Boss Curle puts mauling of Macclesfield down to improved '˜tempo and intensity'

On a remarkable night in Cheshire, Town put all their recent woes behind them with a fabulous, ruthless first-half display as they romped into a 4-0 lead against the rock-bottom Silkmen and never looked back.

Matt Crooks was the pick of the bunch with a 21-minute hat-trick, curling home two exquisite strikes from distance in-between a close-range finish from Jack Bridge’s cross, while Daniel Powell also got in on the act before half-time.

Leading by four at the break Town could have ended up with any number during an equally dominant second-half but they would have to make to with just one more, defender Aaron Pierre poking into the bottom corner in injury-time.

Curle remained typically restrained during his post-match interview despite obvious delight at his side’s performance after their third win from six matches under his leadership.

“The tempo and intensity we started the game at was a massive improvement from the weekend and it was a good reaction and a good response,” said the Town boss.

“They were a challenge tonight. Being bottom of the league and having not won many games, there could have been some complacency but I thought were was an air of hunger and desire about our changing room to bounce back from the 1-0 defeat at MK Dons.”

A third clean sheet of the season was another reason for Curle to be pleased at full-time, though most of the headlines will rightly go to Crooks.

“There was some great finishing from Crooksy,” added Curle. “I like clean sheets but I like scoring goals as well!

“There’s a balance to be had but we want to score goals.

“We had a desire to do the right things and that gives you the platform.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing against top of the table or bottom of the table, those foundations that you want to build off have to be there and I thought they were.

“We got close to them, we put the ball into good areas and we had a hunger about us.”