Cheshire Derby Macc Vs Crewe

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

Too far away from the first to judge if there was a push, based on the multiple mix ups at the back for Crewe just assumed it was a mess up (inches away from Wilson scoring again from almost identical situation just after ht). For the 2nd the ball was over the line before Cameron made contact with the keeper.

The game itself was an entertaining clusterfuck of a match. O'hara kept us in it in the first half with several great saves, then Crewes keeper made mistakes for our goals in the 2nd half to get us the point (though we were better after subs). Campbell's selection and judgement was way off, not sure what he sees in certain players. No complaints about the players coming on (Smith made a massive difference) but dont agree with who went off, guess Evans might've been lacking fitness but he was best outfield player up til then. Ntambwe is a liability.

After it went 2-2 thought we might have got a somewhat unlikely winner; Wilson went very close again (perhaps should've passed) and a near own goal hit the post. However, would've taken a point if offered at many times over the course ofnthe afternoon, especially in the 94th minute!

Crewe looked very decent going forwards with lots of pace and won most things in the air. Less good at the back with balls over or through causing all manner for problems for their defenders and keeper.

 

[darren gregory]

What's this crowd trouble Radio Stoke are going on about ?

 

[Laika]

Fifteen or twenty Crewe fans came on the pitch after our equaliser and tried to get at the Macc fans. They also threw flares on the pitch after each of their goals.

 

[darren gregory]

Fifteen or twenty Crewe fans came on the pitch after our equaliser and tried to get at the Macc fans. They also threw flares on the pitch after each of their goals.

Disgraceful dock them 30 points , Crewe family club tarnished by hooligans.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Worst single goalkeeping performance since George Bankole. How much did Macc slip Garratt before kick off? Expect it to be Dave Richards for the rest of the season.

Not sure where we have collected all these cretinous fans from over the last 10 years. Soz, Macc.

 

[The Alex]

Garratt has absolutely cost us 3 points there but Crewe fans labelling him as shit is ridiculous. Frustrating, should have been about 6-1, a win today would really have made things interesting. Mid table finish for us and vast improvement on last season, but we’ll probably lose a few players this summer and it’s back to square one.

 

[Blue Lion]

Looking at the highlights, funnily enough the 2nd Macc goal looks to be pretty much the fairest of all of them. The better shout for a foul is the Wilson goal. Still can't tell whether there is any contact for the Crewe penalty - at the time I thought the ref had given a dive but then eventually pointed to the spot. The lack of complaints from the Macc players suggests it was indeed a foul.

I swear more goals come from defensive mix ups in this league than from actual attacks....

 

[Crewelad87]

Useless from Garrett for all 3 goals. We really gift wrapped Macc a point.

I'm still fuming, but despite everything, I can still see the improvement, and we look like we're close to being a decent team.

It was a proper away day though, could do with a few more like that.

 

[Gerald Hattrick]

We didn’t do much in the 2nd half really, and Macc probably deserved a draw but we should have been well on the way by halftime. I think Rays goal was the first time we won a header from a corner, but how on earth do you let that slip from there. Terrible from Garratt. Still hope someone has footage of the Macc goalie inciting the crowd and acting like a complete dick.

 

[lordofthepies]

The first goal was Ray's fault. He should've put the ball in the tea bar. Second and third were both caused by errors by Garratt, of course. I'm not sure any of their goals were fouls.

Strange game, I would usually be really annoyed that we've thrown away 2 points in those circumstances but a lot of the day was quite enjoyable. We played some really good stuff and there were some really good performances - Ng, Pickering, Wintle and Bowery were superb. I have never really like Porter but I'm starting to warm to him now that we're playing to his strengths a little bit.

Also, apologies to the people of Macclesfield for the 40 or 50 little scrotes in our support. I don't know where those people have come from.

 

[lordofthepies]

While our goals weren't attractive to watch, I didn't think they we're fouls but the highlights may well prove me wrong.

