Macclesfield vs Bury preview
Friday 2 November 2018 12:48, UK
Macclesfield are unlikely to make wholesale changes against Bury despite suffering an 11th defeat of the season in their last outing.
Ben Stephens, who made his first league start for the Silkmen in the 1-0 defeat to Cambridge, is expected to keep his position in midfield against Bury. Joint caretaker-managers Neil Howarth and Danny Whitaker made three changes following the 5-0 defeat to Northampton and may have been encouraged by the showing at Cambridge despite going down to a late goal.
Long-term absentees Ryan Lloyd (ankle), Callum Evans (ankle), Jordan Ponticelli (metatarsal) and Elliot Durrell (groin) are unlikely to feature.
Eoghan O'Connell (hamstring) is again a likely absentee for Bury as they make a first trip to Moss Rose in seven years. Jermaine Beckford will also miss out against the team at the bottom of the table after the striker suffered a further setback to a knee injury.
He enjoyed a brief return from the long-term complaint, before encountering another problem and is set for further time away from the game. Beckford was Bury's joint-top goalscorer last season before needing surgery, but his absence will again give Nicky Maynard the chance to impress.
Opta stats
Macclesfield have won just one of their last 11 league games against Bury (D5 L5), a 2-0 home win in March 2010.
Bury have scored in nine of their last 10 league games against Macclesfield (W5 D4 L1), netting 19 goals in total (average of 1.9 goals per game).
Since ending their 36-game wait for a victory in the Football League with a 2-1 win over Carlisle, Macclesfield have lost each of their last two matches by an aggregate scoreline of 0-6.
Bury have won just one of their last six League Two games (D4 L1), a 4-0 victory over Notts County.
Only Port Vale (9) have conceded more goal from set-piece situations this season in League Two than Macclesfield and Bury (8 each).
