Source: FOOTYMAD
Sturrock: 'Long hard think about the team I pick';Simpson: 'Shuffle pack around due to injuries'
Both managers have their say before the Shrimpers face the Silkmen at their Moss Rose ground with the Essex boys trying to continue the nine match unbeaten run that has kept them in League Two's second position. Sturrock: 'What formula to come up with as several of the players who came in at Barnet did a good job' As well as continuing to wear his lucky suit while we are on our nine match unbeaten run, winning eight of those, seven in the league, Blues boss Paul Sturrock in his weekly Echo column spoke of his concern over who to start with, and who to leave out, for the tough trip to Macclesfield Town Saturday afternoon. Sturrock told www.echo-news.co.uk: "I decided to make a few changes for the Barnet game because I just felt we had to make sure we had a freshness about us. It’s vitally important to have that at this level and with us playing Saturday, Tuesday and then Saturday again I thought it was the right thing to do. Fortunately it worked out well too as we won the match 3-0 and it was certainly pleasing to keep another clean sheet, particularly as Luke Daniels came in to make his debut in goal." He went on to describe how the West Brom loanee only met the rest of the squad on the day of the Bees clash which ended up in a 3-0 away victory. Sturrock said: "It was a shame to lose Glenn Morris in goal because he had been doing well, but I’m sure Luke will prove to be a good replacement while he’s out injured. Luke, who has come in from West Bromwich Albion, made his first appearances for us just hours after signing and first meeting everyone at the training ground so that was always going to be a difficult situation. But Luke handled it well and had to make a good save from a header in the second half." He did indeed, and Luggy knows that there could be even more goalmouth action at Moss Rose on the last day before the clocks go back as the tenth placed Silkmen could enter the play-off zone with another three points. Sturrock concluded: "He could have a bit more to do tomorrow because Macclesfield are flying at the moment. They won on Tuesday night and have been on a really good run so we know we’re in for a really difficult game. We played against Macclesfield four times last season and drew at their ground twice as we also played them in the FA Cup so we know it’s never an easy place to go. I will have to have a long hard think about what team I pick and what formula to come up with as several of the players who came in at Barnet did a good job." The S24 Preview: www.southendunited-mad.co.uk Simpson: 'Our win over Bradford in the week had a bit of everything' Meanwhile, Macclesfield boss Gary Simpson has problems of his own with a number of injries including two of his strikers, and the loss to suspension of one of his most influential midfielders in Ross Draper. However, they rallied around in midweek to beat a struggling Bradford City side 1-0, though with the help of a very dodgy penalty! Simpson spoke after the game: "To be fair we've got a dubious one there but the referee's made a rod for his own back by not giving us a penalty in the first half. Ross Draper was definitely clipped and told me he just could not stay on his feet. It should have been a penalty and a red card and then it would have been a completely different game." Fair enough and it obviously helped continue forging a strong team spirit. Simpson said: "The lads are delighted to have beaten a team like Bradford. It shows what high esteem they're held in. They've got a far bigger budget at their club than us and can afford some quality individual players but we'll do it our way and they'll have to do it their way." Wonder how much 'esteem' they hold us? Anyway, Simmo has other things to worry about, how many fit players he will have for Saturday for starters! He told www.mtfc.co.uk: "Like Crewe, (they also won 1-0 there), our win over Bradford in the week also had a bit of everything. We had to shuffle the pack around due to the injuries we had picked up and I thought we adjusted well early on. We played some decent stuff." Club connection - Silkmen & Shrimpers: www.mtfc.co.uk Catch all Tuesday's League Two goals: http://news.bbc.co.uk