Tuesday 10 January 2012 17:28, UK
Macclesfield manager Gary Simpson hopes FA Cup goal hero Arnaud Mendy has finally put his fitness struggles behind him.
Mendy fired the Silkmen to within 13 minutes of causing a huge third-round upset against Bolton when his spectacular volley lit up the Moss Rose on Saturday. David Wheater saved a 2-2 draw for the Barclays Premier League side, but Mendy's first goal since an extended spell on the sidelines with a tropical disease picked up while on international duty with Guinea-Bissau stole the headlines. "To be fair to the kid he's had a stop-start season," Simpson said. "He's been struggling with his fitness in terms of being ill. He went away and came back ill and it took him six or seven weeks to get over that. "And then he picked a couple of little injuries up and only now we're starting to see the best of him. "He also had a great effort early doors that he might have scored from, the keeper pulled a hell of a good save off. I'm hoping that he kicks on and proves a great asset for us."
