Sports Stun Silkmen

Peterborough Sports 4-3 Macclesfield (National League North)

Storm Chandra has been threatening to call matches off up and down the country today, but Pims Park is made of hardened stuff these days, a 1pm pitch inspection passed, it’ll be my first watch of Macclesfield FC, the team that beat the FA Cup holders Crystal Palace earlier this month.

Formed as recently as 2020 after Macclesfield Town went bust, it’s been a rapid rise since local businessman Rob Smethurst brought the assets to the original football cub and Moss Rose Stadium off a Rightmove ad, the phoenix winning the North West Counties Premier in their debut season (2021/22), the Northern Premier League West Division a year later (22/23), and after a second placed finish in the NPL Premier in 2023/24, they won it last season under Robbie Savage, he’s now moved to Forest Green Rovers and under John Rooney, the side are currently doing ok in the National League North, magnificent cup run taking precedent on a heavy fixture load, should the Silkmen win their games in hand they would be comfortably in the playoffs.

As for Peterborough, not so good is their season under Phil Brown, sitting fourth bottom and in the relegation places they did beat Chester 3-0 at the weekend with a hat-trick from Shaq Coulthirst, his first goals since signing from Maidstone United.

The Turbines are in their fourth campaign at the level, often brandished ‘the worst supported club in the division’ their gates are that of a step 3 or 4 side at best, so in recent seasons they have been punching above their weight category, there’s been a lot of changes to the side that first Jimmy Dean assembled, which was continued to a level by Michael Gash and Luke Steele, the club are still however ambitious and with Phil Brown in charge, he’s been given plenty of scope to bring in new players of which there are many.

It’s 5pm, I’ve cooked and eaten a Gousto meal whilst leaving a plate in the oven for my wife, I’m off down the A1 heading south, to Colsterworth services where I pick up some fuel and a packet of Monster Munch, I pass RAF Wittering before joining the A47 Soke Parkway ahead of pulling onto Bourges Boulevard and eventually Lincoln Road, where I find a side street to park.

The Venue

I’m told ‘it’s the worst road in Peterborough’ so always keep my wits about me around here, a busy road of takeaways, barbers and convenience stores, the sort that top up your electric, I find it multi-cultural and colourful as I walk into the venue complex past some steward who points a couple of cars where to park. It’s free parking in fact, but I did once get my windscreen hit by a stray ball, so aren’t entirely comfortable with leaving my car here again, behind the goal.

From the outside you wouldn’t know it’s a football ground, hidden and tucked away it’s small, the club house and turnstiles (which keep moving places) are furthest point away from the entrance, on arrival I’m asked to show a ticket which I don’t have, “you should have requested a ticket” says the girl on the door, “usually we have our name on the list” I reply, she lets me in, thankfully, and I can stroll towards the press area on the front row of the seated stand to my left, the Macclesfield media team are here, as is the Peterborough Sports chief tweeter, and a local radio reporter who I know, we get asked ‘what do you think the score will be tonight’ and I reply, “anything can happen here”.

The Mac team are friendly, they have a laugh about the fans at Worksop during their game on Saturday, Macclesfield beat Worksop 4-2 but they mentioned how angry the home fans were on the day, “they are the worst in football” one of them says, I laugh, having had my own dealings with irate Worksop fans in the past “It’s usually the youngest who eff and jeff from them the most” I say.

We get on to Macclesfield’s cup heroics against Crystal Palace, I told them about watching the game under the concourse before my match at Doncaster v Southampton and everybody crowding around the screens to see them win, they are excited about hosting Brentford next, one saying “I’m a little narked it’s on a Monday night but at least we get to host the cup draw on TV”.

Inside Pims Park it feels very quiet as kick off approaches, the terrace behind the goal to my left is empty, as is the blue seated stand opposite, the scoreboard in the corner I’m told is not working as it was playing up on Saturday, there’s people behind the goal to my right, as a few players and staff sit close by, Jimmy Dean is here, the Spalding Manager, he used to Manage Sports and I presume is watching more as a fan, than a scout, or to nick back his old job, he’s going well with the Tulips but is a friendly welcome face still respected in these parts.

The Game

The floodlights glisten above the eyeline, dimly onto the dark pitch as Peterborough in burnt orange walk out alongside Macclesfield in blue, the home team Manager Phil Brown is not in the dugout for the first half, instead he’s above us, on the gantry, he's standing on an elevated platform where he has a great central view, shouting out orders for everyone to hear, the game goes back and front without any consistency, before Duffy runs down the right wing and is chopped down inside the area by Wood, it's a rash challenge, Duffy himself steps up to score after just six minutes played.

The lead doesn’t last long, a mix up at the back has Max Dearnley racing out of goal, he’s beaten to it by Max Booth who has an empty net but twenty yards or more to place into, it’s a well taken finish although factually an open goal, Booth still had quite a bit to do, I don't however know what Dearnley was doing?

There’s no flow to the football at all as the Referee stops play for an injury to a Macclesfield player and gives possession back to them, “It’s a drop ball” shouts Phil Brown from above, “they don’t do drop balls anymore” shouts Lewis Fensome on the pitch “since when” replies Brown.

