Celebration in defeat – Kidderminster analysis, player ratings & closing thoughts
Silkmen bow out in National League North play-off semi after heroic season
Was it a game too far, or a case of not being good enough on the day? Possibly a combination of both as Macclesfield’s incredible season ended following defeat at Kidderminster in the National League North play-off semi-final.
I was tempted to write ‘ended in disappointment’, but I’m not sure that’s either fair or accurate. Naturally, most wanted promotion to the National League. However upon the realisation that it was unlikely to be Macclesfield’s time, the 1,001 Silkmen supporters showed how they felt about this magnificent club and the players who have given absolutely everything.
A fourth place finish in the league, having been 15th going into 2026, and an unforgettable, record-breaking FA Cup run in claiming the scalp of cup holders Crystal Palace, before a gallant defeat to Brentford in round 4.
Renditions of “Silkmen army” loudly rang out around Kidderminster’s Aggborough stadium for almost the entirety of the second half. This wasn’t a fanbase that was disappointed. It was a fanbase that was united, proud and determined to show their appreciation after what has been a rollercoaster nine months of shock, hope, tragedy, euphoria and togetherness on and off the pitch.
Kidderminster 3 Macclesfield 1
I wanted to pause and properly reflect on Saturday’s game, which might seem futile in the greater context against the backdrop of the Silkmen’s Retained List being announced next week. But I think some of our failings against Kidderminster laid bare areas of the squad that need addressing in the summer.
This was the Silkmen’s 58th game of the season, three more than Kidderminster, but perhaps more crucially our second game in 62 hours after Wednesday’s last gap eliminator victory over Chester. In contrast, Kidderminster were rewarded with a full week’s rest having finished third in the regular National League North season. As they should have, in fairness.
Despite this, Macc started pretty well in what was an unchanged line-up from Chester. In terms of territory John Rooney’s men made most of the running in the opening 20 minutes without carving out any chances of note against a nervy Kidderminster side. However, calamity was always around the corner and we got away with two major let-offs.
In the seventh minute, Luke Duffy lost out in a 50-50 with Richard Faakye when in the ascendency (it looked like a foul at the time) and suddenly the Harriers were on the attack. The ball was played out to the left wing and Devine’s cross was on a plate for Donnelly whose sidefooted effort was too tame to trouble Rogan Ravenhill. As the screenshot indicates below, Donnelly was offside in the build-up and clearly interfering with play.
Then on 21 minutes, Donnelly capitalised on sloppy ball control and a slip from Cameron Borthwick-Jackson on halfway, raced into the box, but screwed his shot over.
Defensive vulnerabilities
Kidderminster’s eventual opener from a corner on 34 minutes was scruffy. A Kidderminster player leapt higher than Borthwick-Jackson (top left in above image) to head the ball back across goal where Faakye (no.14) eventually bundled it over the line. It was a tight call from the officials, but video evidence suggested it was the right one.
On the stroke of half-time the Silkmen received a hammer blow from which they never recovered. Luke Duffy’s stinging effort after good build-up play from Elliot Osborne and Luke Matheson was acrobatically turned over the bar by Harriers keeper Christian Dibble. The resultant corner eventually became a throw-in for Macc just to the right of Kidderminster’s penalty area. But from Matheson taking it 17 seconds later it was 2-0 deep into first-half injury time.
Sam Heathcote and Borthwick-Jackson had ventured forward into Kidderminster’s box to contest the throw, only for the latter to lose out. Devine cleared with an up-and-under and from there the Silkmen had a problem. Luis Lacey was outmuscled and outpaced by Richard Walker on the right touchline and couldn’t risk bringing the winger down having being booked earlier on.
Walker scooted towards the byline and it seemed that Macc had regrouped into a 4 vs 2 defensive situation. Lacey was occupying Walker and about to be joined by the back-tracking Osborne, whilst Isaac Buckley-Ricketts was covering the penalty area with Matheson in hot pursuit. Yet somehow Walker managed to get his cross away, and Donnelly’s clever movement saw him sweep the ball past Ravenhill ahead of Buckley-Ricketts and Matheson who had overcooked his sprint and was unable to adjust his feet to make a covering challenge.