I couldn't see what happened for your second goal - from the away end, it looked like Garratt caught it and then threw it in. The Alex players were obviously absolutely furious in a way you don't often see, which made me think it was maybe a foul. But then I saw the highlights this evening and it didn't look like anyone touched him, so I think it was just a cock-up by Garratt.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Macc’s second was just weird, from the away end it looked like Macclesfield celebrating a save. Not seen the highlights but I presume the protests were out of embarrassment.

The first goal was a combination of Ray and Garratt acting like they’d never met before. To do it once is pretty shocking but to do it twice in the same game is unbelievable. The last four goals we’ve conceded now have basically been gifts and some serious work in defending needs doing. Still.

 

[lordofthepies]

Just when it was looking like we'd finally cracked it

 

[JJ1532]

Only saw the 2 minute highlights, but there is no foul on Ray for the first, as I suspected. He has a bad habit of getting caught in 2 minds and getting his pocket picked. Stevenage away last season for their 2nd was a similar incident, been plenty more. It seems he's been decent this season, but I'm ready for him to move on. If he's lucky, he might end up like Guthrie and on an average L1 team, but a career in this league or lower beckons for him, much like Moore and Tootle.

As for the 2nd, our players seem adamant of a push and at the same time. I can't spot a clear foul, but Garratt isn't usually one to moan for no reason, he definitely isn't one of those gobshite keepers who shouts for everything. He's an honest player, so I believe him when he says he was pushed. But at the same time, I don't think it's obvious enough for the ref to give it, I've watched it several times and it's hard to spot. This is the problem when you have a keeper that is barely above 6ft and built like a 10 year old boy. Garratt isn't shit, but he also is destined for a career in the lower leagues once he leaves, which I hope is the summer. He's an average L2 keeper, who can't overcome his lack height or weight.

Third, I haven't seen the build up where he apparently makes a mistake. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

Mid table finish for us and vast improvement on last season, but we’ll probably lose a few players this summer and it’s back to square one.

I doubt we will see a mass exodus and even those who do leave won't cripple us. This isn't like when we sold our top academy prospects, or players leave to become free agents, or loanees returning to their parent clubs.

I think this teams biggest strength is the fact that most of the players are at a similar level. I don't think this team is riddled with players that aren't good enough for this league, but at the same time we don't have many who are too good for L2 either. It's a very middling team in every sense.

 

[lordofthepies]

Only saw the 2 minute highlights, but there is no foul on Ray for the first, as I suspected. He has a bad habit of getting caught in 2 minds and getting his pocket picked. Stevenage away last season for their 2nd was a similar incident, been plenty more. It seems he's been decent this season, but I'm ready for him to move on. If he's lucky, he might end up like Guthrie and on an average L1 team, but a career in this league or lower beckons for him, much like Moore and Tootle.

As for the 2nd, our players seem adamant of a push and at the same time. I can't spot a clear foul, but Garratt isn't usually one to moan for no reason, he definitely isn't one of those gobshite keepers who shouts for everything. He's an honest player, so I believe him when he says he was pushed. But at the same time, I don't think it's obvious enough for the ref to give it, I've watched it several times and it's hard to spot. This is the problem when you have a keeper that is barely above 6ft and built like a 10 year old boy. Garratt isn't shit, but he also is destined for a career in the lower leagues once he leaves, which I hope is the summer. He's an average L2 keeper, who can't overcome his lack height or weight.

Third, I haven't seen the build up where he apparently makes a mistake. We'll have to wait and see on that one.

I doubt we will see a mass exodus and even those who do leave won't cripple us. This isn't like when we sold our top academy prospects, or players leave to become free agents, or loanees returning to their parent clubs.

I think this teams biggest strength is the fact that most of the players are at a similar level. I don't think this team is riddled with players that aren't good enough for this league, but at the same time we don't have many who are too good for L2 either. It's a very middling team in every sense.

