📝 Match Preview: Macclesfield Town (A)

All you need to know ahead of Saturday's match at Moss Rose

13 February 2020

Exeter City are back on the road this weekend, as they travel to the Moss Rose to face Macclesfield Town in a 3pm kick-off in EFL Sky Bet League Two.

The Grecians will be looking to build on back-to-back home wins and they travel to the Moss Rose Stadium three points off top of the EFL Sky Bet League 2 table, and manager Matt Taylor admits that it might be a tricky game amid the weather conditions.

“Away trips are always difficult,” said Matt. “Location wise we know we’ve always got a long way to travel. We’ve got two good wins behind us, hopefully our fans can travel, they’ve got to be careful because of the weather and hopefully that doesn’t affect the traffic that much.

“It will be a difficult game; they’ve had a lot of tight results and there’s a few players that we’ve got to be aware of. But we’ve got to go there and back ourselves.”

TICKET NEWS

Tickets for City's trip to the Moss Rose to face Macclesfield Town on Saturday, February 15 can now be purchased directly through Macclesfield.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking here, or on the day at Moss Rose. When buying a ticket please select the age bracket with 'Away' in front of it then it will light up the correct blocks, from where you can select your own seat.

For disabled/carer tickets please contact Macclesfield directly on 01625 264686.

Please note the away terrace will not be open.

Ticket prices are as follows:

Big Brand Ideas Stand

Adults: £22
65+: £17
Under-25: £12
Under-18: £6
Under-12: £3

Further details

Advance Discounts? No.
Ambulant: Pay age related price and carer free.
Wheelchair: Pay age related price and carer free.
Matchday Purchase available? Yes

THE CONTEXT

City come into the match on the back of back-to-back home wins and sit in third place in EFL Sky Bet League Two with 60 points from 32 games and sit just 3 points behind leaders Swindon Town, with a game in hand.

Macclesfield have endured a tricky season so far and sit in 23rd place in the league, just one place above the drop. They have picked up 29 points so far this season, having been deducted six points.

LAST MATCH

Morcambe 2 Macclesfield Town 0 | February 11, 2020 | EFL Sky Bet League Two

Two first half goals from Diagouraga and Wildig defeated Macclesfield Town at the Globe Arena in a relegation six-pointer.

PREVIOUS ENCOUNTER

Exeter City 1 Macclesfield Town 0 | August 3, 2019 | EFL Sky Bet League Two

The Grecians started the new season with three points as Ryan Bowman's late strike meant City won 1-0 at SJP on the opening day of the season.

MATCH DAY COVERAGE

As usual, we’ll have the match covered across our social media channels and we’ll have a post-match interview with manager Matt Taylor as he reflects on the result. You can also tune into BBC Radio Devon to listen to commentary as well.

Exeter City on social media

STADIUM: MOSS ROSE (SK11 7SP)

The home of Macclesfield Town since 1891, it is one of the oldest grounds in the Football League. The stadium has a capacity of 6,355 and consists of four stands, of which the away fans occupy the John Askey terrace.

Macclesfield-Town-FC-Moss-Rose-Stadium-main-stand-from-PA.jpg

GRECIAN TRAVEL

The coach will depart from Unit 1 nightclub at 8am for a fare of £35.

Other pick-up points include: Honiton Road park and ride (by Miller and Carter Steakhouse), junction 28 (Cullompton services). Junction 27 (Tiverton), junction 25 (Taunton.) All other pick-ups by prior arrangement.

How to buy

The easiest way to buy is online, or on your mobile using the clubs ticketing system.

For more information or to book please contact Chris Woolcott on 01392 250250 or John Bishop on 07904036334 or by email at: john.bishop760@btinternet.com (after 6pm).

Alternatively, drop into reception at St James Park to book.

BY ROAD

A trip to the north west for the Grecians means from Exeter you need to take the M5 north before joining the M6 north before leaving for the A500 at Hanchurch. This will take you through Stoke-on-Trent then you need to take the third exit for the A34 on the major roundabout. Continue along this road for a while continuing over a series of roundabouts before joining the A536 which takes you all the way up towards the ground before you need to take a right turn onto Moss Lane where the ground is. According to Macclesfield Town’s website, There is ample road side parking in the immediate areas around the ground. The club asks supporters to be advised to check for double white and yellow lines. A very safe place to park is in the Lyme Green Retail Park, which is only about 300 yards south of the ground down the London Road or on the London Road itself.

BY RAIL

Trains from Exeter St David's take around four hours with a change of service at Birmingham New Street.

