'Here we go again' was the cry form the press room before kick off but after seeing the Silkmen gain a well deserved draw at 3rd favourites Bradford I for one think most Macclesfield fans can start looking forward to a half decent season.

It was a shock not seeing Danny Swailes name on team sheet but it give Richard Edghill the chance to Captain the Silkmen against his former club for his league debut and boy he was up for it with a determined performance. With the sun shinning and a crowd of 13,000 waiting for the whistle it was the home side that got the game underway and had the first chance after two minutes. A free kick swung in by Heckingbottom found the head of David Wetherwall but he couldn't direct it goalwards. The Silkmen first attack came a minute later when a low cross from the right by Husbands almost found a sliding Danny Thomas at back post but Danny was unable to make contact with the ball and it went out for goal kick leaving a divot and him thumping the ground in frustration.

The home side came close with another free kick when Paul Evans looked to catch Tommy Lee off guard but his quick free kick went just wide. The first goal of the season for the Silkmen came with only nine minutes gone after a cross field pass by Dunfield found Regan in plenty of space and Carl was able to run towards the Bradford goal and played a great pass to Francis Green on the edge of the box. Green cut inside his marker and his sweet shot beat the Bradford keeper bottom right.1-0 Silkmen.

The home side had a chance to pull level five minutes later but Barry Conlon misjudged and the ball was cleared away. The home side saw another chance go by when a free kick about twenty five yards out was tipped round the post by a diving Tommy Lee. As the half went on the game was moving end to end with good football from both teams. With the Silkmen playing a nice neat close passing game on 33rd minute they almost scored again after the ball found Husbands whose shot was spilt by Donovan Ricketts and trundled out for corner.

With the half almost up the home side got themselves back into the game, after the referee had decided to grant a penalty after Guylain Ndumbu-Nsingu was deemed to of been fouled in the area. It was left to Barry Conlon to take the kick but it was well saved by Lee but the ball fell to the feet of Ndumbu-Nsingu who slotted home. 1-1. It was harsh decision and after the game Stuart McCall said it was never a penalty but the goal stood and the Silkmen went into the break honours even 1 -1.

Second Half

The home side had a chance to score within the first minute of restart but Barry Conlon shot was wide of Lee's goal. The Silkmen keep pushing forwards and a nice one two between Thomas and McIntyre resulted in a low cross from the left but it only found Husbands in an offside position. It was the home side which seen to have most of the play as the second half wore on and again Conlon had a another header which went over the top of Tommy Lees goal. More pressure followed as the Bantams just kept running forward, this time a low cross from Omar Daley was met on the slide at the near post by Eddie Johnson but he was unable to steer ball goal wards.

The home side came within inches from scoring when Adam Murray give away the ball on the half way line. It was picked up by Johnson who played a though ball. Daley who timed his run well ended up one on one Lee, his shot beat the diving Lee only to see the ball hit the outside of the post and out for a goal kick.

The Silkmen first sub came with twenty minutes left when a quite Danny Thomas was replaced by James Jennings. The second followed minutes later with Gareth Evans coming on for Levi Reid, the latter making an impressive debut down the right hand side. Into the last ten minutes and the cards started to show, first came Evans after he had been deemed to have left his foot up on Bradford Keeper Donovan Ricketts just outside the box. Then a minute later out came the second card for the Silkmen. This time for Richard Edghill after a silly tackle which took out not only a Bantams player but also Kevin McIntyre. Then with four minutes to go Francis Green joined them after a late tackle. With ninety minutes on the clock James Jennings was also shown a yellow.

With all eyes on the fourth official the board went up showing four minutes injury time. It was all the home side during those long four minutes and Macc made a final sub during that time with Jimmy McNulty coming on for Husbands and the Silkmen changed to 5-4-1, trying to hold out as the home side pressed forward looking for the winning goal but it never came and the whistle blow.

If the Silkmen play as they did today its going to be a great season for Ian, Asa and the boys in blue. The traffic troubles meant no curry for the lads in the car prior to kick off but that was soon forgotten as the Silkmen earned a very decent away point 1-1 final score

Dean Bamford