Andrew Mangan's injury time goal earned a point for Accrington in a six goal thriller which could have gone either way.
A game involving the two worst defences in the league was always going to provide goals - and they came in dramatic fashion.
Macclesfield fans knew all about Michael Welch's long range shooting, but fortunately for the Silkmen he blasted his early free kick high and wide into the empty Silkman Terrace.
Stanley keeper Rob Elliott made a tremendous double save in the 11th minute to first parry Colin Heath's vicious strike and then somehow turn John Murphy's follow-up diving header around the post.
Accrington had their first chance of the game moments later - Andy Todd curling a shot inches past the far post from the edge of the box.
The visitors took the lead on 27 minutes after Danny Swailes brought John Mullin down on the left.Daniel Ventre's effort was blocked and at the second time of asking Leighton McGivern's overhead kick drifted into the far corner as Tommy Lee scrambled across his line in vain.
The goal scorer's joy was to be short lived though as he was forced off with an ankle injury just six minutes later.Andrew Mangan replaced him.
Colin Heath missed two half-chances before the break as Macc finally found some rhythm during a poor first half performance.Firstly he sliced over after Murphy headed Kevin McIntyre's cross back across the area and then on 41 minutes he hooked over from 12 yards when Murphy again won the ball in the air.
Accrington were deservingly ahead at half-time as Macc struggled to cope against a physical side and were having no joy with the increasing number of long balls pumped up to Murphy and Matt McNeil.
However they came out far better after the interval as Heath blasted straight at the visiting keeper when McNeil set him up on the edge of the box.
Jamie Tolley's first goal for the club levelled the scores after 49 minutes - and what a goal it was.McNeil was brought down 30 yards out and the ex-Shrewsbury man stepped up and curled the ball into the top left corner, catching the Stanley defence off-guard.
Martin Bullock, who had struggled to influence the game in the first half, almost put Macc ahead five minutes later when he cut inside from the left and bent a shot just over the far post with the keeper rooted to the spot.
Joe Jacobson was booked on 56 minutes for a late tackle on Carl Regan and Regan himself was later cautioned for a poor tackle from behind in retribution.
On the hour mark Matthew Tipton was introduced for McNeil to add a different dimension up-front, and the decision seemed to pay off.
Accrington had two long range chances - Andy Todd firing straight at Lee and then Jacobson drilling a few yards wide from 25 yards.
Macc took the lead they had deserved in the second half on 73 minutes when Tipton forced his way past two challenges and into the box.Elliott could only tip his effort onto the bar and Bullock was on hand to nod in from a tight angle for a rare headed goal.
The lead wasn't to last long though as Accrington controversially levelled two minutes later.Kevin McIntyre's tackle on Andy Todd just outside the area was a foul in the referee's eyes and Jacobson curled the resulting free kick into the top corner.
John Miles was brought on for Colin Heath straight after the goal to give the Silkmen more fresh legs up front.
The crowd became increasingly frustrated with the number of Accrington players going down with supposed injuries in the last ten minutes as play kept being interrupted.
The third Macc goal was again made by Tipton.He chased a ball over the top and headed it out wide away from the advancing keeper.He just about kept the ball in and squared it across the six yard box for Murphy to tap in from close range for what seemed like the winner.
Delirium was soon to turn into disbelief though as the final goal of the game swung the match back level again after a rollercoaster 90-plus minutes.
Substitute Mangan squirmed his way into the box after hesitant defending on the Macc right and prodded into the far corner to make it 3-3 in the third minute of injury time.
The referee blew the final whistle on a game Macc may well look back on as a vital two points lost after regaining the lead so late, especially as a win would have left them just four points from safety.
Andy Brinkhurst
