Macclesfield Ladies battled against a physical Crewe side to come away with 3 points on Saturday, winning 2-1.

Macclesfield started far brighter than the home side, playing at a good tempo and catching the Crewe players off guard on several occasions. Within the first period of play, Macclesfield were awarded a short corner after a foul in the ‘D’. Striker Barlow stepped up and hit the ball sweetly into the bottom corner of the goal to open the scoring and put the away side 1-0 up.

The visitors continued to apply pressure and control the game, but as time went by, Crewe began to look more organised and became a big threat with Macclesfield not able to assert their control on the play. Macclesfield’s defence did well to protect the 1-0 lead with smart defending from Perry and Keane and saves from Sutton. But Crewe continued to press and were rewarded with a goal mid way through the first half to level the score at 1-1.

Macclesfield tried to regain control of the game but weren’t quite at their best and couldn’t make a breakthrough despite good play from the midfielders of Heylings, Ward, Duffy, Collins and Hayward and off the ball running by the forwards of Holmes, Shallcross and Wheeler.

The home side found some form and the visitors survived a swift counter attack thanks to a goal line clearance from Ward, keeping the score level going in to half time.

Macclesfield tried to regain the form they showed in the early stages of the game and take back the lead. They showed improvements but so did Crewe and it was difficult to find a way through their organised defence. With approximately 10 minutes of the game left, Macclesfield went for the win and after being awarded a short corner, were given their chance. Barlow again delivered a quality strike that went beyond the Crewe goalkeepers’ outstretched foot to make the score 2-1.

Macclesfield survived some late short corners awarded to Crewe as their defence stayed strong until the final whistle. Macclesfield got the win after a draw looked likely for much of the game, but they used the short corner chance well to take all 3 points.

Man of the match went to Heylings and Players’ player went to Ward.