A feisty affair at the Leasing.com Stadium saw the spoils shared between Macclesfield and Witton Albion in the NPL West.
Neil Danns named an unchanged side from Saturday’s victory away at Bootle where Macc claiming revenge from earlier in the season with the Silkmen hoping to do the same to Witton.
It was the hosts who had the better chances early on as James Berry fed in Brandon Lee as the full-back’s shot drove just wide.
However, that would be Berry’s last action of the game as the winger was forced off with a suspected knee injury within 20 minutes.
Macc kept on pushing with Neil Kengni having a shot blocked on the line after he had been found from Laurent Mendy’s cross.
Just 10 minutes before half-time, Macclesfield took the lead in deserved fashion as Neil Kengni’s corner was brilliantly flicked home by Ntumba Massanka to bag his first Silkmen goal.
Luke Murphy also came close from a corner on the stroke of the interval, but the midfielder’s header skimmed the crossbar on its way over.
The first real chance of the second half fell the way of Kengni, but the former Marine man’s run was almost finished off but for a smart stop from Martin in the Albion net.
Witton came close on the hour mark as substitute Rokka got in behind the Macc defence, but Lewis Fensome came across to deal with the danger.
It was then the Silkmen who went straight up the other end through a stunning solo run from Kane Drummond, but despite beating several Albion defenders, scuffed his effort straight at Martin.
Albion were awarded a penalty 15 minutes from time as Tre Pemberton committed a foul just inside the penalty area. Duckworth stepped up for the visitors to slot the spot kick home via the post.
Kengni was creating problems and was denied again by the sprawling arms of Martin who kept out the winger’s close-range shot from Mendy’s delivery.
The Silkmen were reduced to 10 men moments later as James Hardy was shown a straight red card following an off-the-ball incident.
Neil Danns’ side had two chances to win it at the death with Nicky Maynard coming close from a short free-kick which he fired just past the far post.
The gaffer himself then thought he’d won it as he was fed in by Mendy, but the former Crystal Palace man rattled the top of the bar from range.
It was a frustrating evening for the Silkmen in which things just didn’t go to plan, but preparation now shifts to Glossop North End in 10 days time.
Macclesfield : Stanway, Pemberton, Lee, Fensome, Mendy, Murphy, Kengni, Danns, Massanka (79), Curran (56), Berry (16)
Subs: Maynard (79), Hardy (56), Drummond (16)
Subs unused: Cowan, Fage.
Attendance: 3210
By Ben Leah
