Coca Cola League 2

COUNTY gained their sought-after revenge over Cheshire neighbours Macclesfield on Saturday, but it wasn't quite as sweet as some had hoped for as the visitors certainly played their part in the game, especially in the second half.

It's three wins on the spin for Jim Gannon's side now and League Two safety is probably only two wins away, but for spells on Saturday they made hard work of it, and Macclesfield did register more efforts on goal.

However, the County defence looked solid again and when going forward they always looked capable of scoring.

Across the park there were promising displays, especially from new boys Jamie Ward, Aidan Collins and Jason Taylor, and young Adam Le Fondre capped off a hugely satisfying victory with another late poachers' effort in the dying minutes.

On a bright afternoon at Edgeley Park, it was the home side who caught the first sight of goal when Liam Dickinson turned Ward's cross just wide.

Macc responded with a scuffed Matt McNeil effort, then Michael Briscoe blazed a wild shot over from 18 yards.

However, a crazy own goal handed the Hatters the lead on 12 minutes when Briscoe planted home a bullet header from Keith Briggs' harmless-looking cross.

Macc then had goalkeeper Tommy Lee to thank for an impressive point-blank save when the youngster did superbly well to beat out defender Collins' acrobatic shot.

Despite that Macclesfield were having the better of it as half-time approached, and on 37 minutes McNeil should have at least got his shot on target when he was found in space on the edge of the Stockport box.

McNeil was then unlucky three minutes before the break when his looping header was cleared off the line by Mark Robinson.

Brian Horton's men opened the second period brightly, and on 53 minutes Danny Whitaker did well to tee up Navarro, but he shot narrowly wide.

Dickinson hit back with a header glanced just wide, but at the other end County goalkeeper James Spencer produced a breath-taking fingertip save to keep out Whitaker's superb 25-yard drive.

It was end-to-end stuff after the break, and next to go close was County wide-man Adam Griffin who blasted over following a jinking run.

Andrew Teague flew in but planted a header wide for Macclesfield, but that was it for the visitors as Le Fondre struck late on to double the home side's advantage.

Ward crossed in from the left, the ball was flicked on by the hard-working Tes Bramble, and there was Le Fondre who bundled home from close range.

Even after that Macclesfield were unlucky when Danny Swailes' deflected shot hit the County crossbar, but it was all over by then.

• COUNTY: Spencer, Briggs, Williams A, Collins, Robinson, Ward, Allen, Taylor, Griffin, Dickinson (Le Fondre, 82), Bramble. Subs not used: Duncan, Malcolm, Tunnicliffe, Greenwood. Star man: Jamie Ward.

• MACCLESFIELD TOWN: Lee, Morley (Morley, 19), Swailes, Teague, Brightwell, Bullock, Briscoe (Beresford, 75), Whitaker, McIntyre (Sandwith, 63), Navarro, McNeil. Subs not used: Fettis, Townson. Booked: Bullock, McIntyre.

Att: 6,003.

Ref: Mark Halsey (Lancs).

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