There definitely is a small push in Ray's back, but he's a 6 foot 4 centre half, he can't be relying on the ref to give that - He needs to either go down or, preferably, deal with the ball and get rid of it. He did neither.

If you watch the full highlights available on the Sky website (and presumably on YouTube later), you can see Garratt's mistake for the third. It was pretty bad.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

The flap for the 3rd kept the ball alive when you should have seen the game out.

 

[JJ1532]

I get why people are lobbing Garratt under the bus for the 3rd, it's dreadful. But lets not overlook the frankly awful attempts to defend the rest of that move.

Owen Dale makes a ridiculous header. Green makes a ridiculous header when Pickering should have called for it as he looked set to volley it away. We then don't track men, get sucked into the wrong areas. And finally, as the ball breaks loose to Cole, Wintle is right there to block it. All he has to do is stick a leg out or make some attempt to stop the shot. Instead he does nothing and bam, in it goes. Just poor defending all round.

Yes, there is a clear push on Ray for their first, but as LOTP says, he is a big lad, he needs to be stronger and not let that happen. Just take control, don't wait for your keeper. Hoof it clear. Should be your first and only instinct as a defender in that spot. Usual suspects on social media crying about it being a foul, if those little nudges get given every time, they'll be 50 fouls a game. Bet there are loads of times we've done it and got away with it.

Take the point, move on and learn the lessons from what went wrong, whilst also remembering how most of it went right. Some missed calls by the ref(maybe), some missed chances by the attack(as usual) and some crazy mistakes in defence(from the usual suspects). On another day we win comfortably. Not at all worried about the direction this team hopefully seems to be moving in.

 

[TimeyWimey]

I think Garratt is being thrown under the bus because it was cumulative over the whole game, he was at the centre of every major mistake through the game and then does that with 30 seconds left. If he’d have gathered the ball I don’t think Macclesfield would have had time for another attack. But yeah, I also don’t understand why we didn’t just kick Macclesfield the other side of the Pennines to kill that attack dead.

 

[Crewelad87]

Garratt is certainly do blame for the draw, without his howlers and they were howlers. It would have been the perfect performance and result. I don't think he should be dropped though, I think he's been pretty decent all season. Look at his performance at home to Bury, he single handlely got us a point that day. I really dont rate Richards either. I love to see If given a chance but that's not going to happen until next season realistically.

 

[Crewelad87]

Just looked at the Macc forum, by no means do I tolerate the behaviour of a small section of our support but jeeez smoke bombs and a small scale pitch invasion. You would have thought it was 80s style Millwall riots. As far as I know nobody was hurt. Yes it's abit naughty but it's pretty standard for a large away following.

 

[Dan_Macclad]

We have less tolerance of dickheads in our part of cheshire east.

 

[TimeyWimey]

Just looked at the Macc forum, by no means do I tolerate the behaviour of a small section of our support but jeeez smoke bombs and a small scale pitch invasion. You would have thought it was 80s style Millwall riots. As far as I know nobody was hurt. Yes it's abit naughty but it's pretty standard for a large away following.

I’m not sure it’s standard for a large away following, 10+ years ago it was pretty rare that even a single fan of ours would be collared by stewards at the likes of Vale Park. Now we have a portion of eejits who look for any excuse to be dicks. I mean they’re not hooligans and decent policing/stewarding would have handled it better, but they’re still tits. Irritating tits.

 

[Semi-skimmed Silk]

I’m not sure it’s standard for a large away following

Indeed, had plenty of large followings that haven't resulted in away fans getting onto the pitch and throwing things towards the Macc fans/dugout. Agree with the poor stewarding/policing contributing too.

 

[TrinidadsNumberOne]

Just looked at the Macc forum, by no means do I tolerate the behaviour of a small section of our support but jeeez smoke bombs and a small scale pitch invasion. You would have thought it was 80s style Millwall riots. As far as I know nobody was hurt. Yes it's abit naughty but it's pretty standard for a large away following.

