Party put on hold
MACCLESFIELD Town missed out on securing promotion to League Two with two games to spare after being held to a 1-1 draw at the Moss Rose by Leyton Orient.
The Silkmen needed to better Tranmere Rovers’ result in the early kick off to end their six-year exile from the Football League but were unable to do so, Rovers winning 2-0 later in the day.
John Askey named an unchanged side following Tuesday’s impressive 2-0 win at play-off hopefuls Boreham Wood, lining up in a conventional 4-4-2.
The hosts started brightly, on-loan forward Nathan Blissett heading just over the bar before midfielder Dan Whitehead forced Orient Goalkeeper Dean Brill into a save within a quarter of an hour.
The pressure told when midfielders Mitch Hancox and 37-year-old Dan Whitaker combined for the latter to poke a low finish into the left-hand corner of the Orient net for his 100th career goal.
Although in the ascendency, the home side spurned two gilt-edge chances to extend their lead before the half hour mark.
On 23 minutes, good anticipation from Orient defender Marvin Ekpiteta prevented Blissett from scoring his fourth goal in six matches at the near post.
Midfielder Callum Evans had created the chance with tenacious work on the right, but the Forest Green loanee picked up an injury for his exploits, forcing his early substitution for Scott Burgess.
Perhaps the game’s turning point came moments later when Brill made an excellent save to deny a powerful, pointblank header from an unmarked Blissett.
That chance seemed to spring the away side into life and they slowly grew into the game, posing a serious threat from set pieces and counter attacks.
After some penalty-box pinball following a corner, Orient centre-half George Elokobi forced a save from goalkeeper Shwan Jalal, flicking the ball over his marker, before heading straight at the Iraqi stopper from close-range.
But on 42 minutes, another corner from the right brought the away side level when Orient forward Josh Koroma reacted quickest to Elokobi’s attempted bicycle kick, tapping home from six yards out.
Into the second half and Leyton Orient continued to improve with experienced midfielder and captain Jobi McAnuff posing a constant threat from dead ball situations.
Macclesfield’s stubborn rear-guard held out, but was still thankful on 60 minutes when O’s forward Macauley Bonne’s poor first touch prevented him from bearing down on goal after a McAnuff through ball.
Moments later, his strike partner Koroma nearly grabbed his second of the match, but his left footed shot failed to trouble Jalal, sailing over the bar from 20 yards out.
The best chance that Macclesfield could create in a frustrating second half came with ten minutes left when Hancox failed to steer his headed effort clear of the impressive Brill.
The Silkmen continued to hold firm defensively but offered little at the other end, noticeably tired following their midweek exploits in comparison to their opponents, who had not played since the previous Saturday.
Attempting to freshen up his side and see out the match, Askey brought off Whitehead for defender Kieran Kennedy - switching to a 5-3-2 to try to neutralise any threat from the flanks.
Without question, the best chance of the second half fell to the away side with stoppage time beckoning.
Substitute striker David Mooney and Bonne linked up well, but the latter’s shot was blocked by a combination of Jalal and George Pilkington around ten yards from goal.
Mooney then picked up the scraps, rounding Jalal and looking certain to steal all three points, but an expert goal-line clearance from defender David Fitzpatrick ensured the match ended level.
Tranmere’s victory means that the champagne would have remained on ice regardless, but the Silkmen are still ten points ahead of their closest rivals.
Saturday’s draw also extended their unbeaten run at Moss Rose to 13 matches and means that just three points, or a Tranmere slip up, are needed for Macclesfield to return to the Football League for only the second time in their history.