Poetic Keates sinks Silkmen

It's funny this football lark, I was as nervous before the game with that sickness in my tummy the type you get before a cup final, not before playing at Moss road.In truth sitting in the warm watching teletext through my hands seemed a better option, but no it's always better in the freezing cold on an open end. Thats how much our poor run and Macclesfields good run of form had got to me.

Well I need not had bothered, Wrack returned in place of Wright and a hand ball in the second minute gave us a penalty (whats one of those again) anyway Dean Keates stepped up to slot the ball home from 12 yards (oh yes I remember now). The rest of the have was standard away fare, Walsall sat back and counter attacked whilst Macclesfield huffed and puffed but couldn't blow our defence down even in Ropers absence. The defence performed well all night with only a couple of scares as we hit our own bar and Murphy went close to getting on the end of a dangerous cross.

We lost our strike force Butler went off having been ill before the game and Hector Sam also was lost to injury. This saw Par Cederqvist and Mark Wright comming on. Par playing a sole striker role and performed well and seemed more able to handle the physical side of the game.

In what was really a dire game, Scott pulled down the advancing Saddlers and Keates curled in a 25yard free kick from a central position to seal the win.

The inclusion of Wrack was seen by many as a more negative approach due to his lack of pace. What he did bring was some quality on the ball and some experience, he tired towards the end but once he regains his match fitness the return of Darren Wrack will almost be like a new signing. Nobody had a bad game and we could have scored more but in the end a just result and I will give Wracky my vote for man of the match.

Line ups
Macclesfield

* 13 Lee
* 02 Regan
* 04 Morley (38 Scott )
* 05 Swailes
* 06 Bullock
* 07 Navarro
* 23 Murray (76 Hadfield )
* 14 McIntyre
* 09 McNeil
* 10 Miles (66 Tipton )
* 26 Murphy

Substitutes

* 32 Legzdins,
* 12 Tipton,
* 16 Reid,
* 17 Hadfield,
* 24 Scott

Walsall

* 01 Ince
* 02 Pead
* 05 Westwood
* 24 Dann
* 03 Fox
* 04 Gerrard
* 12 Keates
* 07 Wrack
* 08 Dobson
* 09 Butler (17 Cederqvist)
* 10 Sam (66 Wright )

Substitutes

* 41 Bossu,
* 14 Wright,
* 15 Taylor,
* 16 Cederqvist,
* 20 Demontagnac

Ref: K Woolmer

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