Match Report: Macclesfield 5-0 South Shields

South Shields crashed out of The Emirates FA Cup with a heavy 5-0 defeat away against Macclesfield on Saturday afternoon.

The Mariners were second best throughout and Robbie Savage’s men put in an outstanding shift to progress into the third qualifying round at their expense. 

Paul Dawson struck a lovely free-kick into the top corner in the 12th minute to give Macclesfield an advantage they would never surrender.

He followed up in the 37th minute to give the hosts a commanding lead at the break, before goals after the interval by Tre Pemberton, Justin Johnson and Edy Maieco sealed things.

Elliott Dickman named a strong starting 11 to take on The Silkmen – Tom Broadbent returned the side while Will Jenkins was named among the starters at The Leasing.com Stadium.

Things didn’t start out perfectly for the 119 Mariners who travelled from the North East.

Martin Smith gave away a free-kick when Johnson went down on the outside of the 18-yard box, and Dawon did wonderfully to guide his effort delightfully into the corner, past Myles Boney.

In the first-half especially there were moments of good play from Shields: Smith played a ball over into the box to Aidan Rutledge, in the 18th minute, who just couldn’t angle his shot in.

Jenkins was given a chance on a plate after Briggs looped his ball into the box, though his quick connection unfortunately failed to materialise in a goal and it sailed over the crossbar. 

Dawson made things worse in the 34th minute when he doubled Macclesfield’s lead.

He was found empty in the box, with only Boney to beat, and he managed to roll it in after a few twists and turns, plus a lot of free space available for him to hit it with good composure. 

Any potential for a second-half comeback was quickly extinguished in the 50th minute when Pemberton got on the scoresheet.

Boney had previously stopped D’Mani Mellor at close range but he had not reacted in time for Pemberton’s follow-up.

Johnson got one of his own in the 61st minute, and Maieco completed the rout just before the whistle.

Shields will want to put this game behind them, as they refocus on the Vanarama National League North campaign, with their game at Chorley being held next week at 1st Cloud Arena.

Macclesfield: Dearnley, Pemberton, Lee, Rooney, Mendy, Heathcote, Johnson (Kengni ‘75), Dawson (Fensome ‘75), Mellor (Duffus ‘83), Curran (Elliott ‘65), Duffy (Maieco ‘83).

Unused substitutes: Scott, Savage.

Goals: Dawon ('12, '37), Pemberton ('50), Johnson ('61), Maieco ('90+4).

South Shields: Boney, Okeke, Bramwell (Middlemas ‘58), Broadbent, Shepherd, Briggs, Smith, Jenkins (Mee ‘51), Crossley (Hodgson ‘46), Heaney, Rutledge.

Unused substitutes: Seymour, Taylor, Watts, McGowan.

Image credit: Kev Wilson (@KevWilson19)