Macclesfield vs Scunthorpe Predictions

Macclesfield’s first game without last season’s saviour Sol Campbell went according to plan, though the second certainly didn’t, as they lost at home to Morecambe on Tuesday evening. New boss Daryl McMahon will be hoping that Saturday brings about a turnaround of fortunes for the Silkmen, who host a Scunthorpe side that is still searching for their first win of the campaign.

Last weekend, Macclesfield seemed to struggle after the departure of manager Sol Campbell, who had managed to make the Silkmen very hard to get at. Hard to get at is not what Macclesfield were in the absence of a permanent manager, as they surrendered a worrying 1.95 expected goals for. Fortunately, the rode their luck and came out on top, though incoming manager Daryl McMahon, who last managed Ebbsfleet in the National League, had no such luck on Tuesday.

Despite facing an offensively limited Morecambe side at home, Macclesfield were unable to deliver the goods, as they struggled massively to make headway in the final third, creating just 0.4 expected goals. They didn’t give much away, though by creating such a small amount, the Silkmen were always going to be open to an unlucky defeat.

Scunthorpe also struggled last time out, as they lost away at Cambridge. As has been the case since pretty much the word go this term, the Iron offered a threat going forward, but they paid the price for not being anywhere near strong enough at the back.

Scunny remain without a win after four matches and that’s largely down to a lack of defensive ability. Paul Hurst’s men have scored five goals in four matches and yet they’ve got just a point to show for their efforts. At the other end, they’ve conceded a whopping 11 goals. An average of 2.08 expected goals for tells us that the Iron have simply been too easy to create against. If they’re to stand any chance of challenging for the play-offs, then they need to do a much better job of restricting opponents.

Macclesfield haven’t exactly covered themselves in attacking glory at home this term, but they’ve defended well, while the defensive deficiencies of the visitors simply make the hosts tough to go against at the current prices. Against a Scunny side that has surrendered seven goals and an average of 2.8 expected goals on the road, the Silkmen, who’ve shipped just a single goal and an impressive average of 0.42 expected goals against, look too big in the early betting and are thus worth supporting to come out on top.

Those looking for a viable score-line can opt for a 1-0 home win. Macclesfield don’t offer a tremendous amount going forward, but by utilising a rear-guard that is seemingly vastly superior to Scunthorpe’s, the hosts can get the job done in low-scoring fashion.