Cables

Comfortable win. 2-0. Probably should have been more. Goals from Marshy and Mahoney. Lots of good performances.

Very comfortable win, but could have done with the second goal sooner although Prescot never really looked like scoring.

Very "professional" win this evening. Against a more adventurous team I'm sure we'd have score a lot more. We were a bit shot-shy as well.

A good calm game before Saturday.

I wonder whether people are damning with faint praise? I couldn't be at Farsley or Harrogate, but rated this the best City performance I have seen for a while, against a capable Cables side who had come to play football, rather than the clog of last season. For a neutral, it would have been an excellent showcase for semi-pro football. Cables' young no 10, who scored a hat-trick on Saturday, was very lively and clearly has a bright future, yet City's defence shut him out, and I don't recall Mike Hale having to make a save. MH impressed, though, with his confident handling, and greatly though Danny Mac has improved, Hale seems to me to have the edge.
Hardly a dull moment in the game, and I afterwards overheard a couple of Cables supporters or officials singing the praises of City's passing football. I know that it is early days, but there is very obvious progress from last season. One question though: what of Aaron Taylor? Injured? Gone? Going? Or what?

Damning with faint praise? Maybe so. I agree with Brocker that this was better than anything we saw last season. The passing of the midfield trio of Hunter, Mahoney and Jackson was excellent, Elderton had much the better of their right-back and Kilifin looked lively throughout. Perhaps we didn't make enough chances, but the Cables keeper, an ex-pro, had a very good game dealing well with all the high balls (while complaining the whole time about his sciatica!).

Steel and Marshall were very solid at the back - I've really liked what I have seen of Steel so far and I don't think that the reported re-signing of Rory Winters will be anything more than cover for injury or suspension. Hale's command of his area was superb - we could hear his shouts very clearly from the far end of the ground.

Difficult to pick a MOTM - maybe Hunter. As for Taylor, he's not good enough in my opinion to get into this side. We have sufficient (better) cover up front in Wearing and Liley.

Superb team performance against a lively Prescot side. I was very impressed with the centre midfield. Mahoney and Hunter gave their players no time on the ball, constantly winning tackles and then passing the ball well to the wings.

From their forum

We must have used all our luck on Saturday. Saying that, Lancaster were better organised and a different proposition to New Mills at the back. They were also very good crossing and heading. Elderton had the ball in the net and the announcer called 1-0 when seemingly the whole stadium missed the linesman stood with his flag up for offside. Not long later and Marshall did score with his head from a corner. I thought we did well to go in at 1-0 at half time and in the second half we did create some good chances. Notably a great backward header on the goal line from Murphy in to the path of (I think) Bannister, unmarked he skewed his effort well wide for a great chance to level. Mahoney got their second and from the opposite end of the park it looked like he had shot wide but the ball crept out of the net under the back and ended wide of the area. At 2-0 the game was over but I always fancied us for a draw while watching. No luck left then for now.

and

No complaints about the result. Lancaster were very good. Having said that, Cables were very competitive, especially in defence. One or two sloppy mistakes but we do now seem to have some height at the back. The first goal from a corner was badly defended however. Second goal was strange. Cables are still a work in progress and I wouldn't be too disappointed about last nights result. I think Connor missed Carl Furlong's old head last night. Roll on Buxton !!

Really glad I was at the Axe and not at home watching what sounds like another turgid England display.

Lets hope we can re-produce this form on Saturday