MATCH PREVIEW: Big Macc on the menu
A bumper crowd is expected at Borough Park on Saturday as Reds host league leaders Macclesfield in the NPL West Division’s match-of-the-day (3pm).
The fixture may have lost a tad of significance following Reds’ two recent home performances but it will attract the biggest crowd of the season with a healthy away support adding to the atmosphere.
Since losing to Macclesfield at Moss Rose in November, Reds have put together a superb run of results (36 points from 15 games) but have been unable to overtake leaders Macc or second placed Leek Town.
There might have been a chance of doing that until we dropped five points in two home games earlier this month. The situation is now quite daunting at the top with Neil Danns’ side sitting on a nine-point advantage over Workington and a six points gap between them and Leek.
The importance of Saturday’s contest is there for all to see yet, regardless, the team will be doing their utmost to take something from the game having done so well in the first meeting, to no avail.
We felt the 4-1 score line was a touch harsh on that occasion but that little extra bit of class proved decisive in the end. Neil Kengni maintained his excellent scoring record against us that night with Alex Curran (penalty), Nicky Maynard and Neill Danns also getting their names on the score sheet after Scott Allison’s goal got us back in contention.
The two sides have maintained fine form since then, as have Leek, and it is interesting to compare the respective records:
Macc: W W W W L W D W W W W W D W W D W
Reds: W W W W W W D D W W W W D L W
The leaders, and the NPL’s best supported club, have won 21 matches to date, drew 3 and lost just 4 games with 71 goals scored and just 19 conceded.
Danny Grainger’s side, in comparison, have won 17, drawn 6, and lost 5 with a goal ratio of 47-27.
Everyone should be aware that segregation will be in place for the match with the Macclesfield supporters housed in the south west corner of the Town End (pictured) with toilet and refreshment facilities available to them.
They will access the ground via turnstiles 3 and 4 with the Town end segregated between the two entrances to the terraces. They must have purchased their ticket from Macclesfield FC.
Workington supporters wishing to stand on the east side of the Town End or the Popular Side should access the ground via turnstiles 5 and 6. Alternatively, they can enter the ground via turnstiles 1 and 2 if intending to stand on the Enclosure or Derwent End terraces.