From front to back this was simply a calamitous goal to concede, which has been a recurring theme of the last few weeks. Lacey was hooked at half-time, incidentally for the fourth time this season, as Rooney introduced Lewis Fensome as a makeshift left back due to Preston loanee Kacper Pasiek being injured.
The game was all over bar the shouting when Kidderminster made it 3-0 in injury time. Osborne turned into trouble and was left in a heap on the floor, the through ball was played into the path of substitute Seb Thompson who drilled past Ravenhill. It’s academic, but Thompson looked a shade offside when the pass was released. Luke Matheson scored a consolation at the second attempt which was the very least Macclesfield’s right back deserved for his sterling efforts.
Macc edge the stats, but not where it mattered
Without wishing to make excuses, outside of Kidderminster’s goals the Silkmen were competitive for the majority of the game.
· Total shots: Kidderminster 10, Macc 13
· Shots on target: Kidderminster 4, Macc 4
· Corners: Kidderminster 4, Macc 7
· Possession: Kidderminster 45%, Macc 55%
· Passes: Kidderminster 222, Macc 291
· Accurate passes: Kidderminster 134, Macc 219
· Crosses: Kidderminster 12, Macc 15
However, the reality is that Kidderminster had the better chances with an expected goals (xG) tally of 2.37 compared to Macclesfield’s 0.86. In the second half aside from Matheson’s consolation, the only effort of note from the away side was Duffy’s shot that was cleared off the line.
A defensive masterclass from Kidderminster
The Harriers weren’t anything special, but their excellent defensive work without the ball was the catalyst for their victory. Their midfield sitters of David Davis and Charlie Cooper bossed the centre of the park and broke up Macclesfield’s play.
Tellingly, the Silkmen were dispossessed on 17 separate occasions compared to just 6 for Kidderminster. Veteran Davis was slack with the ball (just 42% passing accuracy), but a nuisance without it – he won 17 out of 25 contested duels, including all 13 of his aerial duels which is a remarkable stat for a player who is only 5’8! Davis also made 2 interceptions, 1 tackle, 4 clearances and 1 blocked shot, whilst the more economical Cooper made 4 defensive contributions and 13 ball recoveries – more than James Edmondson and Paul Dawson combined.
Not only that, Kidderminster prevented our best players from influencing the game. Dawson had just 24 touches and 12 passes and Duffy 29 touches and 9 passes. Huge players for the Silkmen rendered virtually anonymous by Kidderminster.
A blessing in disguise?
Many shrewd observers have suggested that the Silkmen were ‘not ready’ to compete in the National League after a transitional season in the National League North which has seen the squad ransacked and reshaped over the course of the season.
There is some merit to this argument, but for me, all the more reason why it would have been better for the Silkmen to have gained promotion and worried about it afterwards. Rooney’s squad was always facing a large overhaul in the close season, irrespective of what league we were competing in. And with relegated sides Morecambe and Brackley Town dropping into the NLN, combined with the ambitious promoted teams of Hednesford, Spalding and Harborough, not to mention Chester under new boss Phil Parkinson, it’s going to be another competitive division in 2026/27.
Tinkering or a major rebuild?
There is also much debate amongst Silkmen supporters on whether Rooney’s squad needs some tinkering and strengthening in key areas, or a significant revamp.
It depends on what goal you are measuring against. If the aim is to reach the play-offs, then a repeat of this season’s tally of 79 points would have been good enough for 6th place (twice) and 4th in the last three seasons.
But to aspire to automatic promotion and avoid the lottery of the play-offs, it’s worth highlighting that the Silkmen finished 21 points behind eventual title-winners Fylde. In 2024-25 Brackley won the NLN with 92 points, Tamworth with 96 points (2023-24), and Fylde again with 95 points (2022-23).
Without trying to be negative or diminish this season’s wonderful achievements, a reality check is also needed when assessing the squad’s depth for the 2026-27 campaign.
· Macclesfield’s record was the poorest of the other sides who finished in the top 7 in the NLN. We picked up only 12 points from 12 games with a goal difference of -9.
