The Silkmen went top of the Enterprise National League North with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Hebburn Town at the Leasing.com Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday, after Adan George’s double and Danny Elliott proved decisive.
George’s first-half strike, his opening goal in Silkmen colours, sent John Rooney’s men on their way to a fifth triumph in six games in East Cheshire. His second came 11 minutes after half-time before Elliott’s third goal in two matches delivered a clinical display in front of a crowd of 2,731 supporters.
Manager Rooney made one change from Saturday’s 2-1 triumph away at Darlington, as Theo Chapman replaced Jon Ustabasi in the starting line-up.
The first chance of the contest came inside six minutes, as Hebburn forward Tom Allan’s half-volley from just outside the box was comfortably saved by Christian Dibble.
Dibble was called into action again minutes later, thwarting an unmarked Allan with a sprawling save on the right-side of the box following a cross. From the resulting corner, the ball dropped to Allan, who struck wide through a crowd.
Tom Wilson then had to be well-positioned to clear Ethan Wood’s dangerous free-kick into the box from the left as Macclesfield navigated early pressure.
The Silkmen led on 26 minutes after George met Cameron Borthwick-Jackson’s driven pinpoint cross from the left at the front post to steer his effort beyond goalkeeper Isaac Allan from close-range.
George almost found a second for the Silkmen, however he was denied by Allan’s stop in a one-on-one situation.
Towards the half-time interval, Jake Charles glanced his header past Dibble’s right-hand post, as Hebburn searched for a leveller.
In first-half added time, Dibble’s long punt up field set Luke Duffy free on a quickfire breakaway, with the midfielder unable to beat the onrushing Allan, heading narrowly off target.
Following the restart, the Silkmen threatened when Ammar Dyer’s enticing cross after a surging run down the right just evaded Chapman in the box.
Eleven minutes into the half, the Silkmen had their second goal of the afternoon. Positive build-up play saw Dyer cause the visiting defence problems down the right, with Fin Shrimpton then battling his way into the box to cross low into the box which was diverted in by George in the six-yard box for his second of the afternoon.
Shortly after the hour mark, Rooney made a double substitution as Elliott and Ustabasi replaced goalscorer George and Chapman.
The Silkman had another opportunity at goal when Duffy’s corner from the left was flicked on by Elliot Osborne’s backwards header which looped onto the roof of Allan’s net.
Hebburn went close to halving the deficit midway through the half, when substitute Kian Foreman’s cross was headed just over Dibble’s crossbar.
With under 20 minutes left, Matty Apter and Hassan Ayub were introduced into the game by Rooney in place of Shrimpton and Borthwick-Jackson.
Aiming for a third goal, Elliott’s fierce rising strike from inside the box was beaten away by Allan, which was cleared only out to Duffy, who forced a corner.
From the resulting set-piece, Duffy’s in-swinging corner was almost turned in by Elliott at the back post, as Hebburn survived.
Elliott would cap off a memorable weekend for the Silkmen in added time, when he brought the ball down in the box, swivelled on the turn and then thumped a powerful half-volley into Allan’s top left corner as Macc climbed to the summit of the sixth-tier after an unbeaten start to the 2026/27 campaign.
Rooney’s table toppers are back in action away at Merthyr Town next Saturday afternoon before returning to the Leasing.com Stadium against Scarborough Athletic on Tuesday 8th September. Purchase your tickets by clicking HERE.
MOTM: Adan George
Attendance: 2,731 (61 away)
Report by Ben Reardon
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