Danny Elliott’s header late in the second-half earned the Silkmen a 1-1 draw in the Emirates FA Cup Fourth-Qualifying Round against Anstey Nomads at the Leasing.com Stadium on Saturday to set up a replay on Tuesday night.
Elliott met Adan George’s cross with nine minutes left to cancel out Corey Grantham’s first-half opener which sent the Nomads in front.
The two teams will meet again in Leicestershire next week for a place in the First Round proper.
After a promising start, the Silkmen were awarded a penalty in the ninth minute when Elliott was fouled in the box.
Elliott took responsibility for the spot-kick, but he saw his left-footed effort kept out by Nomads goalkeeper Harley Price, who dived to his left to keep out the Silkmen captain.
Macc were behind on 21 minutes after Dibble parried Lewis Gibbins’ strike, with the rebound pounced on by Grantham to slot Nomads in front from inside the six-yard box.
Searching for a leveller in East Cheshire, Luke Duffy surged into the box from the left to deliver a low cross which was pushed away by Price before he managed to dive on the loose ball.
Towards the end of the half, Ammar Dyer’s effort was charged down by Nomads defender Darien Wauchope, whilst Dibble was well-positioned to make a strong low stop from Grantham at the back post following Oscar Tonge’s cross.
Rooney made his first change of the game ahead of the second-half, as Carlos Dos Santos replaced Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, who had required treatment late in the first-half.
In a frantic opening to the half, Tonge profited from Sam Heathcote’s miskick to go one-on-one
John Ustabasi then superbly brought down a lofted ball on the left to weave into the box and strike low, only to be denied by a sliding tackle to turn the ball behind, with the resulting set-piece cleared.
Just past the hour mark, George was introduced by Rooney in place of George Wilson.
Macc were denied an equaliser after Price pushed Elliott’s fiercely struck volley over the crossbar. Substitute Dos Santos was then replaced by Matty Apter.
The Silkmen’s equaliser came through Elliott on 81 minutes, who guided an unstoppable header beyond Price from George’s pinpoint cross from the left. Anstey manager Conrad Logan was sent off following the leveller, which was followed by Gill’s dismissal by referee Ben Tomlinson.
In the six minutes of additional time, the Silkmen knocked on the door for a winner, with Fin Shrimpton’s low shot cleared, as both sides will head to a replay on Tuesday night to decide who reaches the first-round proper.
MOTM: Fin Shrimpton
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