Campbell thrilled as Macclesfield climb out of the relegation zone

Posted Wednesday, April 10, 2019 by PA

Macclesfield manager Sol Campbell was delighted as his side climbed out of the drop zone with a dramatic 3-2 triumph over Exeter.

Campbell praised his team’s spirit and desire to come from behind twice to claim a crucial victory in their relegation dogfight.

Victory propelled the struggling Silkmen out of the League Two relegation zone for the first time since the second match of the season.

And he said: “The lads did really, really well. Coming back from two goals with it being 1-0 and then 1-1 and then 2-1. It showed great character.

“Everyone stuck to their jobs and it gives us a fantastic platform. We had to dig in for all sorts of reasons on and off the field, but the lads showed really fantastic character there to get the win.

“It was a bit hairy at some points, when I just wanted them to clear the ball, but there was a little bit of game management there, and we have got to learn from that as well.

“I said to the lads you have got to do it for yourselves and the crowd, and really show the crowd that you mean business.

“That is the main thing, because then the crowd and the home fans will respond.”

Exeter had the better of the first half, and manager Matt Taylor felt his side should have led going into the second period after their first-half chances.

Taylor also criticised his side’s lacklustre defending and stressed they must do better to attain their play-off aspirations.

He said: “We were excellent first half, it sounds stupid because we went in at 2-2 but we were.

“We gave them two goals. I have not seen the penalty, but everyone is saying that it’s a soft one.

“It’s another poor one against us, but the first one is a poor mistake at an important time.

“Two really good goals and we’re on top, it could have been more. We should have gone in leading at half time but if you give an opposition who are scrapping for their lives something to believe in and hold onto, we gave them that and in the second half we couldn’t handle their direct play into our back-line.

“Too many balls bounced through our back-line and into dangerous areas and it meant we were deep after that and the goals show that they are not doing the basics at the right time.

“We have got to clear the ball; we cannot keep it in play and then we have not kept our line in terms of the cross.

“We haven’t defended it well enough.”