Coca Cola League 2
BRIAN Horton was hoping that his teamés improved display had earned him a reprieve after a defeat that even had opposition manager Richard Money singing the Silkmenés praises.
"Macclesfield are the best team we have played this year and how they are in bottom place is a mystery to me" said Money.
Horton was also mystified by the defeat, and said: "Who would have known which was the bottom club and which club was near the top? Weéve lost the last four games, but honestly we could have won at least three of those."
He then vowed to continue: "You must ask the owners about the future, as far as I am concerned, we just keep going.
"Things will turn around. Of that I have no doubt."
Playing a 3-4-3 with Andy Teague pushed forward, Matthew Tipton gunning down the left flank and livewire Spencer Weir-Daley up front, Macc looked to have found some fluency.
However, even though Matty McNeil offers a target and had some telling knock-downs, his blatant lack of quality and composure in front of goal has become the teamés Achilles heel.
All too often superb build-up play floundered when McNeil flailed at the final chance.
Macc bossed the game from start to finish and looked as if they wereplaying at home.
Tipton took the ball down beautifully on 11 minutes and, with a jink of the hips, dummied his man but then, instead of picking out Weir-Daley moving unmarked into the box, he lashed a 25-yard shot over the bar.
Moments later Tipton intelligently took a quick free-kick only to see it deflect inches wide.
The impressive Rob Scott at full stretch then poked a neat nod down from McNeil over the bar.
But as they attacked they left gaps at the back, the sprinter Hector Sam racing unmarked from halfway to eye up Tommy Lee and then blast past him from 15 yards.
Macc took the game to Walsall after the break with Jamie Tolley forcing a good save from Clayton Ince, before Danny Swailes headed a Tipton corner inches over the bar.
Weir-Daley then produced a breathtaking turn before scuffing his shot wide, with Tolley slicing a chance badly from 18 yards.
In the 87th minute a Dave Morley shot seemed to be arrowing into the corner, only for Ince to arch his back and tip the ball past the post.
As this seasonés luck would have it, the ball was hoofed forward for Walsall sub Scott Dann to see a deflected drive leave Lee wrong-footed.
- MACC TOWN: Lee, Teague, Morley, Scott, Swailes, McIntyre, Tolley, Hadfield (Bullock 77), Weir-Daley, Tipton, McNeil. Subs not used: Brain, Regan, Navarro, Heath. Booked: Weir-Daley, McNeil.
- WALSALL: Ince, Westwood, Roper, Fox, Dobson, Pead (Picken 63), Taylor, Keats, Wright (Dann 85), Butler, Sam (Bedeau 76). Subs not used: Gilmartin, Demontagnac.
Attendance: 4,657.
Referee: Mr K Wright.
