Macclesfield 1-1 Chesterfield

The best performance in a while saw the Silkmen unfortunate not to take all three points from promotion hunting Chesterfield.

For the first time this season, the Silkmen looked genuinely capable of coming from behind to win the game after Martin Gritton’s early strike had put the visitors a goal ahead.

Gareth Evans levelled the scores soon, after good work from Rooney played Ahmed Deen down the left. His pinpoint cross to Evans allowed the striker to nod home his 12th of the season.

The Silkmen continued to take the game to the visitors and should have been ahead before half time.

John Rooney continued his excellent start to his Mac career with some neat skill to find a yard of space before crashing a shot onto the bar. The ball bounced well over the line, but the linesman and referee failed to spot the ‘goal’ and the scores remained level.

Tolley shot straight at Tommy Lee and Emile Sinclair found space in the box but hit the ball over the bar as the home side pressed for the winner.

Gareth Evans then missed the target after neat approach work from the excellent Bell and Tolley.

Ahmed Deen almost scored his first for the club when he looped a shot goalwards only for a goal-line clearance to deny the Silkmen.

The visitors then had their best chance of the rest of the game. Drew Talbot had blazed a shot over the bar before Jon Brain was on hand to keep scores level. Downes headed back across goal but Brain twisted in the air to claw the ball away from danger. Another top class save for his scrapbook.

The Silkmen were starting to get nervy and it took another goal line block for the Silkmen to secure the point. This time it was Lee Bell diving in heroically to clear the ball.