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The Bulls travel to Macclesfield on Saturday for the first of two must win League Two games if they want to do something with the season.
With the two opponents both in the bottom six, they are teams that need to be beaten if the Bulls want to be in with a shout at the end of the season - however trips to Moss Rose have not been entirely happy. In their three visits so far the Bulls have won once, on their last trip on Boxing Day 2007. Theo Robinson scored the goal in a 1-0 win that was marred by the injury that ended Luke Webb's Bulls career. That Robinson goal is the only Bulls goal scored at Moss Rose, with the other two games there being 2-0 and 3-0 wins for the home side. In all five games between the sides one side has gone home without a goal or a point with all the matches ending with a clean sheet for the victors.
Pre-season relegation tips Macclesfield are having what is becoming a usual struggle around the wrong end of the division. They have not won at home since September, and are seven games without a win home or away since beating Cheltenham in mid-October. They are also the side most likely to lose a lead in League Two, having failed to hold onto a lead six times this season. On the goal front defender Hamza Bencherif is the top scorer with five but the Algerian, with outside hopes of a World Cup berth, fractured an ankle on Saturday and will miss at least two months. Up front strike pair Ricky Sappleton and Matt Tipton have four each, but both have struggled for fitness in recent weeks. Sappleton lasted just 15 minutes of Saturday's game, while Tipton came on as a late sub with the Silkmen continuing a goal drought that has seen them score just once in five games.
The Bulls are five points clear of Macclesfield, occupying their historical home of 17th place in League Two. Having bagged three points at Northampton the Bulls should be adventurous enough to seek another win on Saturday. Their failure to score against Notts County was running against current form, with seven goals scored in their previous three League games, with the Bulls' form at present good enough for seventh place in the form table. More experience may be needed in the midfield after Saturday's loss. Three of the four starting midfielders had less than 20 League starts between them, while five of the side had not played in the Football League before this season.
Macclesfield Town vs Hereford United, Moss Rose, Saturday 12th December, 3.00pm.