Neither team can get a foothold, it’s scrappy and passes of three or more possessional plays are rare, but Macclesfield are again racing down the right, Edmondson crosses low and Zach Willis leaves out a foot, he diverts the ball into the back of his own net and it’s another goal made on defensive error.

The visitors start to play with confidence as the hosts go into their shell, on 35 Duffy fires a shot goalwards, it hits Booth on the head, loops up high, Peter Crook is scrambling back but can only palm the deflected effort into the net, 3-1 Macclesfield, defensively it's all a mess, Duffy claims the goal but the deflection took an age to loop towards target, Crook certainly should have done better and got the last touch.

You feel that will knock the stuffing out of Sports but more defensive woes at the other end have the home team back in the game ahead of half time, a short corner finds Luca Miller, he strikes on target, Josh Kay sticks out a foot and diverts past his own keeper, it’s certainly entertaining, but despite the five goals, it’s not really been any good.

The Score

As the BBC radio reporter reads out half his written match report to me the second 45 gets underway and you feel the two teams settle more, slower pace, less hasty, a little more defensive orientation, it’s chances at either end but bodies are now firmly behind the ball, you feel next goal is essential, and as it looks like Macclesfield will get it, Peterborough go up the other end, and finally, a cleanly stuck finish wows the crowd, Shaq Coulthirst in fairness has had a couple of sniffs already, one in the first half a lovely volley that flashed wide, he’s freed inside the area and smashes home a fourth in two games, Sports are level and the home support finally begin to make some noise.

Suddenly the Turbines are on top, elevated by goals they play with promise, are first to everything, they win a corner, cross it in, and Mustapha Carayol who's been rubbish, heads home at the near post, more jubilation, scenes of fans and players running in different directions, Peterborough have the lead for the first time on the night.

Macclesfield make changes, but by now their opponents are buoyed, Peterborough run harder, work more, defend better, the BBC reporter telling me, “there’s a spirit in this side”.

It’s a lot of attack verses defence for the final twenty minutes, by now the Silkmen have brought on former Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, bleach blonde hair, he offers a great effortless delivery from deep down the left, but everything is cleared, the leggy Altrincham loanee James Gale enters the field but can’t get a break up front, Carlos Dos Santos comes on and shoots over in the final minute of injury time, the ball long gone into the dark Peterborough sky which eats up valuable seconds, as one annoyed away fan walks out early, in passing his media team, he says to them aloud “Carlos is crap”.

The Stars

It was a chalk and cheese performance by Peterborough who battled well in the first half, but defended badly, they stepped up in the second period and actually picked off their opponents at times, all built on a much sterner back line and counter attacking philosophy, both Macclesfield and Sports however looked ropey in defence, I did like both sides in midfield, Jez Davies was my star man, sitting in the hole and doing the simple stuff well, but doing it with a physical presence, he grew into the game and looks a talented young footballer (formerly of Spurs and Burnley) with nice attributes.

Another good midfielder is an old favourite of mine, Sam McLintock is easy on the eye, he can spray a ball and looks more cultured than most at the level, I was told by the Turbines media girl that McLintock has ‘no academy experience’ having come through at Coleshill Town and Alvechurch, still only 24, I remember him from the likes of Rushall Olympic and Boston United, and have been told he’s done well this season, I think the media girl, like me, is a fan.

In the opposite engine room I really liked the look of Josh Kay, bald headed, big and aggressive, he put a shift in and despite taking an early clattering got up, continued, and carried on in much the same vein.

Elliott Osbourne was also very good for Macclesfield, a midfielder with high level of experience in and around these leagues, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts is no doubt star man with a bit of X-factor but had an off night, Luke Duffy the main threat and you can see how he gets goals, hard working and honest with a good strikers shot.

The Verdict

The win takes Peterborough out of the relegation zone to twentieth, a point above Oxford City with a game in hand, although poor old Hereford do find themselves below that in 22nd on 22 points, they have five games in hand having had a lot of postponements of late, they also have five points to catch up on the Turbines, who you feel are heading in the right direction. Is this newly arranged side beginning to settle under Phil Brown?

Macclesfield have four more games to play ahead of their highly anticipated fourth round FA Cup game with Brentford, by then, their season could be reaching all or nothing territory, they need to keep winning, to keep the pressure on, if they are to stay in the promotion race, but when attention draws to something so big as their day of cup fever, they could be forgiven for not quite having their finger on the pulse.

The Teams

Peterborough Sports: Peter Crook, Zach Willis, Max Booth (Richard Faakye 77), Sam McLintock (Sam Straughan-Brown 75), Luca Miller, Mustapha Carayol (Maliq Cadogan 77), Charlie Heckingbottom, Jez Davies, Shaq Coulthirst, Marcel Oakley, Connor Wood.

Macclesfield: Max Dearnley, Lewis Fensome, Rollin Menayese, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, D'Mani Mellor, Luke Duffy, Sam Heathcote, Luis Lacey (Cameron Borthwick-Jackson 69), Elliott Osborne, Josh Kay (James Gale 66), James Edmondson (Carlos Dos Santos 66).

7:45pm Kick Off. Tuesday 27th January 2026, Lincoln Road, Peterborough (att 360).