The pre-match form guide had suggested that Macclesfield would have too much for Bromley on Saturday, having won their previous two games scoring eight goals in the process.

John Askey, Macclesfield manager, had spoken in the week of having the luxury of a fully fit squad to choose from whereas his counterpart Mark Goldberg could only dream of such riches.

Not since early September could Mark Goldberg really say he has had a fully fit squad to choose from. This game was to prove no exception as once again Ben May and Alex Wall were missing from the matchday squad and the returning Pierre Joseph-Dubois and Max Porter were only fit enough to take a place on the bench.

This left Lee Minshull as the latest player to play the role of makeshift striker alongside Moses Emmanuel with Jack Holland reverting to a more natural position at right back.

With Bromley fresh off two consecutive home defeats all things pointed to a victory for the home side and the form guide was to prove accurate on this occasion.

That said the context of the game and final score could have been very different if Bromley had taken advantage of their bright start to the game.

In consecutive minutes around the eight minute mark, first good play down the left wing between Joe Anderson and Moses Emmanuel left the latter free in the penalty area to cut back across the box only for Lee Minshull to flash high and wide when well set.

A minute later, A Louis Dennis through ball found Moses Emmanuel clean through on goal but Shwan Jalal was to prove equal to the task with a fine block from Emmanuel’s effort.

With the game then resembling a nip and tuck affair, it took until the 34th minute for any action of consequence to occur. Some good interchange between Danny Whitaker and Paul Turnbull set up Danny Whitehead to drive a fierce 25 yard effort just over the bar.

The best chance of the first half was to come three minutes later, Kristian Dennis meeting Paul Lewis’ cross with a free header in the six yard box only to be denied by a brilliant save by Chris Kettings.

Level at half time and neither side really able to claim a stranglehold on the game, it was all to play for in the second half. However it was Macclesfield who came out in the second half firing on all cylinders and promptly took the lead three minutes into the second half.

A fantastic cross by Whitehead found Chris Holroyd free at the far post, his smart side foot volley back across the area was met by Lewis who fired in past Kettings from close range. Buoyed by the opening goal, Macclesfield should have doubled their lead in the 52nd minute Ben Chorley slipped when trying to cut out a through ball which released Kristian Dennis only for Whitaker to slash Dennis’s cross over the bar when it seemed easier to hit the target.

Kristian Dennis was proving to be a constant menace and minutes later another of his crosses was deemed to be impeded by the arm of Chorley inside the penalty area. To many it looked like a case of ball to arm and to the wild consternation of the Bromley defence the assistant referee signalled for a handball. However, justice was to be done with Kettings saving Kristian Dennis’ spot kick.

Bromley briefly rallied after the penalty incident. First Minshull went close when his header from Anderson’s free kick was saved at point-blank range by Jawal. In the 67th minute, Bromley went even closer Emmanuel picking up the ball just outside the penalty area and curling an effort past Jawal’s fingertips but cruelly seeing the ball rebound off the post to safety.

That was to be as good as it got for Bromley as Kristian Dennis sealed the win with his 15th goal of the season. Poor defensive shape from Bromley following an innocuous throw in led to Dennis finishing smartly after a Holyroyd cut back.

The rest of the game played out to little or no incident as Macclesfield completed their third consecutive win to leapfrog Bromley and continue their march up the National league table.

For Bromley they must reflect on their third consecutive defeat and lick their wounds as the games continue to come thick and fast. With many sides seemingly getting to grips with the threat posed by Emmanuel, Cook and Dennis manager Mark Goldberg must be pondering the shape/approach of his side when plan A is being snuffed out.

That said all the while injuries continue to limit the options available to him it remains very much a case of battling through this difficult period.

 

Macclesfield Town: Jalal, Byrne, Turnbull, Lewis, Holyroyd, Cowan, K.Dennis (Rowe 84), Diagne, Whitehead (Sampson 70), Fitzpatrick, Whitaker

Subs not used: Branagan, Halls, Pilkington

Goals: Lewis 49, Dennis 80

Bromley: Kettings, Holland, Anderson, Fuseini (Porter 73), Chorley, Swaine, Minshull, Dennis (Rodgers 87), Cook, Prestedge (Joseph-Dubois 78), Emmanuel

Subs not used: Tumwa, Udoji

Attendance: 1,632 (Bromley 90)

Referee: Mr Ryan Johnson