MATCH PREVIEW: Bigg Macc on the menu

Reds are back on the M6 on Saturday for their final away match of a season that has unravelled somewhat over the final two months.

They complete their Premier Division travels with an intriguing fixture at Macclesfield who have already secured a berth in the play-offs.  It is a bit different for Macclesfield this season, of course, with a play-off schedule to be negotiated following their successive titles in the NWCL and NPL West over the last two campaigns.

It is a daunting prospect for thread-bare Reds, however, with Michael Clegg’s team still chasing points to finish as runners-up to worthy champions, Radcliffe.

It will be the fourth time we have met Macc since their re-formation and Clegg will be the fourth different manager to oppose Danny Grainger.  Regardless, their record in three seasons is quite remarkable – 80 victories, 270 goals and 258 points.

They completed the double over us last season, 4-1 in Cheshire and 1-0 in Cumbria, but we managed a morale boosting point from a goalless draw in last December’s encounter at Borough Park.

After hosting Reds at the Leasing.com Stadium, Macc finish their programme with trips to Bamber Bridge and Whitby Town next week.  One would expect them to register nine points from those games in normal circumstances and they will be odds-on favourites to get a comfortable win at our expense.

Last season, over a hundred Reds fans travelled to Macclesfield but the away support won’t be quite as strong on Saturday.

It will be Workington’s eighth game on ‘plastic’ this term with wins obtained at Bradford and Basford, a draw at Marine but defeats inflicted upon us at Morpeth, Ilkeston, Hyde and Worksop.

Retiring legend, Conor Tinnion, will miss the game as he serves his one match suspension while Scott Allison, who scored at the stadium last season will be in the squad.

Macc, the best supported club in the NPL, will be expecting another 3,000 plus crowd for the game which kicks-off at 3pm.

Postcode: SK11 7SP