Shots deal blow
MACCLESFIELD Town lost ground in their battle for the National League play-offs after they fell to defeat at the Moss Rose against Aldershot Town.
The visitors scored in both halves through Alfie Pavey and Damon Lathrope, and that was enough to beat a battling Macc side, who will count themselves unlucky to come away with nothing.
It was the Silkmen who had the first chance of the game and it came from a fantastic solo run from Danny Rowe on the righthand side.
He then played in an unmarked Danny Whitehead in the box, but the midfielder couldn’t direct his effort on target.
Just a minute later, Aldershot had their first chance, but top goal scorer Charlie Walker was unable to direct his header from a cross on goal and the ball went well over the bar.
In an exciting start, Macc went up the other end looking to make their mark, and the chance fell to Tony Diagne, but he headed wide.
Ritchie Branagan was then called into action for the first time and it was a great save to deny Rhys Browne after he had shot from distance.
It was an end to end opening to the game, as Danny Rowe forced a strong save from Shots keeper Phil Smith who was scrambling to reach the winger’s header.
However, it was the visitors who opened the scoring when a cross from the right by Dan Walker was met by Alfie Pavey, who headed past Branagan to make it 1-0.
Macclesfield looked to get back into the game and grab an equaliser and it was Rowe who had the chance from a tight angle, but Smith was equal to it and kept the effort out.
The Silkmen continued to push and a cross across the ground from Kristian Dennis was met by Diagne, who fired a shot narrowly wide.
Attempts continued to rain on the Aldershot goal and it was Rowe again who tried his luck from distance but it was met with another save from Smith.
Captain Paul Turnbull was next to have a shot on the opposition goal when he tried his luck with a smart free-kick, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.
Danny Whitehead came the closest to getting Macc level towards the end of the first-half when he curled an effort inches wide of the post, but the hosts entered the interval trailing.
The second half got back under way and Macc made a substitution, with Chris Holroyd coming on for Diagne, but it was the Shots who had the first chance of the half as Jake Gallagher fired over the bar.
The Silkmen made another substitution early in the second half, as Turnbull was replaced by Chris Sutherland, who made an instant impact by causing trouble down the right wing.
Macclesfield continued to push as they tried to get that equaliser and Whitehead stung the hands of Smith with a shot from distance.
However, it was Aldershot who doubled their lead in the 65th minute as a long-range free-kick from Damon Lathrope beat Branagan to make it 2-0.
There was almost another goal for the away side in the 79th minute, but a fantastic save from Branagan denied debutant Ross Lafayette who had just joined from Eastleigh, meaning the match finished 2-0.
MACCLESFIELD TOWN:
Branagan, Halls, Byrne, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick, Turnbull (Sutherland), Diagne (Holroyd), Whitehead, Whitaker, Rowe (Robles), Dennis. Subs not used: Jalal, Cowan MACCLESFIELD did record one win at home last week in the last week after defeating Truro City