Macclesfield Town : The Good, the Bad and the Ugly


By Nathan Jackson
December 2 2005

In a new feature, we focus of 3 memorable events against our next opponents in a traditional, the good, the bad and the ugly. Include this week, is a classic game against Macclesfield, a match that led to Phil Stant getting the sack (although surely that should be in the good ) and a mass brawl

Lincoln City 3 Macclesfield Town 2 : 2003/4

This was a game that summed up Lincoln vs Macclesfield fixtures, ties where virtually anything can happen. This game including a sublime volley, a thunderbolt, a fluky deflection, a brilliant volley, a seconding off and a mere handful of away fans.

 

22 Macclesfield fans made the trip to Sincil Bank on that Tuesday night, the official figures state that 43 fans went through the away turnstiles that night, but I got bored at one point during the match and started counting the away fans, god knows where those extra 21 came from.

 

City control the majority of the opening period and make their dominance pay in the 23rd minute when the ball falls to Gain from 25 yards out and the midfielder, who was the best in the division when he could be bothered, produced an excellent dipping volley to give the Imps the lead. However, early in the 2nd half, Macclesfield equalised when Matt Tipton sent a header across goal and it’s 1-1, but not for long. City score straight from the kick off when the ball falls to Butcher in the area and he rifles City back into the lead after just 34 seconds.

 

Gary Fletcher broke free of the defence but was brought down my Munroe when the defender decided to fouled him from behind and he was sent off. City looked to kill the game off but Macclesfield, who hadn’t scored at City in their previous 2 visits, scored another when the ball fell to Tipton insider the box, he neatly tip the ball up and volley the ball into the net after finding the narrowest of gaps.

 

It seemed destined for a draw, however, in the final minute, Butcher tried his luck from 30 yards, the ball was heading out but hit Francis Green and was taken past Boaz Myhill to give City a memorable, although fortunate victory.

 

 

Cast your minds back to February 2001. Phil Stant was in charge of the Imps but the home game against Macclesfield, proved to be his penultimate game in charge. In front of a crowd of under 2000, Macclesfield won a one-sided contest 2-1 in a game was proved vital and City’s next game, a defeat to Orient, saw Stant sacked. It was the only time that Macclesfield have ever done the double over the Imps and both of their wins that season, make up 50% of the amount of wins they’ve had against the Imps in the league.

 

 

Both teams were heading for promotion in the 1997/8 season when City made the visit to Moss Rose, Macclesfield hadn’t lost at home this season. It appeared to be heading for a 0-0 draw but then, a goalmouth scramble saw a mass brawl involving all 22 players on the pitch.

 

It started when a long ball is played into the box. A Macclesfield player ran into the box and went to ground, something that the Lincoln players didn’t like and as another Macc player ran in to help his team mate, he was pushed by several Lincoln players, Barry Richardson then kicks the grounded player and is himself flooded by Macclesfield players. A mass brawl breaks out with elbows, fists and feet flying everywhere and it takes several minutes for the situation to calm itself down. 2 players were sent off, Richardson and Ben Sedgemore, who would be a Lincoln player just 3 years later.

 

Just for the record, the game finished 1-0 to Macclesfield, both sides were promoted but both were relegated straight back.