A much changed Bolton Wanderers team, missing the promised stars, left the Moss Rose on Saturday on the back of a 1-0 defeat thanks to a stunning 20 yard strike from Silkmen skipper Sean Hessey.

With the crowd no doubt enjoying the arrival of summer, the players perhaps felt otherwise. With temperatures at pitch level well into the 80s, the first half was pretty uneventful with few chances created as both teams look to conserve energy on such a sweltering afternoon.

As has been the norm in recent games, Keith Alexander rang the changes after the break, making a total of seven substitutions as he looked to give his players a run out against the young Wanderers side. The visitors made just the one with Tom Eckersley being replaced by Chris Stokes.

After Sean Hessey's strike on 70 minutes John Rooney had a chance to double our advantage but rather snatched at the shot. But it did not prove vital as the Silkmen held on for what was in the end a comfortable victory.

The Teams

Macclesfield: Brain, Morgan, Brisley, Walker (82 Flynn), Reid (74 Harvey), Bell (88 Blackman), Dunfield (73 Hadfield), Hessey (83 Jennings), Yeo (69 Dennis), Thomas (69 Rooney), Gritton (69 Miller)

Bolton:Walker, Sinclair, Carlisle, Dzemaili, Eckersley (Stokes 46), Basham, Harsanyi, Sissons, Obedayi, Vaz Te, Cohen

Referee: Mr A Marriner

Crowd: 1023 (324 away fans)