STAY INtertoto Cup: Macclesfield Town 2 v 0 Middlesbrough

Book the open top bus. Prepare the fireworks. Print the t-shirts. Macclesfield Town are on their way to Stay Intertoto Cup glory after Reice Charles-Cook’s Silkmen conquered Middlesbrough in their first group match.

The players in both squads were boosted to 85 overall in order to make the game fairer for all, but they needn’t have done so.

The first real chance of the game came in a rather surreal fashion. Patrick Roberts, controlling Patrick Roberts, curled a shot from the edge of the box which was well saved by Reice Charles-Cook, who was being controlled by Reice Charles-Cook.

Despite this, Macc were firmly on top and breakthrough eventually came in the 40th minute. Connor Kirby’s delicate through ball split the Boro defence down the middle, allowing Jacob Blyth to chip delightfully over the onrushing keeper and into the net.

Living rooms of a Macclesfield Town persuasion went absolutely loopy in the 50th minute when Joe Ironside bagged the second when he lost his marker and lashed home the second goal of the game.

There was a late scare when Nathan Cameron saw red for a rash challenge, but the tactically astute Silkmen held on for victory and a precious clean sheet, which takes them to the top of Group G.

Macclesfield Town: Reice Charles-Cook, Corey O’Keeffe, Nathan Cameron, Fiacre Kelleher, Theo Archibald, Arthur Gnahoua, Connor Kirby, Michael Rose, Donovan Wilson, Jacob Blyth, Joe Ironside.