Congleton Town 1-7 Macclesfield Town

The Silkmen were 7-1 winners at Congleton Town thanks to goals from Marvin Robinson, Matt McNeil, Kevin McIntyre, Colin Heath (2), John Miles and Andrew Teague.

New boy Marvin Robinson opened the scoring early on thanks to an excellent cross from Matt McNeil, looped to the far post, which Robinson nodded home. 1-0

It wasn`t long before the home side were level. Tommy Baker firing in off the post from just inside the penalty area. 1-1

Matty McNeil then scored the goal of the game.

After running on to a great through ball by Bully, he was closed down by three Congleton defenders. Somehow he managed to skip through all three before rounding the ‘keeper.

With no Congleton player within five yards he took the ball to the goal-line, stopped, looked at the referee and held off a light hearted ‘tackle` from Robinson, before backheeling into the goal. 2-1

Matty McNeil was involved with the third goal as his shot was parried by the Congleton ‘keeper but only as far as Kevin McIntyre who slid the ball home. 3-1

The first half also saw Dave Morley go close with two free-kicks. One grazing the post and the other forcing a fumble from the ‘keeper but McNeil couldn`t quite react fast enough to poke home.

The second half began with the removal of McNeil, Robinson, Lee and Bullock to be replaced by Heath, Miles, Brain and Angolan born trialist Junior, who has been playing in Portugal for several years.

Junior had already gone close, hitting a shot just over the bar from a good cross, when Colin Heath opened his account. A through-ball from Miles saw him into the area and he found the roof of the net from an incredibly tight angle on the right. 4-1

Number five came from Heath again as he was played into the penalty area on the left hand side, and once again his powerful shot slammed into the roof of the net from a wide angle. 5-1

David Morley and Alan Navarro were replaced by Andy Teague and Jordan Hadfield by the time the Silkmen hit number six. To be fair to Congleton, there was more than a hint of offside as John Miles raced clear of the back line, rounded the ‘keeper and slotted home. 6-1

Danny Swailes and Jay Denny, who had looked a decent prospect, were replaced by James Jennings and Marvin McDonald and Kevin McIntyre came off for Izak Ried.

Andrew Teague finished the scoring for the Silkmen with a flashing header from a John Miles corner. 7-1

Jordan Hadfield and Colin Heath would go close but the score remained at 7-1.

Team: Lee (Brain), Regan, Morley (Teague), Swailes (Jennings), McNulty, Bullock (Junior), Navarro (Hadfield), Denny (McDonald), McIntyre (Ried), Robinson (Miles), McNeil (Heath).