On arrival, Macclesfield Railway Station is just over a mile away from Moss Rose, which is around a 20 minute walk away. As you exit the station, take a left on to Sunderland Street. Continue along this road until you reach the traffic lights aby Park Green, and then take another left into Mill Lane. This road then becomes London Road, where you will see the stadium approaching on your right.

PUBS/FOOD

According to footballgroundguides.com there aren’t a great deal of pubs and food outlets around the stadium due to it being outside the centre of Macclesfield. The closest pub is the Golden Lion, which is just under a 10-minute walk from the away turnstiles. It serves real ale and on match days and there is food on offer. There are also a range of refreshments available from the stadium.

AWAY FAN GUIDE

Click here to find out all you need to know about visiting Moss Rose.

TOTAL DISTANCE

The total distance between St James Park and Moss Rose is 224 miles and it takes around three hours and 45 minutes to drive.

Moss Rose Travel.jpg

🎟 UP NEXT AT SJP 🎟

Tickets are on advance sale for City's home match against Crawley Town on Saturday, February 29 in a 3pm kick-off. Click here to buy now!

Match Reports

📝 Match report: Macclesfield Town 2 Exeter City 3

Ryan Bowman's late goal gives City three points at Moss Rose

15 February 2020

A late goal from Ryan Bowman gave Exeter City all three points in an eventful game in difficult conditions against Macclesfield Town.

The Grecians had led 2-0, before goals from Connor Kirby and Fiacre Kelleher brought the home side level, though Bowman’s goal late on decided the game.

Manager Matt Taylor made two changes to the side that beat Oldham 5-1 on Tuesday night, with Dean Moxey and Brennan Dickenson coming into the starting XI in place of Jayden Richardson and Tom Parkes, who was unwell.

The home side started brightly, with Lewis Ward required on two occasions in the opening stages to palm a shot from range round his right-hand post and then to punch away the following corner, before an Archie Collins free-kick saw Macclesfield goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell forced into action for the first time.

City opened the scoring with 11 minutes on the clock, as an incisive pass from Matt Jay found Randell Williams down the City right-wing in acres of space – and Williams punished Macclesfield by delivering a perfectly weighted cross to the back post, where Nicky Ajose was waiting to tap home.

Things got even better for the Grecians six minutes later when Pierce Sweeney doubled the lead six minutes later, with a rasping drive after a cross from Brennan Dickenson made its way to the back post with the help of a flick on from Ryan Bowman. It was the Irishman’s third of the season, and the best yet – a powerful hit on the half-volley that left Mitchell no chance.

City were creating chances at will and had a huge chance to add a third before the half-hour mark, as Ajose’s lob was blocked by Mitchell before the Macclesfield goalkeeper held onto Matt Jay’s shot. Ajose had another chance soon after when Nathan Cameron miscontrolled a long ball from Archie Collins, and Ajose threatened to capitalise on the error but his effort was mishit and proved an easy save for Mitchell.

The home side pulled a freak goal back when a long-free kick from Mitchell took an unfortunate deflection off Nigel Atangana before falling to Connor Kirby, who beat Lewis Ward from close range. The wind picked up and the blusterous conditions made things hard for the City backline, and Macclesfield nearly took advantage of another loose ball and the Grecians had Lewis Ward to thank for keeping things level. Shilow Tracey, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, fired wide just before half-time having created half a yard of space against Pierce Sweeney.

Into the second-half, and City had appeals for a penalty waved away when Aaron Martin came close to converting a set-piece from close range, but the Grecians were punished for not taking advantage of their chances when Kelleher headed in from a corner after 63 minutes.

Dean Moxey was required to block another effort from Kirby with 84 minutes gone, as the Macclesfield player fired a shot towards goal through a crowd of bodies, before the game took another twist – Pierce Sweeney cut inside on the right-flank before feeding Randell Williams, who notched his second assist of the game by delivering a cross to the six-yard box that Ryan Bowman was on hand to tap home to give the Grecians the lead late in the game.

The Grecians were able to see out the remainder of the game to come away from the game with three vital points.

Macclesfield Town: Mitchell, O’Keeffe, Fitzpatrick (Archibald 45), Kelleher ©, Horsfall, Cameron, Tollitt, Whitehead, Kirby, Wilson (Tracey 22), Ironside. Subs not used: Rose, Hamblin, Blyth, Gnahoua.

Booked: Archibald

Exeter City: Ward, Moxey ©, A Martin, Sweeney, Williams, Dickenson, Collins, Jay (Taylor 52), Atangana, Ajose (Richardson 83), Bowman.

Subs not used Arthur, Warren, L Martin, Fisher, Holmes. :

Booked: A Martin, Dickenson

Attendance: 1,389 (298, away)

Exeter City FC

Standings