Macclesfield 0-1 Marine, Enterprise National League North, Saturday 4th October 2025
Max Ledson reports from the Leasing.com Stadium
Marine produced a composed and disciplined performance on the road to claim a well-deserved 1–0 victory over Macclesfield at the Leasing.com Stadium.
The visitors dominated large periods of play and were eventually rewarded for their persistence through Matty McDonald’s tidy finish midway through the second half.
The game’s key turning point came early on, when Macclesfield were reduced to ten men in the 20th minute. Josh Kay was shown a straight red card for a late challenge on Leigh Whelan. The Mariners were able to control possession from this point onwards.
Despite this, the visitors weren’t able to find a breakthrough before the interval. Terry Bondo was able to find the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for offside.
Marine’s pressure continued into the second half with them looking the most likely to take the lead and looking solid in defence.
The 63rd minute saw the ball find the back of the Macclesfield net but once again it was ruled out, this time for a foul on the goalkeeper, Max Dearnley.
The game’s decisive moment finally came in the 68th minute after a great ball into the box from new signing Adam Anson, the ball was turned home smartly by Matty McDonald.
Marine managed the closing stages professionally, limiting Macclesfield to very little in attack and seeing out the game to secure all three points.
Lineup: McIntyre, Brown (Gregson, 56’) Whelan, Sinclair-Smith (Bell, 88’), McDonald, Marsden (Fielding, 90’), Anson, Wardle, Hunter, Bondo (Newell, 61’), Drysdale.
Unused substitutes: Tierney, Thomas, Barnsley.
Macclesfield: Dearnley, Lee (Menayese 74), Fensome, Dawson, Mellor, Elliott, Heathcote, Etaluku (Duffy 71), Johnson (Whitehead 26), Kay, Edmondson (Buckley-Ricketts 85).
Unused substitutes: Griffiths, Lacey, Nicholson.
Attendance: 3,003