· We fell behind in half of our league games in the regular league season (23), and in both play-off games. To the players’ credit, we obtained an impressive 25 points from losing positions.
· We only kept 8 clean sheets in the NLN, fewer than Kidderminster (17), South Shields (15) and Fylde (13)
· The Silkmen had the 4th best home record and 6th best away record in the division
· Our tally of 81 goals was the 6th best, although we conceded 68 goals which was the 11th best
· Arguably our best three players this season have been Dawson, Duffy and Heathcote, perhaps questioning the success of the club’s recruitment
Kidderminster playing ratings
Ravenhill 6 – no notable saves, but a couple of loose clearances in dangerous areas which he got away with. Could he have got a glove on the second and third goals? I’m probably being overly critical of a player who has divided opinion during his 19 Silkmen appearances. The 20-year-old stopper will return to parent club Barnsley and it would be a surprise to see him back at the Leasing.com.
Matheson 8 – a heroic effort in covering every blade of grass. Was rewarded with a finely taken consolation goal. No one took the game to Kidderminster more than Matheson. 92% passing accuracy in Kidderminster’s half (12 of 13 completed), 1 key pass (Duffy’s chance before h-t), and he won half of his 16 ground and aerial duels. I’m not sure the value of persisting with his ‘long’ throw, and he’ll be disappointed not to have got a tackle in to prevent Donnelly from making it 2-0 having managed to race back in the area. But overall, a full bloodied and technically proficient performance from a player who has rebounded well from injury and is deserving of another contract.
Heathcote 7 – defensively good – won 13 of 21 duels contested, and he also enjoyed a decent amount of possession (39 passes, 72% accuracy) with 10 of his 16 long balls finding a Macclesfield shirt, although some of his punts up field were more aimless than others. A very solid season, where he’s progressed from fourth choice centre back to arguably first choice.
Borthwick-Jackson 5.5 – has been impressive since joining the club in January, but his high levels of consistency have dropped recently. Nearly cost a goal on 21 minutes when getting caught under pressure from Donnelly. Was outjumped on the corner in the build-up to Kidderminster’s opener, and similarly failed to win the header from Matheson’s throw which ultimately resulted in their second goal. I’d retain him for next season, but I still can’t fathom whether he’s a natural centre back or a left back who is no longer mobile enough to play left back. Seems to struggle against pace and movement from better players.
Lacey 5 – positionally caught out, again. Hooked at half-time, again, after failing to deal with Walker which led to Kidderminster’s second goal at a crucial point in the match. Never got to grips with Walker who dribbled past Lacey 4 times. Much maligned for most of this season, with only the arrival of Ravenhill giving the most critical of Silkmen supporters a new target.
Lacey has had some traumatic games at times, but it would be remiss not to point out that he’s also notably improved after Christmas and his reliable performances saw him preferred more often than not to loan signing Pasiek. Not a natural left back who was thrust into the spotlight when Brandon Lee sustained two injuries. He had some good games during his 42 league appearances (31 starts), contributing one goal and three assists. A useful squad player who is likely to be retained by Rooney.
Edmondson 6 – unable to influence the midfield battle and was pretty quiet, just as he was against Chester on Wednesday. Decent on the ball (80% accuracy), but didn’t see enough of it and wasn’t as effective as his counterparts Davis and Cooper. Leaves with our very best wishes after another successful loan spell from Blackburn, with the highlight being his spectacular strike against Slough. The 20-year-old has a bright future, but isn’t dominating Step 2 games often enough yet and may not be guaranteed to carve out a successful career in the EFL. Time will tell. Edmondson has been good for Macclesfield, and Macclesfield good for Edmondson.
Osborne 6 – started brightly then faded as Kidderminster gradually got on top. Osborne is effective if you allow him time and let him play (81% passing accuracy and 73% in Kidderminster’s half). But press him and some of his weaknesses are exposed, including a lack of pace. Won only 4 of 15 ground duels and was too easily brushed aside and dispossessed which resulted in the Harriers’ third goal.
