McCall hails hot-shot Thorne

8:00am Monday 18th August 2008

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Stuart McCall praised Peter Thorne’s clinical touch as slick City maintained their 100 per cent start to League Two.

The veteran forward’s double blast helped his side win impressively 2-0 at Macclesfield.

Thorne, 35, got City off to a flier in the tenth minute and added a killer blow just five minutes later as they destroyed their hosts with some breathtaking football.

He now has four in just two matches having blasted the goals that knocked off Notts County on opening day.

Boss McCall said: “We did a lot of work on the training ground Thurs-day and Friday hoping we knew the way Macclesfield were going to play.

“It was imperative we got the ball out of the back and played our football.

“Thankfully that’s what we did. We knocked it about well, created our chances and Thorney took his two goals.

“No matter how much on top and dominating possession you are, it’s goals that win football games and having him to do that was great.”

Macclesfield applied the pressure after the break but City didn’t budge and they had too much speed on the counter. “We knew they’d change the system second half, come a bit more direct and go 4-4-2 and what was as pleasing as much as the win was to keep a clean sheet,” added McCall.

“We defended some difficult set-pieces against the wind. The likes of Graeme Lee put his head in, as did all the defenders, and as a unit we were strong.

“I think with the pace and movement we have in the team we will always create chances, especially away from home on the break with the likes of Colbeck, Daley and Boulding. We’ve got that in the locker.

“As much as Macclesfield probably had more of the ball and Rhys (Evans) had a couple of saves to make, we produced a great break for Thorney to maybe get his hat-trick but their lad made a really good save.”

It was a perfect response after Tuesday’s 4-0 Carling Cup hammering at Huddersfield and McCall admitted: “It’s nice to bounce back after a disappointing result midweek and to repay the fans with a win.

“All in all there were a lot of good individual performances – Joe Colbeck gave us some spark – but in the main it was a good team effort.

“We’re well pleased but we know this is just the start and there’s a long, long way to go.”