground at the final whistle as Macclesfield could perhaps have done better given their league position. It had been a tight match though and Halifax had only just managed to find the winner. As I headed away from the floodlit Moss Rose, I saw no less than 5 police cars flying past. I'm not sure whether something had happened back at the ground but on a day like this I only really cared about getting on the train. Thanks to the late FA Cup KO between Man Utd and Sheffield Utd, the train from Stockport was relatively quiet for once.
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