Matty McNeil's excellent display played a key role in earning three valuable points for the Silkmen, with a brilliant performance and his first ever goal in the Football League.

A great second half showing and a breathtaking Martin Bullock chip sealed the win for Macc, giving them a huge boost in their quest for League Two survival.

However, it was the visitors who looked marginally the better side in the opening exchanges, Colin McMenamin and Dave Edwards both had good chances in the first 15 minutes.

Kelvin Langmead drew a great save from Tommy Lee on 17 minutes, his 20 yard drive looked to be heading for the top corner before the on-loan keeper's intervention.

Former Macc midfielder Neil Sorvel's low shot forced Lee into action again in the 32nd minute, and Paul Harsley was on hand to clear the rebound with Langmead closing in.

The Silkmen took the lead moments later when a deep cross from Kevin McIntyre looked to have eluded everyone, but McNeil arrived at the back post to poke the ball into the corner at full stretch for his first league goal.

Shrewsbury continued to push forward for the remainder of the half, but it was Danny Whitaker who should have been the next name on the score-sheet just before the break.  The midfielder latched on to Bullock's through ball and rode the last challenge to burst into the box, but lashed his shot straight into the arms of Joe Hart.

A poor first half ended with Stuart Whitehead's long range effort which flashed wide, and the Shrews might have felt a little disappointed to be behind.

After the interval, Macclesfield came out looking far stronger and Whitaker drew a save from Hart only seconds in.

The Silkmen had great spells of possession and looked odds-on to score again, Martin Bullock obliging on 61 minutes with a contender for goal of the season.  With the visitors' defence backing off the tiny winger, he looked up and spotted the keeper off his line before producing a magnificent deft chip over him and into the far corner to seal the points.

The second goal gave Macc the confidence to stream forward even more, and Bullock, McNeil and McIntyre all provided great balls across the face of goal, but there was nobody in the right place to finish them off.

Marcus Richardson, had only one real chance on his debut, and a Shrews defender was on hand to make sure his back post header didn't trouble Hart.

Shrewsbury rarely troubled the home side in the second period, substitute Mark Stallard's effort from a tight angle on 75 minutes was the closest they came to beating Lee.

Macclesfield's fine home form continued with a first clean sheet since the demolition of Carlisle in January, and the impressive performance by McNeil shows that there are considerable signs of encouragement at the Moss Rose.