Stockport County clocked up their first league win in six months, sending fierce rivals Macclesfield tumbling into the relegation zone in the process.
Paul Simpson got the better of his Macc namesake Gary at the Moss Rose with goals from George Donnelly and Mansour Assoumani, while Emile Sinclair's missed penalty put the lid on a miserable day for Macc.
The visitors shaded the first half but it wasn't until injury-time that they went ahead through Donnelly.
The striker cut in from the left flank and skipped beyond numerous would-be tacklers before firing past Jose Veiga and into the bottom corner of the goal.
Macc's best chance of the half had fallen to Colin Daniel, who motored past Mansour Assoumani and Mark Lynch but spooned his shot wide with only keeper Matt Glennon to beat.
With barely five minutes gone in the second half, the Silkmen were handed a golden chance to level, when Assoumani bundled over Daniel in the box.
No doubt buoyed by his first goal of the season last Saturday, Sinclair stepped up to face County's debut keeper.
But the striker failed to hold his nerve and Glennon, who only joined the club a couple of days earlier, palmed away his spot-kick.
Sinclair did have a chance to redeem himself just minutes later when strike partner Tyrone Barnett set him free down the right. However, with time and space to spare, Sinclair's wild swipe flew well wide and saw him removed from the fray moments afterwards.
The striker's mood won't have improved when Assoumani doubled the lead on the hour mark.
Adam Griffin sent a free-kick into the box and the big defender turned his man and gave Veiga no chance with a powerful finish.
For a delighted Stockport following, it was their first league victory since County beat Wycombe in March. For Macc, the early-season promise is slowly being dissipated and only Morecambe sit below them in the table, on goal difference.
What is your verdict on the action? Have your say.
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Great win, although Macc were a very poor side. We still need a couple of new signings that will bolster the midfield. Well done County and lets keep this momentum going.
Very welcome win but we need to retain some perspective. The defence looked shaky at times and but for some woeful finishing, Macc could have scored a couple of goals too. We look light up front - Conlon, who has impressed me with his ability to hold the ball and then distribute, was so slow today ("I've seen faster milk floats" was a quote from behind me in the crowd). Still, good commitment from the lads and that's all we can ask. There will be sufficient wins throughout the season to stay up if we keep playing to this standard.
Having Matt Glennon in goal made such a big difference - and his penalty save was a turning point in the match - experience is the key to county getting away from the bottom of the division and lets hope Mr.Simpson can bring in a few more older heads to support the kids
Agree with Todd. Glennon is a good acquisition if we can keep him. Can't see Owain Fumble Williams being happy playing second fiddle though. That's why he left Crewe! Our centre backs are also very slow (as well as Conlon) but it's still early in the season. Apparently Simmo has a few more signings up his sleeve. Incidentally, I don't rate Turnbull at all but thought he played really well first half but then he went missing second half along with everyone else as the Macc forwards ran through us at will and could have scored a hatful but for woeful finishing. We've certainly not turned a corner with one win but it's a useful 3 points.
This is more like it. We're not promotion material by far but we don't have to be to get our share of points. This is division two and any team can win on any day with determination and desire (+ maybe a bit of luck!), the results show it every week. What you can't win with is chucking in the towel. Kudos to the board for the player shuffling, it sent the message that the status quo was not going to be tolerated just because we are cash poor. Kudos to the manager for hammering the message home all week and to the players that got the message. Lastly, huge kudos to the magnificent support who turned up in numbers when the team had given them little reason to travel - even to as close as Macclesfield.
A good first step then and although there will certainly be games where we come up short, there are also plenty of games that are winnable in a similar fashion to Saturday's performance (starting against struggling Bradford?). Improving the depth and quality of the squad will take time but in the meantime we expect that the players we have got put in a full shift every game - win or lose.
Come on County
At last something to cheer about, had a great day out in Macclesfield coming home with the three points. Glennon was a force at the back very vocal which is what we need.
George Donnelly put in his usual hard running shift, just a pity he doesn't get the service he would thrive on.
All in all a good turning point, come on Paul Simpson lets have some positive comments to lift the County faithfull who sang Macclesfield off the park
Dave Braithwaite
Glossop
Great win Macclesfield must be rubbish perhaps they need a bell in the ball
The game against mac wasnt as easy as the score line may suggest,
the game was very close and mac could of won it if they had put there chances away,
but they didnt and the mighty blue an white army have our first win of the season,
i must say our support was imense practicaly a home game, best vocal i heard all season and maybe last season too,
i think that if the fans can repulcate the atmosphare again and again it would help the players on the pitch
i was impressed with the change in formation i think it work rather well,
thought every one had a decent game, apart from baz C up front who i think is
waste of time, lazy and needs to pull his socks up.
Cheadle End season tickett holder. :-)
How can we be talking about a 'relegation zone' only a few weeks into the season?
i was getting off the train in macc when i walked past 4 macc fans , the chant was as follows: "you've got more fans than us, and you know you have" made me giggle.