Dawson 6 – the captain has had an outstanding season, but this was a game too far. He looked lethargic throughout as the match passed him by. Just 24 touches of the ball and he attempted only 12 passes. Some of this was because Dawson was pushed forward in the second half as a central striker as Rooney switched to a 3-4-3 formation. But nothing worked for Daws who uncharacteristically lost possession 22 times and won only 1 of his 9 ground duels, suggesting a player running on empty. Was credited with the assist for Matheson’s goal.
Duffy 7 – restricted to only 29 touches and 9 passes all game. Outside of Matheson he was our biggest threat, however. Was denied by a fine save by Dibble before half-time, and again when his shot midway through the second half was cleared off the line. Did work hard – 7 of 15 ground duels won, 1 key pass, 3 successful dribbles and 4 attempted shots (2 on target). Has been in brilliant form in the second half of the season – 8 goals and 4 assists in the league, and at 27 is entering his prime years. Is believed to be under contract for next season, and let’s hope we can hang onto him so Duffy can spearhead our promotion push.
Buckley-Ricketts 6 – starved of the ball but decent when he had it (10 passes, 90% accuracy, 4 out of 5 successful dribbles). Won 7 of 14 ground duels, but no efforts on goal and only 1 cross. Ultimately, he wasn’t able to influence the game in either box. Unselfishly covered as the last man when Kidderminster broke for their second goal, but despite taking up a central position wasn’t able to prevent Donnelly from getting his shot away. A mixed season for the 28 year-old who hasn’t lived up to his star billing. 43 league appearances, just 22 starts but 7 goals and 2 assists. A real Jekyll and Hyde type player who can be electric one week and virtually absent the next. Seems to lack confidence for all his raw talent and Rooney may think long and hard about retaining IBR for next season.
Kay 6.5 – played as a central striker again initially and was literally everywhere across the front three, his energy setting the tone for Macclesfield’s bright start. But try as he might, there was seldom any end product from Kay who had more touches than any other Silkmen outfield player (51). Three attempted shots (all blocked), 63% passing accuracy and he turned the ball over on 20 occasions. Never stopped running and gave everything, as you can see by his positional ‘heat map’ below. Five out of five successful dribbles and won 6 out of 16 ground duels.
No one can fault his commitment, despite his fragile temperament which has made Josh a fans’ favourite. Kay has since been released by parent club Oldham, and even if you disregard his potential disciplinary ‘baggage’, just 3 goals and 2 assists from 26 league appearances is a modest return for a player of his obvious talent who would become one of Macclesfield’s highest earners if he was to come back.
Subs:
Fensome 7 – replaced Lacey at left-back at half-time but was soon switched to a back three as Rooney went for broke. Mopped up mostly everything in the second half – 17 ball recoveries and 3 interceptions. After an outstanding season last year, Lewis more than anyone has been impacted this campaign by the loss of players (Tre Pemberton) and injury (Luke Matheson). I think he’s only started in his preferred centre back position once, mostly asked to operate as a stand-in right back.
Just 23 league starts. At times, he’s struggled with the physicality of the National League North, particularly when defending set plays. But he’s become the club’s record appearance holder, always gives his all and remains universally popular with Silkmen supporters. Whether he’s good enough to command a first-team place next season remains to be seen, but he’s not had a fair crack this season.
Gale 5 – came on after an hour and played on the left of a front three. Struggled to make an impression or hold the ball up, evidenced by him completing 1 of only 5 attempted passes. Is a better and more effective player than the one we’ve seen recently, and Rooney’s task in the summer (assuming Gale is retained) is to work out how to get the best out of a striker who has scored 8 goals in 22 league appearances for the Silkmen.
Popoola (no rating) – replaced Buckley-Ricketts on 78 minutes. A disappointing loan signing and a million miles away from compensating for the loss of D’Mani Mellor.
Dos Santos (no rating) – on for Edmondson with ten to go. Dropped deep to try and offer some protection to the back three.
And finally…
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I’m now ready for a rest after an exhausting few months covering the club (I’ve no idea how the players cope!), but will be back during the close season to cover the key developments of what should be a very interesting summer!
Have a good one.