Live Commentary: Macclesfield Town 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday - as it happened

Macclesfield's Andy Halls and Sheffield Wednesday's Jeremy Helan in action during their FA Cup third round match on January 4, 2013
© Getty Images
Relive Sports Mole's live text commentary of the FA Cup third-round tie between Macclesfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday at Moss Rose.

Macclesfield Town hosted Sheffield Wednesday in their FA Cup third round tie at Moss Rose.

Reda Johnson gave the visitors the lead, after heading in from a corner.

The home side levelled the scores in the second half with a goal from Steve Williams, to book a replay at Hillsborough.

Read how the action unfolded below.


Sort:
Newest
Oldest
2pmGood afternoon and thank you for joining Sports Mole for live text commentary of the FA Cup third-round tie between Macclesfield Town and Sheffield Wednesday at Moss Rose.

2.03pmConference Premier side Macclesfield will be aiming to pull off one of the shocks of the round, as they play host to Sheffield Wednesday of the Championship.

2.06pmMacclesfield are one of three non-league sides attempting to reach the fourth round of the cup this afternoon. Fellow Conference Premier teams Grimsby Town and Kidderminster Harriers are in action against Huddersfield Town and Peterborough United.

2.09pmMacclesfield have already pulled of a shock so far this season. After seeing off Conference North side Vauxhall Motors 7-0 in the fourth round of qualifying, they stunned League One side Swindon Town in the first round, with a 4-0 victory. They followed that up with a 3-2 win over Brackley Town in the second round to book their place in the third round for the third successive season.

2.12pmThe hosts will be looking at Connor Jennings to be their main threat this afternoon. He has scored 16 goals this season, and is the second top scorer in the Conference Premier with 14 strikes. Another player that the opposition will have to look out for is Scott Boden, who has scored nine goals this season, and scored twice during their 3-0 victory over Hyde on New Year’s Day.

2.16pmMacclesfield are the form side out of the two coming into today’s clash. They have won their last four games, since being beaten 3-0 by Cambridge United in early December. Their recent good form has seen them climb to 11th in the table, and they are now just four points away from a place in the playoff positions.

2.20pmSheffield Wednesday have struggled at the bottom of the Championship table this season, but started 2014 with a 2-0 win over Blackpool that saw them climb out of the relegation zone and move up to 20th.

2.24pmThey have only won four games in the league all season, but three of those victories have come since the beginning of December. Their main problem has been the number of games they have drawn this season, and they are level with Nottingham Forest on 10 matches that have finished level.

2.28pmMacclesfield will take heart that Wednesday struggle to win away from home. In their 11 league games away from Hillsborough, they have won just once, suffering four defeats, and drawing seven times.

2.31pmWednesday have only played one cup fixture so far this season, but they fell to a first round defeat in the League Cup to League One side Rotherham United.

2.34pmMacclesfield are the lowest-ranked team remaining in the FA Cup this season, in terms of league placing, but will hope to match last season's best ever run, where they were knocked out by eventual winners Wigan Athletic in the fourth round.

2.36pmMACCLESFIELD XI: Taylor, Halls, Andrew, Whitaker, Connor, Williams, Turnbull, Holroyd, Boden, Winn

2.37pmSHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY XI: Martinez, Palmer, Llera, Loovens, Reda Johnson, Lee, McPhail, Semedo, Helan, Maguire, Nuhiu

2.38pmMACCLESFIELD SUBS: Martin, Bolton, Kissock, lewis, Branagan, Rowe Kay

2.39pmSHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY SUBS: Kirkland, Maghoma, Corry, Mattock, McCabe, J. Johnson, Betra

2.42pmUPDATE: In today's early FA Cup match at Ewood park, Blackburn Rovers came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw against Manchester City. Alvaro Negredo put the Premier League side ahead, but Scott Dann scored a second half equalsier to book a replay at the Etihad.

2.46pmPREDICTION: Macclesfield will come into the game full of confidence after their fine run of recent form and will be hoping that they can cause an upset in front of a packed Moss Rose crowd. The FA Cup could prove to be a welcome distraction to Sheffield Wednesday and they will want to use today’s fixture as a platform to build upon as they look to move up the Championship table away from danger. I think the home side can claim a draw and take the game to a replay at Hillsborough, with the final score today finishing 1-1.

2.50pmWe are just ten minutes away from kick off at a sold out Moss Rose stadium.

2.53pmREFEREE: Lee Mason will take charge of today’s match.

2.58pmThe players are out on the pitch and kick off is just moments away.

