Jon Macken warns of more to come as five-star Stalybridge go nine unbeaten

Five different players got on the scoresheet for Stalybridge, and with a four-goal spell inside 12 first-half minutes, the game was over as a contest by half-time.

Despite Newcastle’s position near the bottom, they went into the weekend with the league’s sixth-best defence, so for Stalybridge to be as clinical as they were was something that delighted Macken, the former professional striker in their dugout.

“First half, we were clinical. Some of the football we were playing was excellent,” he said after the game.

“Defensively, as a team, we were solid all over. Newcastle are a good team and a tough team to beat: teams have come here and found out that it’s a difficult place to come and get a result.

“Credit to the lads, they stuck to the task. It’s always nice to get a clean sheet, but to score five too is pleasing.”

The win made it nine games unbeaten, and the only blemish on their 2026 record came on New Year’s Day against current table-toppers Bury.

Celtic are now eight behind top spot, with a game in hand which they play on Tuesday at fellow play-off challengers Bootle. After that, it’s another big game against Lower Breck at Bower Fold.

Jon Macken’s side will have to be on good form to keep their unbeaten run in-tact over the next week, and even better form if they are to extend their winning run to five in a row.

Fortunately enough, the Stalybridge boss believes there’s another level that his side are yet to hit.

“The level of performance is high at the moment, and we’ve got to keep that level and keep that consistency of trying to get hold of games from minute one,” he continued.

“We’ve pushed this team. We believe there’s more to come, and we can get even higher in terms of our performance levels, but it is good at the moment.

“It’s not easy to control games in this division, so to get the performances up and the results in our last nine games is really pleasing.”