Kieran O'Hara's conduct was absolutely deplorable and almost incited a riot. Genuinely had a feeling one of our fans who ran onto the pitch was going to crack him like what happened to that Bury keeper at Chesterfield years ago. Thankfully this wasn't the case.

That said it was just an embarrassing pitch invasion, nothing too major or Millwall-esque about it. Be the lads doing sniff in the pubs behind all of that.

Spent all day thinking how we didn't put a very poor side to bed early on. Also embarrassed at the abuse Ben Garratt is getting too. One bad game yesterday yes but he's allowed one. He's saved us so many times this season so I can let this one slide. No complaints about any of the goals either, three fair and legitimate goals and we only have ourselves to blame for not winning that match.

 

[lordofthepies]

Kieran O'Hara's conduct was absolutely deplorable and almost incited a riot. Genuinely had a feeling one of our fans who ran onto the pitch was going to crack him like what happened to that Bury keeper at Chesterfield years ago. Thankfully this wasn't the case.

As far as I could tell, he didn't do much wrong. He celebrated in our direction and told some little shits that they were little shits. Don't have any problem with that, really.

 

[Wootball]

I tried to register on the Macc forum to peacefully reply to those who maintain that we were breaking the rules behind the goal by standing in the hashed area.

About 7 or 8 minutes into the first half, a steward on the right-hand side of the stand behind the barrier at the front (I didn't get his number but he was ginger with a short beard) and a couple of other stewards at the back of the stand, advised the Crewe fans to move into the hashed section because there wasn't enough space and it was causing fans to block the walkways down the stand. Before this point there was nobody in the hashed section and wouldn't have been (except for during celebrations). In short, the Macc stewards told us to stand there.

Personally I was further back in the stand and didn't need to go to the front, but I do have to point out that some of our dickhead fans insisted on shouting homophobic abuse and chants towards Sol Campbell for the large majority of the second half - fucking disgusting and there's no place for it.

 

[lordofthepies]

Depressing but not that surprising to hear about the homophobic abuse towards Sol Campbell. Thankfully, I didn't hear it on the day - the worst I heard was a song calling him a wanker. Uncalled for, but obviously not as bad as any homophobic abuse. There's no place for that in my club.

 

[Crewelad87]

I thought the stewards and policeing was very poor. They were very lackluster, they didn't even really try to prevent our fans from getting on the pitch.

 

[Blue Lion]

I tried to register on the Macc forum to peacefully reply to those who maintain that we were breaking the rules behind the goal by standing in the hashed area.

About 7 or 8 minutes into the first half, a steward on the right-hand side of the stand behind the barrier at the front (I didn't get his number but he was ginger with a short beard) and a couple of other stewards at the back of the stand, advised the Crewe fans to move into the hashed section because there wasn't enough space and it was causing fans to block the walkways down the stand. Before this point there was nobody in the hashed section and wouldn't have been (except for during celebrations). In short, the Macc stewards told us to stand there.

Personally I was further back in the stand and didn't need to go to the front, but I do have to point out that some of our dickhead fans insisted on shouting homophobic abuse and chants towards Sol Campbell for the large majority of the second half - fucking disgusting and there's no place for it.

Fair enough. That raises more questions for the stewards because we have had bigger away followings this season than yours and there has never been a lack of space. Surely people who were blocking the way should have been moved to a quieter spot on the terrace rather than be allowed to stand in walkways which is frankly unsafe if they became blocked. I guess it also made it easier for fans to get on the pitch at the end, not that that's a reason to justify it.

 

[TimeyWimey]

My favourite steward was the one who thought he was in an episode of Bodyguard because he had an ear piece. They were slightly out of their depth, all seemed to have contradicting ideas and they didn’t seem to like their boss either. Didn’t help that the police presence was non-existent until outside the ground (where there was a minor scuffle).

Vale away is going to be fun when the police go in heavy handed and all the dicks causing trouble on Saturday blub over the nasty police.