Archived News from February 2006
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STAGSNET`S STATISTICAL PREVIEW
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The Stags now face an important home fixture against fellow lower-half side Macclesfield at home on Saturday, this after two successive defeats in the League.
And Macclesfield were, like Kidderminster, another 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 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 last season's league Field Mill fixture and last season's 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 by a certain person at the top. And the away fixture in Silkmen Country, which was the last but one last season, was lost as well to a 3-1 scoreline. One of the Macc scorers then, Matthew Tipton, often scoring against the Stags, had a brief spell at the Stags at the very beginning of this term. The teams faced prior to the League game in Mansfield 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. Last season was the Silkmen's best following relegation in 1998-99, finishing inside the playoff positions under the guidance of the experienced Brian Horton, who last season passed the 1000-game milestone as a manager, a feat also been achieved by Crewe's Dario Gradi. But this season, they haven't started as well, sitting in the bottom half just a few points above the Stags and are now in the bottom half just a few points above the Stags, who lost their latest home fixture in controversial fashion 1-2 against Keith Curle's Chester, while the Silkmen, having had problems off the field recently, drew 1-1 at Shrewsbury a few days ago – and Macclesfield were involved in an unbelievable game at Wycombe just after the New Year. After being 3-0 up inside the first fifteen minutes, Wycombe turned the game into a 4-3 lead before the Silkmen struck back to gain a 5-4 victory, their only away three-pointer so far this term. By the time of the 1-1 draw at Moss Rose on September 27, 2005, the Stags were bottom but are currently a few rungs and points above the bottom two. Earlier this season, the sides battled out a 1-1 draw at Moss Rose, which was the first Stags league point gained under the management of Peter Shirtliff, then in the caretaker role following Carlton Palmer's resignation at Rochdale ten days earlier. Shirtliff was appointed after the 2-0 win at Cheltenham a month later. Played for both sides: Colin Askey, Richie Barker, Len Butt, Syd Carter, Lee Glover, David Goodwin, Kevin Lampkin, Colin Little, Neil MacKenzie, Neil Moore, 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 is now playing for Conf side Canvey Island. Home games: P 6 W 4, D 1, L 1, GF 13, GA 7 Away games: P 7, W 2, D 2, L 3, GF 7, GA 11 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 (at Macclesfield) 1-1 2005-09-27 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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