1 minKICKOFF! We are underway at Moss Rose!

2 minMackreth is lucky to not pick up a booking in the opening 30 seconds for a late challenge on Johnson. The away side are then given a free kick just inside the Macclesfield half, but the hosts clear the danger with ease.

4 minThe visitors have seen a lot of the ball in the opening stages of the game, but have yet to carve out any real goalscoring opportunities.

6 minMacclesfield look slightly nervous, however over the past couple of minutes they have got on the ball a lot more, with the crowd getting behind their every touch.

8 minWednesday manage to work the ball wide to Johnson on the left hand side, but his cross from the byline is well over hit and ends up flying out of the ground.

10 minWe are still yet to see a shot on goal after the first 10 minutes of the match, with both teams still feeling their way into the contest.

12 minSheffield Wednesday win the first corner of the match, and have plenty of players in the box, but Maguire fails to beat the first man and the chance goes to waste.

14 minThe home side will have a corner after Boden tries his luck with a strike from a tight angle, that takes a slight deflection on the way out.

14 minCHANCE! The home side come agonizingly close to taking the lead! The corner is whipped into the middle and Connor meets the ball, but sees his header cleared of the line with Martinez beaten.

17 minThe hosts are brimming with confidence now after nearly going ahead, and sense that they can really get at their opponent's today.

19 minMacclesfield will have another chance to get players into the middle, after winning a free kick to the left hand side of the penalty area.

19 minTurnbull takes the set piece, but doesn't make great contact with the ball, and it fails to beat first man.

22 minThere have been a few crunching challenges flying in already, and the visitors will have a free kick in a similar position on the left flank that their opponents had previously.

22 minMaguire takes the set piece, and like his earlier corner, it is disappointing, with Macclesfield getting the ball clear.

25 minThe visitors win a corner after a fast break, and have a chance to put Macclesfield under further pressure here.

25 minGOAL! Macclesfield Town 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Johnson)

25 minThe Championship side have taken the lead! McPhail delivers the corner, and Johnson rises highest in the box to head an effort into the far corner of the net.

30 minSAVE! Taylor has kept his side in this with an incredible save! Lee delivers a low ball to the back post and Semedo looks certain to fire the ball into the net, but the keeper somehow claws it out on his goal line.

31 minCHANCE! Wednesday are looking dangerous from set pieces now, and the ball falls kindly to Johnson in the box following a corner, but he fires his low effort wide of the goal.

32 minCHANCE! Macclesfield win a corner kick, but the away side clear the danger and look to counter. The ball is eventually played to Helan on the left wing, but his strike from a tight angle is drilled just over the bar.

36 minWednesday are completely dominating this game now and the home side can't get a foot on the ball. That goal has really helped them assert their dominance, and their Championship quality is showing.

40 minCHANCE! The away side nearly score an exact replica of their first goal. McPhail swings in a corner from the left hand side and Nuhiu meets the ball with a glancing header that drifts just wide of the far post.

42 minMacclesfield win a free kick on the left hand side, and Andrew steps up to take it. He whips in fantastic ball that fizzes across the six-yard box, but none of his teammates can make contact, and it heads behind for a goal kick.

45 minWe are going to have one minute of stoppage time.

45+1 minHALF-TIME: Macclesfield Town 0-1 Sheffield Wednesday

3.48pmMacclesfield had been hoping for an upset at the start of the match, but they have struggled against their Championship opponents and find themselves a goal down at half time. Johnson's header came when the game was in the balance, but Sheffield Wednesday have gone on to dominate and are deservedly ahead.

3.53pmThe half time stats confirm the dominance of the visitors this afternoon. They have had 68% of the possession and have managed eight strikes on goal. Macclesfield have had three strikes on goal, with their only effort on target a shot from Connor that was cleared off the line.

3.58pmThe Conference side are just a goal down and manager Steve King will be telling his players not to be too disheartened. They still have 45 minutes left of this match to cause an upset and try and keep their four game winning run going.

4pmThe players are back out and we are just moments away from the start of the second half.

46 minMacclesfield kick off and get the game back underway.

48 minThe Owls have dominated the opening exchanges of the second half, and McPhail tries his luck from range, but scuffs his low strike wide.

51 minMacclesfield manage to get the ball into the visitors final third and see a couple of strikes from the edge of the box blocked. They then manage to force a corner kick, after Winn sees his pull back from a cross cleared behind.

53 minCHANCE! The corner is played to the back post, where it is headed back across goal by Holroyd, but Wednesday manage to get the ball clear. That was a big chance for the hosts, and they may see set pieces as a way back into this game.

