The Silkmen fell to defeat on the road for the first time since January last night against AFC Telford United at the Seah Stadium.
John Rooney named an unchanged starting XI to the one that began Saturday’s game away at Curzon Ashton with places on the bench for new signings Anjola Popoola and Theo Chapman.
It wasn’t the start to the evening which the Silkmen would’ve wanted as they went behind inside just four minutes as Oliver Cawthorne claimed the last touch on an in-swung corner from the right which found it’s way through a crowded six yard box and in to the far bottom corner.
Macc instantly went in search of an equaliser as James Gale, leading the line as per recent weeks, connected with Luke Matheson’s low cross which the striker flicked on but watched his skilful effort bounce narrowly wide of the far post.
Luke Duffy was hauled to the ground twice in quick succession as the boys in blue continued their assault on the Telford backline, though his penalty shouts were dismissed by referee Scott Henry.
Captain Paul Dawson was in the thick of the action at the top end of the pitch too as he came close twice also to restoring parity, though couldn’t beat goalkeeper Josh Gracey with either of his efforts.
It wasn’t long before Telford doubled their lead as Adan George fired beyond Rogan Ravenhill from the edge of the area with a powerful effort to worsen Macc’s evening just beyond the twenty minute mark.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson made an important block from Dylan Allen-Hadley to prevent Telford from going three up inside half an hour, as the Silkmen continued to flounder in Shropshire.
The hosts were forced in to their first change before the break as Charlie Williams, who’d briefly received treatment, hit the deck for a second time and was deemed unable to continue, he was replaced by Ricardo Dinanga.
Eight minutes were added at the end of the first half following various stoppages for treatment, within which the Silkmen were unable to make a dent in the scoreline and found themselves two goals behind at the break.
Kacper Pasiek was withdrawn at the interval with Luis Lacey taking his place for the remaining 45 minutes.
A second Silkmen change followed within ten minutes of the restart as Cameron Borthwick-Jackson was replaced as a precaution having gone to ground off the ball, by Rollin Menayese.
James Gale and Sam Heathcote both had half chances to find a way back in to the game after the break, though neither were able to keep their efforts on target.
Chances were exchanged at both ends mid-way through the second half as Gracey held Dawson’s deflected strike before Ravenhill made a good stop from substitute Dinanga with the ball quickly coming back towards him after the Silkmen were dispossessed on the edge of their own area.
A double switch was made by John Rooney with twenty minutes to play, which saw the introduction of both new signings Theo Chapman and Anjola Popoola, who took the places of Isaac Buckley-Ricketts and Elliot Osborne respectively.
Chapman immediately made a good first impression just a few minutes in to his debut, taking on the full back from his wide left position and beating him on the majority of those occasions, before volleying just over from the edge of the area with a little less than ten minutes to play.
Sam Heathcote, who’d taken up an offensive position for the closing stages volleyed wide of Gracey’s upright with seven to play as the Silkmen grew desperate for a lifeline as the clock quickly ticked down.
Five minutes were added at the end of regulation time, midway through which Telford were awarded a penalty with Paul Dawson judged to have pulled the shirt of his opposite man as he chased down a ball back to Ravenhill.
Adan George put the result beyond all doubt from the spot with a minute of added time remaining before the contest was brought to a close with work to do for the Silkmen heading in to Saturday’s home game against Hereford, should they wish to keep their play-off hopes alive.
Attendance: 1,318
