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Macc hit new low

3/ 9/2008

KEITH Alexander typified his team’s fighting spirit with a gung-ho team-talk.

Three goals down and with only 10 men against crewe in Tuesday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie, he said to his collection of novices and veterans, a team already depleted by injuries and suspensions: "Right lads, it stops now. The rot has got to stop."

At that point he was probably more embarrassed then anyone else, his dreams for the season already in tatters, but nonetheless he had the gumption to get their heads up and get them to play.

Macc had been humiliated in the first half, the game merely a continuation of the 6-0 catastrophe at home to Darlington, and with Martin Gritton compounding the misery with a senseless sending off, they were facing another thumping.

Alexander said: "They were magnificent in the second half. They showed fantastic character and commitment and they are going to be given another chance."

Macc were naive in the first-half, conceding their first goal inside five minutes, when they allowed Steve Schumacher to ghost into the box and poke home a nod down from Anthony Elding.

Then Martin Gritton, already booked and warned twice in the first 10 minutes, lunged at the shins of Daniel O’Donnell to leave his side in even deeper trouble.

Alexander said after the JPT tie ended 3-0: "He was fired up after last weekend and wanted to show his commitment, but even so, he has been around long enough and should have known better."

Worse was to follow, Billy Jones swinging home a 15-yard drive in the 20th minute and O’Donnell judging a neat back header to the far corner.

But even with 10 men Macc might have goals in the first-half, Simon Yeo missing the best chance when fed by Danny Thomas, but slicing horribly wide from eight yards.