55 minCHANCE! Macclesfield win another corner and again it is played to the back post, where Williams meets the ball with a towering header, but the angle is against him, and he can only find the side netting.

59 minCHANCE! Wednesday come close to a second as Helan latches onto the end of a loose ball just inside the box, but sees his rasping drive pushed wide by Taylor.

61 minCHANCE! The home side have been far more positive in this half and Williams comes close with a low drive that is held by the keeper, after a powerful run through the midfield.

62 minMacclesfield come forward again and put together a fine move, with the ball played into Boden on the edge of the box. He lays it off to Holroyd to strike, but he gets underneath the ball and fires it high over the bar.

64 minSUBSTITUTION: Macclesfield make the first change of the match, with Lewis replacing Holroyd.

66 minSAVE! Sheffield Wednesday nearly give away a shocking goal. A cross into the middle is poorly cleared straight into the path of Whitaker, who attempts a powerful first-time effort, but it is brilliantly pushed over the bar by Martinez.

69 minThe visitors look dangerous on the counter attack and nearly manage to get in on goal, but for a poor touch from Nuhiu on the edge of the box.

72 minGOAL! Macclesfield Town 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday (Williams)

72 minMacclesfield are back on level terms and we could see an upset here today after all! Turnbull delivers an inch-perfect ball into the box, and Williams stretches out a leg to divert it past Martinez and into the corner of the net. They have deserved that goal for the display they have put in during this second half.

74 minSUBSTITUTIONS: Wednesday make a double change, with Johnson replacing Helan, and McCabe coming on for McPhail.

77 minJohnson is down for the away side with an injury, while Winn receives treatment on what looks like an ankle problem for the hosts.

80 minMacclesfield have looked the more likely of the two sides to get a goal late on, following their equaliser, and with the game entering the final ten minutes, they may feel the tie is there to be won.

82 minMacclesfield will have a free kick from just inside the area, after Martinez picks up a poor back pass from Llera. The defender didn't do his keeper any favours there and he was forced into handling the ball.

84 minYELLOW CARDS! Johnson and Maguire pick up a bookings for arguing.

84 minThe free kick is laid off to Andrew, who lashes his effort straight against the wall.

87 minSUBSTITUTION: Sheffield Wednesday make their final change of the game, with Maghoma replacing Maguire.

90 minWe are going to have five minutes of stoppage time.

90+2 minSUBSTITUTION: The home side make their final change, with Martin replacing Boden.

90+4 minMacclesfield are doing everything they can to keep the ball out of their half, as they look to secure a lucrative replay.

90+5 minThe Owls win a corner, and the ball is played deep to the back post where Johnson meets it, but he can only put his header wide. That surely will be the last chance of the game.

90+5 minFULL-TIME: Macclesfield Town 1-1 Sheffield Wednesday

4.54pmMacclesfield have come from behind to claim a draw against their Championship opponents. They were brilliant in the second half, and fully deserved their goal, that has earned them a money-spinning replay at Hillsborough.

4.58pmThe stats at the final whistle show that the home side had more shots on goal, with 14 attempts to the Owl's 12 shots. They may not have seen too much of the ball, but were far more positive, and can be proud of their efforts this afternoon.

5.02pmThat's all we've got time for here. Please stay with us at Sports Mole for all of today's FA Cup results and the latest news. I hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend, goodbye!

A general view of Sheffield Wednesday's ground Hillsborough.
Read Next:
Half-Time Report: Wednesday edge goalless 45
>
Related Video
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Cheltenham TownCheltenham412511576284886
2Forest Green RoversForest Green41259766382884
3Grimsby Town382012672333972
4Tranmere RoversTranmere4119121056401669
5Dover AthleticDover Athletic392081169492068
6Braintree Town391911944281668
7Eastleigh39199115748966
8Wrexham401981366462065
9Gateshead41189145059-963
10Macclesfield TownMacclesfield401761754441057
11Lincoln City411512146257557
12Bromley41168176364-156
13Barrow391411145565-1053
14Woking40148186058250
15Aldershot TownAldershot40148184462-1850
16SouthportSouthport411211184156-1547
17Chester FCChester401111185462-844
18Guiseley40915163961-2242
19Boreham WoodBoreham Wood40913183441-740
20Halifax Town381010185073-2340
21AltrinchamAltrincham39912184163-2239
22Torquay UnitedTorquay Utd39911194168-2738
23Welling UnitedWelling United41711233258-2632
24Kidderminster HarriersKidderminster40610244065-2528