Form… Fourth placed Swindon are currently on a run of one defeat – at Torquay on Boxing Day – in fourteen League Two matches and nineteen matches overall. Town’s current form guide reads four wins, one draw and one defeat in the previous six League Two outings, including the current unbeaten run of three victories against Northampton, AFC Wimbledon and Rotherham

At the County Ground, Town have won four and drawn two in their previous six League Two games; unbeaten in the last nine League Two games.

15th placed Macclesfield Town have stabilised as a mid table team following an indifferent start to the season. The Silkmen are currently on a run of one victory, two draws and three defeats in six games, however they travel to Swindon on the back of two successive defeats.

Away from Macclesfield they’ve picked up two victories and four defeats in six games, however the Silkmen have been defeated in each of their past four away games.

In the reverse fixture on 30th September, the Silkmen defeated Swindon 2-0 at Moss Rose.

Swindon-Town-FC.co.uk Head-to-Head… Formed as far back as 1874, Macclesfield finally won promotion to the League in 1997, winning the Conference for the second time in three seasons.

The first match against the Town came at the end of 2006, with the Silkmen at the bottom of the League, they turned Swindon over with a 2-1 victory, as part of an eight game unbeaten run that lifted them away from the relegation zone.

Two former Town men have gone on to manage Macclesfield – winger David Moss took over at the Moss Rose Ground in 2001 until 2003 – and Paul Ince, after leaving the County Ground earlier in the season, was boss for that first game between the sides in 2006.

In total Swindon have met Macclesfield Town on 3 occasions, winning once and defeated the other two occasions, scoring 3 and conceding 4.

In the only game at the County Ground, Swindon won 2-0 in the League Tow encounter in January 2007 thanks to goals from Ricky Shakes and Lee Peacock.

What The Stats Say… Macclesfield are ranked the 20th most efficient side in League Two according to our latest combined home and away League Two rankings. Swindon are ranked second.

Our rankings show the Silkmen are ranked 18th based on home efficiency and 22nd based solely on away efficiency.

On their travels, the key defensive areas where they’ve performed well are; restricting their opponents to 48% of shots on target (ranked 8th) and saving 75% of shots faced (ranked 11th).

Their weak point in defence has been allowing their opponents plenty of shots at goal, with an average of 13.5 shots per game to fend off, ranked 22nd.

Importantly, on their travels Macclesfield have conceded the most possession of an away team; giving their opponents 56% of the game.

Looking at their attack, Macclesfield are only reasonable in generating 47.5% of shots on target (ranked 13th). Elsewhere their ranking is dismal, with the fewest shots per game (7.2 ranked 24th) and scoring only one in ten of their shots (ranked 20th).

So no wonder the Silkmen have been shot shy away from Moss Rose, scoring 8 – which is the equal fewest in the division. Macclesfield have only scored once in the first half of an away match this season.

Their 18 goals conceded on their travels are split into 8 in the first half and 10 after the break. The Silkmen are most susceptible to conceding immediately before half time when 5 have been let in.

As I keep saying…..Swindon Town have still yet to concede in time added on home or away this season…

Kickoff.co.uk Prediction… 

Result: Swindon Win 61% | Macclesfield Win 11% | Draw 28%

Full time result: Swindon 1-0 Macclesfield 21% | Swindon 2-0 Macclesfield 16% | Swindon 0-0 Macclesfield 15% | Swindon 0-1 Macclesfield 7%

My prediction… Macclesfield have been woeful away from Moss Rose and currently on a four match run without a win. With fortress County Ground now starting to come good, Town will walk away with a clean sheet and three score…. a 3-0 victory for Swindon it is then.