Hebburn Town warned against 'showing too much respect' to NPL Premier Division leaders Macclesfield

Assistant manager Mark Hudson has warned Hebburn Town they can’t afford to show too much respect to Northern Premier League Premier Division runaway leaders Macclesfield.

The ambitious Silkmen currently sit 16 points clear at the top of the table and have lived up to their pre-season tag as overwhelming favourites to secure promotion into the National League North. Managed by former Blackburn Rovers and Leicester City midfielder Robbie Savage, Macclesfield have lost just three of their 29 games so far this season and inflicted a 4-1 defeat on Hebburn when the two sides met at the Leasing.com Stadium in October.

Although much of the focus is on the Silkmen’s promotion ambitions ahead of Saturday’s reverse fixture at Hebburn Sports Ground, the Hornets are focused on aiding their own cause by claiming why would be a big win in their play-off push. Ahead of the game, Daniel Moore’s men sit five points and two places outside of the top five - and Hudson has insisted that should be their solitary focus, rather than worrying about their visitors’ unquestionable strength.

He told The Gazette: “It’s not just a big game because it’s Macclesfield coming to town. It’s a big game because we want three points for our own ambitions and we will want to keep in and around those play-off places. The thought of Macclesfield coming to Hebburn Town six or seven years ago just would have been unimaginable but we have a job to do. We went down to their place and had a go at them earlier in the season. We will look at our game-plan, we may do that again, we may not, we will have a chat and see. They are a talented group of players but we know we can’t afford to give them too much respect.”

Joe Walton could be in contention after injury and Matty Elsdon makes a welcome return after he completed a three-match suspension. However, the game is likely to come too soon for Arron Thompson and Aidan Heywood will be assessed before a final decision is made over his involvement in the game.