Goals from Nat Brown and Tyrone Barnett weren't enough to see the Silkmen taking all three points from the first ever Football League match at Broadhall Way (Now known as The Lamex Stadium).

It was no surprise to see the home side coming out in the first half like a steamtrain and Jose Veiga had to be out of his goal quickly to pick up a through ball and took a knock in the process.

There was some dissent in the Macclesfield ranks as the drop ball for the injury was played into the corner, deliberately short and then chased down to immediately put the Silkmen 'keeper under pressure.

His kick out was won back by the home side and worked down the right flank. A pinpoint cross was played and Vincenti headed home from close range with just four minutes on the clock.

With the wind now firmly in their sails, Stevenage looked to press and a corner was scrambled clear with the Silkmen looking to retain their composure in front of a noisy and passionate crowd.

But the home fans were all but silenced and the Silkmen the ones in good voice a few minutes later. A free kick was won on the right and Matt Hamshaw stepped up and hit the dead ball square onto the head of Nat Brown to made no mistake to make it one each.

Stevenage then went close to retaking the lead as a corner saw a header flashing across the face of goal and shortly afterwards Sam Wedgbury did the same at the other end.

The sixes were trading set pieces and no sooner had Jose been off his line to pluck a ball out of the air under pressure than another Hamshaw kick whistled agonisingly past both Brisley and Butcher who were stretching to make headed contact.

With the half coming to a close the Silkmen had one further golden chance as Sinclair ghosted past a defender on the left and rolled the ball back to Richard Butcher, but his shot was blocked and hacked clear a few minutes before half time.

The second half again saw the home side trying to bring the game to their visitors, but this time the Silkmen didn't wait until they were a goal down before starting to play.

And it was the pace of Emile Sinclair, playing in a more unfamiliar wide left position that earned the Silkmen a second goal as he found himself space to roll a cross towards Tyrone Barnett that the former Hednesford man managed to deftly touch in to the far post.

The ball seemed to take an age to cross the line, but the delight on the players faces was obvious when it finally snuck home.

At this point the Silkmen were well on top in the posession stakes but couldn't turn that into genuine goalmouth chances as Stevenge defended for all they were worth. The build-up play was excellent but the final ball often not quite 100% and the home side started to get back into the game.

'Route One' is an accusation often levelled at the Silkmen, last season at least, but it was this which dragged Stevenage back into contention. Shaun Brisley and Nat Brown must be seeing double by now after heading ball after ball away.

A Stevenage free-kick saw them carve out a good chance but Jose was quick to gather the downward header and later somehow pluck a high-ball out of the air when a goalmouth scramble looked sure to net the home side a goal.

It was a long break that eventually gave Stevenage the draw they were searching for as Barnett seemed to have been brought down on the edge of the area as the ball was cleared. Moments later Griffin was racing into the box and slotted past Veiga to make the score 2-2.

There was still time for both Byrom - after retaliating from a Chalmers challenge and Bolland, who was remonstrating with the referee - to go into the referees book before the Silkmen saw out late pressure to return home with a point.