Tipton Torments Harriers

Last updated : 16 January 2005 By Dave Morris

Back to Coca-Cola League Two action as Macclesfield Town entertained Kidderminster Harriers. The day was overcast but not raining for the start of the game. Macc lined up with Fettis in goal, Harsley, Swailes, Morley, Welch and Potter along the back, Mackenzie, Navarro and McIntyre across midfield and Parkin and captain Tipton up front.

The Macc team looked very different with the core of the squad being new £40.000 signing Danny Swailes from Bury making his debut, new signing David Morley from Doncaster Rovers also making his debut and the midfield trio being the on-loan Neil Mackenzie and Alan Navarro and Kevin McIntyre making only his 4th appearance for the Silkmen. The Silkmen side certainly looks a lot bigger now and the in comparison the Harriers side looked quite small, the number 11 Dean Keates in particular at 5 foot 5 ins looked like a schoolboy.

Kidderminster appeared to win the toss and there was no change around with Macc kicking off towards the away end. From the start this looked a much better Harriers outfit to the one that undeservedly won at Aggborough. Macc meanwhile, although individually looking impressive, were just not gelling together at all. The team looked well set with the back five and midfield three well positioned and looking goodtogether, but they couldn't get two passes together and with the Harriers, harrying everything it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for the Macc fans.

On five minutes Mackenzie did manage to get the ball into a decent position and dummied his way clear for a shot that was blocked away for a corner. With the extra height available for set pieces, the ball in looked dangerous but was cleared and then Parkin put the ball over the Kiddy goal. On 15 minutes, alarm bells rang as a ball played in to the Macc area from the Kiddy right cut the Macc defence apart. A Keates header was well saved by Fettis, the ball being pushed up and falling dangerous, the Kiddy attack unable to get the ball in on goal. A minute later, Harsley on the Macc right put in a cross that found Parkin, who turned and shot just over.

On 18 minutes Macc took the lead. Welch got the ball in the Macc defence and with some space he was able to put a great chipped ball forward that just sailed over the Kiddy defender and MATTHEW TIPTON pounced, cutting around the back of the Harriers defence and beating Danby with a well placed shot.

The goal was the sign for rain to start falling and the game became rather bogged down. On 30 minutes a Macc free-kick from the left was put in by Harsley, the ball found the head of Morley but it went straight into the arms of Danby. Ten minutes later, the Kiddy defence gave the ball away, but Tipton and Mackenzie were unable to take advantage of the situation. Deep into first half extra time and a Kidderminster corner was dangerously flicked on at the near post, the ball being blocked and then hoofed away.

The second half started and soon Harsley was in the wars, getting a nasty-looking bang for which he was down for some time, but he got up and continued. On 54 minutes the Macc lead doubled as a ball played out of the Macc defence found Tipton wide on the right. The linesman flagged for a challenge on him but the ref allowed the game to continue. Tipton advanced, weaving in through the Kiddy defence and then he put in a perfect little cross that found the head of JON PARKIN and his header beat Danby. That puts the Big Feller on 12 League goals and 16 in all competitions.

Three minutes later there was a good chance for Macc to increase their lead as Parkin appeared to be pulled down just outside the Kiddy area, the ball running into the path of Tipton and McIntyre? but Danby made a good blocking save. Macc then started to sit back in a defensive mode that has become very familiar to Macc Town fans. Although the Macc defence and midfield has changed, it looked like the same old team as possession was continually given away to allow the visitors to pile on the pressure. The Kiddy attack couldn't get the team back into the game despite the run of chances and the one time that the Macc defence was beaten, Fettis made a good full length diving save to deny Hatswell?

Brian Horton put Whitaker on for Mackenzie to freshen up the Macc midfield. On 75 minutes, with Potter cutting inside, Mcintyre found space on the left and put in a good ball across for Parkin, the header being blocked and then clearing away off the big Macc striker. Then Parkin found Tipton in space and Matty ran in on goal and cut across before his shot was well saved by Danby. Then a Macc corner in was cleared and then played back in for Parkin. With Danby beaten, it looked like the third goal was coming but a Kiddy defender got back to acrobatically clear off the line. If it had been against Macc, it would have been given as a goal, it was that close to being in the net.

Whitaker was given a ball to chase, but Danby scrambled out and got there just ahead of the Macc player. Then Tipton was put through and his powerful shot produced a great save from Danby with Macc players following in for the rebound. With the game coming to a conclusion, Macc managed to break the pressure from defence with McIntyre running with the ball out when he was clattered by Jenkins, the Kiddy player getting a red card. Of course, if McIntyre had managed to run on a bit and then fall over in the Kiddy area, true justice of a sort might have been done, but Jenkins did too good a job in dropping the Macc player, unlike Potter at Aggborough, when Brown was allowed to run on.

And so the game ended and the new look Macc picked up their first points of 2005.