Zoller Gray scores twice as Macclesfield F.C. Reserves win at Glossop North End in convincing fashion.
Macclesfield recovered well from an unlucky defeat last week at home to take all three points largely down to a superb second half display and some clinical finishing from number nine Zoller Gray.
Macclesfield controlled much of the ball early in the game, but it was Glossop who went closest to making the breakthrough.
A poor free kick from a promising position for Macclesfield turned attack into defence as Glossop forged a swift counterattack, playing through the left winger into a one on one, but with the goal gaping his shot missed the target.
Just a minute later the home side once again found themselves in a promising position as the ball was given away in defence, the striker rounded the keeper, but the angle was too tight to convert.
Thereโs no doubt at this point Glossop looked the more threatening side on the counter but with all Macclesfieldโs possession the creation of a big chance was inevitable.
The chance fell to Basit Yusuff who after a sweeping move found himself free of the defence, but his shot was straight at the Glossop Goalkeeper who gathered the ball comfortably.ย
Much like last week Macclesfield flew out of the blocks in the second half but this time they made it count with two goals in 10 minutes.
Just three minutes after the restart Basit Yusuff made up for his earlier miss as he won the ball close to the opposition box, then played through Zoller Gray who finished well to make the breakthrough.
Two changes had been made by the Macclesfield coach at half time and Mason Brown proved to be a superb introduction to the game as he made a near instant impact.
After a pass from the other substitute Casimir Ejinreh a lucky break fell to Brown, but he did superbly well to capitalise driving through the defence and nipping in just ahead of the goalkeeper to double the away sides lead.
Despite this early dominance in the second half the home side werenโt finished just yet and they reduced the deficit by half when the right winger delivered a pin-point cross to the back post where the ball was nodded home.
The chaotic first 25 minutes of the second half were complete when Zoller Gray scored again to restore the two-goal lead given away just five minutes previous.ย
Played through the striker did well to shake off the right back and smash the ball into the bottom left corner to grab his second of the game.
Glossop pressed for the final 20 minutes for a way back into the fixture and the closest they came was a free kick from near the edge of the box that looked to be heading in only for Luke Trentacost to deliver a superb save when called upon.
With that Macclesfield secured a superb away win which should give them confidence as they look to move up the table in the coming weeks.ย
By Ben Hazelden