Macclesfield Town arrive at The Hive on Saturday as the Conference’s form team over the last six games, having won four and drawn two in that period.

John Askey’s side have defied all expectations to catapult themselves into the promotion picture at the half-way stage of the season and sit just seven points behind Barnet with the benefit of the game in hand.

As well as boasting the best form in the Conference over the last six games, the Silkmen have the division’s meanest defence overall – conceding a miserly 16 in 22 games – and the second-strongest backline away from home.

If there is one chink in Macc’s armour, it is undoubtedly their lack of goals. Top-scorer Waide Fairhurst has seven, but there is little in the way of support from those around the former Doncaster Rovers striker.

Unsurprisingly therefore, Macclesfield are also owners of the fourth-worst attack in the division away from home, having registered just eight goals on their travels this term.

It is an all together different story at home though, where the Silkmen have one of just two unbeaten home records in the league – the other belonging to Eastleigh.

Macclesfield have lost striker Matthew Barnes-Homer back to parent club Whitehawk, but Askey has replaced the former Luton Town hitman with the deadline day loan addition of Denny Johnstone from Birmingham City.

Johnstone, 19, started his career at Scottish giants Celtic before joining Birmingham City last summer. The Dumfries-born frontman made just two first-team appearances for the Blues last term, before moving out on loan to gain first-team experience this season.

A Scottish Under-16, 17, 18 and 19 international, Johnstone joined Birmingham for an undisclosed fee following protracted negotiations between the two clubs after the 6ft 2in striker rejected the offer of a new contract at Celtic Park.

He will now compete with Fairhurst, Chris Holroyd, Malachi Lavelle-Moore, Arthur Gnahoua, Domaine Rouse and Milan Thompson for regular a striking berth over the next month.

Speaking after Tuesday’s 1-0 win over Torquay United – Macclesfield’s eighth home win this season – boss Askey is refusing to get carried away by his side’s terrific run of form.

He told the Macclesfield Express: "All we'll worry about now is Saturday's game – the Torquay game is gone, we'll enjoy it for a few days then put everything into the Barnet game and if we get something that's great, if we don't it's not the end of the world, we'll not get carried away.

"If we do get something from Barnet it'll be a bonus. I thought the Torquay game would be really tough and it was.

"I sometimes wonder how it's happened but it has. We're all going home with smiles on our faces and everybody in the town's talking about us,” he added.

Re-appointed manager at Moss Rose in April 2013 – almost ten years after his first stint in the hot-seat –Askey oversaw a 15th-place finish last term as the club fought for its very future off the field.

And after overseeing a run which has seen his side unbeaten in nine, Askey will be keen to prolong his side’s form at the home of the league leaders on Saturday.

Macclesfield XI v Torquay United: Taylor; Grant, Hogan, Pilkington, Barrow; Holroyd, Turnbull, Whitaker, Moke; Lavelle-Moore, Fairhurst. 

You can read our preview of the clash by clicking here.