Winsford's depleated squad, due to six unavailable players and several players carrying injuries
The Ladies started the match brightly and with a hunger to win, but they soon found themselves on the back foot as the young Macclesfield side, showing that they weren't going to be beaten easily.
The visitors made it difficult for Winsford to pass the ball around and once Macclesfield regained possession, they turned it into an attacking move, with either a long ball over the top for their number 9 to run onto, or they spread the play out wide to their wingers.
Macclesfield kept the Winsford defence of Rachel Robbins, Emma Johnson, Hanna Hewitson and Leanne Hudson busy throughout the first half. But it was the visitors who broke the stalemate and scored first, following a miss-timed clearance the Macclesfield striker, who was in an offside position, ran into the Winsford 18-yard box. Hewitson managed to chase her down and made a well timed tackle, but the ball rebounded kindly for the striker, who was free and clear and just tapped the ball home.
Winsford dug deep and pressed for an equaliser, with thier mid-field of Jay Anderson, Catherine Southern, Kylie Kettle, Danielle Lydiate and Kathryn Hulme. But the visitors held on to their slim one goal advantage until half time.
The Ladies came out after a tough half time team talk with the managers and took the game to the visitors and it wasn't long before their efforts were rewarded. The mid-field worked hard to keep possession and control of the ball and following a lovely passing move, Lydiate ran at the Macclesfield defence and shot from just outside the 18-yard box, it looked like the Macclesfield keeper was going to make the save, but the shot dipped at the last second and went under the stranded keeper.
Winsford kept possession of the ball for long periods, trying to find a way through. But it was the visitors who gained the upper hand, following a ball over the top. The Macclesfield striker broke through the back four again and in an uncharactistic misunderstanding between Hewitson and the keeper, the striker managed to sneakly hand ball the ball and regain possession. The resultant pass across the Winsford 18-yard box, allowed the supporting player to slot the ball home.
The Ladies had to dig even deeper and pick themselves back up. This they did and following a Winsford corner, delivered by Hewitson, Anderson found herself in the right place at the right time, as the visitors tried to clear there goal line, Anderson struck the ball sweatly, bending it around a defender, past the keeper and into the back of the net.
Winsford had the lions share of possession during the game, but were just unable to capitaise on it. Sarah Lee, Lydiate and Kettle put in a gutsy performance, showing a great deal of skill and poise on the ball.
Macclesfield created countless scoring opportunities, but two things stopped them from running away with the game. Firstly, the amount of times the Macclesfield striker was caught in an offside position and secondly, Girl of the game Hewitson, put in a almost perfect performance, using her pace and upper body strength to muscle out and dispossess the Macclesfield striker time and time again.
Winsford substituted Anderson with 20 minutes left of the game, to give Nicola Bogue, her debut for the Ladies team and what a debut it nearly turned out to be, as in the last minute of the game Winsford won a corner and as the ball was whipped into the box by Hewitson, Bogue dove full stretch to head the ball, which was just a whisker away and clipped the outside of the far post.
Overall it was a much better performance from the Ladies, but there is definitely still room for improvement. However, the draw was a fair result for both teams.
Final score was Winsford Ladies 2 - 2 Macclesfield Town Ladies.
The Ladies have a weekend off this coming weekend. So they will train hard and focus their efforts for Sunday the 11th April 2010, when they host the league leaders Denton Town. The Ladies will need a much improved team performance, if they are to take points away from Denton.