The Silkmen came away from Saltergate with a well deserved point and where very unlucky not to have taken all three.

It was an entertaining game from the first kick to the very last and the draw means the Silkmen remain unbeaten on the road this season.

With one team lying second and the other 5th bottom it didn't look good when the home side took the lead with only 4 minutes gone on the clock. It came about after a free kick was chipped into the area to Jack Lester who held ball up well, playing it back to Gregor Robertson whose first time cross towards the back post was headed down into the path of Adam Rooney. His powerful shot from six yards out flew into the back of the net and left the Silkmen with an uphill task.

Straight from kick off the Silkmen pressed forward looking for quick response and the ball was played wide to Danny Thomas. His cross was cleared only as far as Levi Reid whose shot was deflected wide for corner which was cleared by Chesterfield backline. The Silkmen continued to press forward this time it was an Adam Murray through ball to find Francis Green who ran into the area on the left hand side and played a low pass across six yard box but Martin Gitton just ran in front of the ball and the home side were able to clear.

Yet again it seemed that the Silkmen have to go a goal down before getting into the game. Macclesfield had another good chance to pull level when Levi Reid was fouled about 25 yards out from goal. With Murray, McIntyre and Dunfield standing over it after it was left to the latter but his shot was block by Chesterfield Felix Bastians who was about 5 yards from ball when it was taken. The Chesterfield player was booked and the Silkmen had another chance which this time it was left to Kevin McIntyre but his shot was straight at Barry Roche in the Chesterfield goal.

It was the Silkmen who keep the pressure up and almost scored after Green held the ball up and played in Danny Thomas on the left. His cross was just over the head of Gritton and the home side were able to clear away. A minute later Macc pushed forward and had another chance after Gritton's lay off found Green whose shot was blocked. From the resulting corner, the Luke Dimech was left unmarked but he headed the ball wide of the upright.

Macclesfield finally drew level with more good team work. After a throw-in by Thomas the ball was held up well by Dunfield who then slotted the ball to Thomas who took one touch to knock ball past his marker and put the ball low across the six yards box to the unmarked Martin Gritton at the back post. The grateful forward steered the ball in with his knee. It was just what the Silkmen deserved.

Gritts takes the plaudits

The Silkmen came close to adding a second straight away when Terry Dunfield made a run into the area and drew the keeper towards the ball but his pass found Gritton whose back heal was cleared of the line by Gregor Robertson. Just before half time the home side finally got their second shot on target when Adam Rooney's attempt was easily saved by Tommy Lee.

Into the second half and before some fans had returned from their half time food the home side took the lead again, after Robertson's cross was missed kick by Jimmy McNulty. The loose ball fell to a blue shirt and the next shot was blocked well by McNulty but the ball again fell to a blue shirt and with Phil Picken's shot looking to be going wide, Adam Rooney stuck out a foot and let Lee with no chance. 2-1

The home side's first corner of the game came in the 50th minute and the ball was played in but cleared only as far as Felix Bastians, his shot well saved by Lee. The home side looked to have won a penalty when a long ball was chased by Jack Lester and Macc's Luke Dimech down the left hand side. As the forward looking to get into the area, Luke's challenge saw the home fans imploring the referee to award a penalty. The official adjudged the foul to have happened just outside the box, the resultant free-kick well dealt with by the Silkmen keeper.

Simon Wiles forces a save

The Silkmen's first sub came with 25 minutes left, Levi Reid being replaced by Simon Wiles. The changed seemed to spark the Silkmen into life again. Some good patient build up forced home keeper Barry Roche called upon to save well from Wiles and two minutes later the same player cut in from right but dragged his shot narrowly wide of far post when well placed.

It was only a minute later that the Silkmen finally had the ball in the back of the net, thanks to good work by Wiles again who played in Green and his first time shot with the outside of his right foot curled past Roche and into the net, much to the delight of the 292 travelling fans.

The home side had a chance after a long kick by Roche found Lester whose first time shot was straight at Lee. With Danny Thomas looking dangerous on the left the Silkmen made their second sub of the game when Martin Gritton was taken off and replaced by Gareth Evens.

Two minutes into the four added on the Silkmen were still pushing forward, looking for the winner and a ball by Dunfield found Wiles whose shot was saved by Roche and was cleared for safety. That proved to be the last chance of the afternoon, the referee's whistle bringing to an end an entertaining game of football which for the vast majority of time it was hard to who was second in the league.

Dean Bamford