Play-Off Semi-Final

BRAVE Macclesfield's dreams of promotion were ended by Lincoln in the play-off semi-final second leg at Moss Rose.

A goal down from the first tie, Gareth McAuley was once again the Imps' hero when the giant defender, one of Lincoln's many, headed home Gary Taylor-Fletcher's 15th-minute corner to leave Macc with a mountain to climb.

Player of the year Paul Harsley handed the Silkmen a lifeline when he curled home a superb equaliser with 14 minutes left, but Macc could not grab a winner to take the game into extra time.

'I'm very disappointed,' said Brian Horton. 'We played tremendously second half but the first goal was very important and a set-play was again our undoing.'

Indeed, Danny Swailes will be glad to see the back of McAuley because, as in the first leg, the wing-back beat the Silkmen defender to a set-piece - though Horton felt Swailes had been fouled.

He added: 'I'd like to see it again. McAuley was all over him - his hands were definitely up.'

The goal handed Lincoln, in the play-offs for the third year running, the perfect start and helped quieten Macc's biggest crowd of the season. And it was not entirely unexpected, Harsley had already cleared Jamie McCombe's second-minute header off the line as the home side started sluggishly.

The Silkmen's best opportunity fell to Matthew Tipton on the stroke of half-time but, after rounding keeper Alan Marriott, the strangely out-of-sorts striker chose to go to ground, somewhat theatrically, in search of a penalty rather than staying on his feet.

Macc improved after the break and, coupled with the introduction of John Miles and Danny Whitaker, the hosts began to gain control. However, Simon Yeo wasted a glorious chance for the Imps when he latched onto Tony Barras's underhit back-pass but blazed over with the goal at his mercy.

Harsley's well-taken equaliser set up a frenetic final 14 minutes in which Jon Parkin went close with a trademark free-kick. And Danny Whitaker must have thought he had levelled matters when his 86th-minute effort was flying towards the top corner only for Marriott to brilliantly tip it over.

• LINCOLN will face Southend in the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday after defeating Northampton courtesy of Freddy Eastwood's second-half penalty.

MACCLESFIELD TOWN: Fettis, Bailey (Whitaker 65), Swailes, Barras, Morley, Harsley, Carragher, Townson (Miles 62), McIntyre, Parkin, Tipton (Briscoe 75). Subs (not used): Wilson, MacKenzie. Booked: Morley. Star man: Dave Morley.

LINCOLN CITY: Marriott, McCombe, Morgan, Futcher, McAuley, Butcher, Gain, Sandwith, Green (Beevers 76), Taylor-Fletcher (Asamoah 90), Yeo (Bloomer 87). Subs (not used): Hanlon, Frecklington, Ryan. Booked: McAuley, Sandwith, Morgan.

Referee: P.Crossley.

Attendance: 5,223.

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