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Archived News from November 2007

STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
1st November 2007 21:24


Just over a year ago, the Stags played Macclesfield at Moss Rose and won 3-2 thanks to a 90th minute Richard Barker penalty. Then, the Silkmen were rock bottom of the entire Football League with no win and four draws from fourteen games. And Macclesfield had to wait until December 5, 2006, to register their first win. After that three-pointer, the Silkmen won five and drew once to climb out of the drop zone, a zone they were close to until the final day when survival was definitely secured. Meanwhile, Macc took revenge for the home defeat by winning 2-1 at Field Mill on a March Friday night. At that time, the Silkmen needed the points more than the Stags, whose injury jinx at the end of last campaign had just started.

But this season, the Stags have been in the drop zone, but left the bottom two thanks to a gutsy goal-less draw at Shrewsbury despite being a player down for the entire second half. On the other hand, Macclesfield have been the draw specialists of League Two so far by drawing eight of their thirteen games so far, four each at home and away. But the Silkmen let a 2-0 lead slip against Bury. In the end, the teams had to settle for a 2-2 draw. And that is true to the Silkmen style so far, as only one of the numerous draws have been goal-less. On the other hand, no league game at Field Mill since January 2, 2006, a home game against Lincoln, have been devoid of goals - and no league game so far between the Stags and the Silkmen have been goal-less. But will the Stags add to their current unbeaten run of three games on Saturday?

In the 1990's, Macclesfield were a side which first was refused entry to the FL due to ground regulations, then a couple of seasons later, finally gained entry to the league (The Silkmen won the Conf in 1994-95 and then in 1996-97). On joining the League, the Silkmen were to be the fifth side to gain further promotion in their first FL season in 1997-98 (the others being Peterborough in 1960-61, Hereford in 1972-73, Darlington in 1990-91 on immediate league return after being relegated in 1988-89 and Wycombe in 1993-94) in second position being unbeaten at home, behind Notts County – and that under the guidance of Sammy McIlroy, later Northern Ireland national team manager. But the Macc had up to the Field Mill fixture on September 6, 2003 only once scored at the Mill and that was when the teams shared eight goals apiece in a 4-4 draw on August 28, 2000 – the first game at the new-look Field Mill in front of 3360.

The teams also faced each other in 2001-02 when the lowest home crowd of that promotion season, just 2681, and just a few Stags FL home league games since then have seen a crowd below 3000 - saw the Stags stuff the Silkmen 4-0 with the help of two strikes from Disley and one apiece from Greenacre and White. Needless to say that this is the up-to-date highest Stags win against the Macc. Incidentally, one of Macclesfield's up to date highest league wins was in a home game against the Stags on November 2, 1999 – 5-2 to the Silkmen. This was bettered by the Silkmen on December 13, 2003, when Huddersfield were mauled 4-0 at Moss Rose, even bettered when the Silkmen stuffed Notts County 5-0 at their place last season. (Now bettered when the Silkmen stuffed Stockport 6-0 at home on Boxing Day, 2005, editor's note). All other league games between the clubs being won by either side so far with the exemption of the 2001-02 league Field Mill fixture and the one from 2004-05 at Macclesfield have been decided by the only goal of the game – the most important one being an injury-time Tankard header at Moss Rose on December 29, 2001 in front of 2550, of whom about a third, 771, took the relative short trip across the Peak District to Silkmen Country. In 2000-01, the Stags also won by the only goal of the game at Moss Rose. On January 14, 2001, Mark Blake hit the winner 34 minutes into that tie. On November 6, 2004, when the Stagsnet statistical previewer did the Stagsnet report of the Field Mill game, Sheron hit the only goal of the game for the Silkmen's first-ever league victory in Stagsland. That game was also Keith Curle's last game as Stags manager as he a few days later was controversially suspended.

The teams faced prior to the League game in Mansfield on November 6, 2004, each other in a cup tie for the first time – but that was at Moss Rose on November 2, 2004, when a youthful Stags side crashed out of the LDV Vans Trophy to a 4-0 scoreline. But both teams have had FA Cup home games against West Ham. In Macclesfield's case, this happened only the week after Tankard's injury time winner. The Hammers won the 3rd round FA Cup 2001-02 tie with the same scoreline as with which the Stags kayoed West Ham in 1968-69 – 3-0! And both sides reached the FA Cup 3rd round in 2003-04 – the Silkmen for the third year running. Macclesfield also did that in 1967-68 – as a non-league side which nearly accounted for then First Division Fulham away before losing 4-2 – and in 1987-88, when the subsequent Spurs killers Port Vale won a home tie 1-0.

Played for both sides: Colin Askey, Richie Barker, Len Butt, Syd Carter, Lee Glover, David Goodwin, Martin Gritton, Kevin Lampkin, Colin Little, Neil MacKenzie, Neil Moore, Adam Murray, Nathan Peel, Allan Russell, Ben Sedgemore, Matthew Tipton, Michael Walker.

Ben Sedgemore played for the Stags against the Silkmen in both games of the 1997-98 and was red-carded in the first-ever league fixture between the clubs at Moss Rose on October 18, 1997, but starred for Macc on November 2, 1999 at Moss Rose, scoring once in the Silkmen's 5-2 victory. He also scored once in the 4-4 game at Field Mill on August 28, 2000 – but played last season for then Conf side Canvey Island.

Home games: P 8, W 4, D 2, L 2, GF 15, GA 10
Away games: P 8, W 3, D 2, L 3, GF 10, GA 13

Season Home Date Away Date

1997-98 1-0 1998-02-24 0-1 1997-10-18 Div 3
1999-2000 1-0 2000-03-11 2-5 1999-11-02 Div 3
2000-01 4-4 2000-08-28 1-0 2001-01-14 Div 3
2001-02 4-0 2001-08-27 1-0 2001-12-29 Div 3
2003-04 3-2 2003-09-06 1-1 2003-12-28 Div 3
2004-05 0-1 2004-11-06 1-3 2005-04-23 League Two
2005-06 1-1 2006-02-04 1-1 2005-09-27 League Two
2006-07 1-2 2007-03-23 3-2 2006-10-28 League Two

Cup games

2004-05 0-4 2004-11-02 (at Moss Rose, Macclesfield in the LDV Vans Trophy)

Svante Bernhard aka Sweden Stag (pictured, above right)

 

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