Two goals late in the second-half from captain Paul Dawson saw the Silkmen come from behind to draw 2-2 against Scarborough Athletic in the Emirates FA Cup third-round qualifying at the Leasing.com Stadium on Saturday.
The Silkmen were behind at half-time after two goals in two minutes from Mo Fadera and Luke Hall.
However, Dawson delivered late on with two stunning strikes to force a replay for John Rooney’s men in another Emirates FA Cup clash to remember in East Cheshire.
The Silkmen had an attempt at goal inside the first three minutes when Cameron Borthwick-Jackson’s left-footed strike from 25 yards went just over the crossbar.
Visiting goalkeeper Ryan Whitley was then called into action twice in quick succession. Firstly, he held on well to keep out Matty Apter’s effort from distance before tipping Luke Duffy’s cross to safety, following a well-worked move.
Midway through the first-half, Ammar Dyer cut inside from the right onto his left-foot, which curled just past Whitley’s far post.
On the half hour, Fadera found space in the box, but his shot went just wide of Christian Dibble’s near post.
The Silkmen then created two opportunities at goal towards the end of the half. George Wilson’s swerving strike from distance was palmed away by Whitley prior to Jon Ustabasi driving into the box from the left to fire into the side-netting.
Jonathan Greening’s Seadogs’ were in front on 42 minutes when Rio Allan got the better of Dawson on the right side of the box to drive into the box and square the ball across goal for Fadera to score.
The Silkmen were two behind two minutes later after Hall met a cross to divert his header which found Dibble’s corner.
Macc almost found themselves three behind early into the second-half as Hall clipped a ball over the top for Fadera to run onto, with the forward dinking his shot over Dibble’s crossbar.
Searching for a route back into the cup tie, Duffy’s free-kick from the right was met at the back post by Ustabasi, who was denied by Whitley.
Rooney made his first change of the game on 56 minutes when Fin Shrimpton came on for Wilson in the Silkmen midfield. Josk Kay would replace Elliot Osborne just past the hour.
Kay almost made an immediate impact by winning possession and moving play onto Duffy, who shot over Whitley’s crossbar and into the Silkmen terrace. Danny Elliott then weaved into a dangerous position to strike from distance, which went wide of Whitley’s bottom left-post.
Rooney made his third change with 15 minutes left, swapping Carlos Dos Santos on for Apter.
The Silkmen were knocking on the door, with Kay drilling a half-volley narrowly over Whitley’s crossbar from the edge of the six-yard box, and Dyer unable to keep his shot down.
Dawson’s opener came on 81 minutes when he met Ustabasi’s cross from the left to hit a first-time shot across goal with his left-foot which found Whitley’s bottom right-corner.
The skipper then served up another memorable Emirates FA Cup moment on 89 minutes, thumping a half-volley through a crowded box to draw the Silkmen level. Rooney’s men will now contest a replay in North Yorkshire on Tuesday night, with the winner advancing to the fourth-round qualifying stage.
Tickets for our Emirates FA Cup replay at Scarborough Sports Village are available HERE.
The Silkmen are back in action at the Leasing.com Stadium next Saturday in the Enterprise National League North against South Shields, kick-off 3pm. Purchase your tickets by clicking here.
Attendance: 1,782
MOTM: Luke Duffy
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