The Silkmen's season continues as the club visit Accrington for this Bank Holiday npower League Two match. And We take our regular look at the links between the Silkmen and this week's opposition, Accrington.

PAST ENCOUNTERS
Now in their sixth season back in the Football League, this will be the 12th time Accy and the Silkmen have met, and it's fair to say that Accrington have become something of a bogey side in that time.

The first meeting, in 2006 - the Great Escape season - and came just after the Silkmen had achieved their first League wins of the campaign. After going behind in the 27th minute, the Silkmen fought back to 2-1 up thanks to Jamie Tolley and Martin Bullock. The lead lasted only two minutes before Jacobsen equalised. The win looked on the cards when John Murphy found the back of the net in the 89th minute, but Accrington snatched a draw in injury time.

3-2 was the score away from home that season as John Miles' two goals put the Silkmen ahead after again going a goal behind. But two goals from Procter either side of half time kept all three points in Lancashire.

The high-scoring continued the following season and it was again 3-2 a year later in the away leg. The Silkmen battled back from two goals behind to pull back to 2-2 thanks to McIntyre and Gareth Evans. But parity only lasted seconds as the home side scored a third almost straight from the kick-off after a mix-up in the Silkmen's back line - and a foul on 'keeper Tommy Lee - gave D'Sane a simple tap in.

The Silkmen's first, and so far only, win against Accy came in the home match that year. Shaun Brisley walking away with the man of the match award in only his seventh senior match after scoring twice, one either side of an Ian Craney goal, as well as being involved in Accrington's red card on the day when Aswad Thomas threw the ball at him in frustration over a throw-in decision.

In 2008/9 Stanley won both meetings 2-0 with two second half goals away from the Moss Rose and one at the end of each half in the home encounter and the following season saw the spoils were shared in both matches. The Moss Rose match finished 0-0 whilst Matthew Tipton's penalty in the 78th minute earned the Silkmen a point away from home in only the second match after the death of Keith Alexander.

Next there was another three-goal game, but without reply as Accrington ran out comfortable winners at the Crown Ground and here at the Moss Rose, the Silkmen took the lead through Hamza Bencherif in the first half, but Accy came back with a long range strike from Procter in the 73rd minute before Carl Tremarco was dismissed for two bookings surrounding an Accrington penalty five minutes later. But Vinny Mukendi was on hand to earn a point with a late, late equaliser.

The 2011/12 home clash saw the Silkmen taking the game to their opponents after taking the lead through Shaun Brisley - The one Macc player who relishes a match against Accrington. Several second half chances were spurned by the Silkmen allowing Stanley to take a point with a rare shot - which took a deflection. The curse continued.

PLAYED FOR BOTH
Both sides have old boys amongst their ranks with no fewer than three - Shaun Hessey, Craig Lindfield and Kevin McIntyre all on their books - not to mention manager John Coleman who is also a former Silkman from the late 1980s.

For the Silkmen, Jon Bateson was a member of the Accrington defence that only conceded one goal in sevel League matches at the start of last season.

Meanwhile John Miles played more than 100 times for the club in all competitions.

There are a host of other players who have worn the blue of Macc and the red of Accrington. These include Rikki Bains, Michael Symes, George Forrester, Alan Navarro, Fola Onibuje, Mark Boyd, Michael Welch, Ray Redshaw and Albert Valentine. Phil Staley also managed both clubs.