First half goals from Danny Thomas and Neil Ashton, and another stunning finish from Francis Green earned the Silkmen their biggest win for over a year against a lacklustre Barnet side.

As the snow began to fall and the challenges flew in during the second half Macclesfield coasted to a well deserved victory and three valuable points towards League Two survival.

Barnet came into the game fresh from scoring five at the weekend and after a disappointing defeat at Edgeley Park, Macc looked to secure a second consecutive home win.

Terry Dunfield picked out the run of Gareth Evans in the 4^th minute, but he delayed his cross too long and was eventually tackled on the left wing.  The visitors broke down the other end and Anthony Thomas flashed the ball across the face of goal.

A Jordan Parkes cross from the right eluded Ryan Cresswell and after a smart turn Adam Birchall smashed a shot right at Jonathon Brain.

Jamie Tolley fired a similar effort at Barnet keeper Lee Harrison after Green's initial effort was blocked as neither team looked to have much of a killer instinct in the opening exchanges.

Evans won a free kick by the corner flag and when Neil Ashton's free kick curled into the box Thomas was left all alone at the far post to power a header past Harrison from close range.

Danny Thomas - Can't have scored too many headers in his career but his goal set the Silkmen up for a great win

Albert Adomah's speculative long range volley dropped just past the post and Birchall put another effort wide as Barnet looked to level the scores.

However it was Macc who scored again, and after a near post Evans header drew a fine save from Harrison it was again a set piece which struck gold for the home side.

Ashton whipped in another free kick from the right and this time nobody got a touch on the ball and with the keeper caught flat footed it flew straight into the far corner.

Neil Ashton - Scored one and provided another as well as defending solidly

Cresswell could have put the game to bed in the last few seconds of the first half when he flicked Tolley's corner goalwards but was denied by a fingertip save from Harrison to tip the ball over.

Macc looked good value for their lead at the interval, although they had been two goals up against Barnet earlier in the season only to be denied victory in the last minute at Underhill.

The Silkmen kept the pressure on straight from the restart and hit the important third goal just three minutes in.  Evans fed the ball through to Green, who cut inside from the left channel and hammered a blistering shot past Harrison at the near post for his 11^th of the season in his 200^th league appearance.

With the game over as a contest Barnet heads dropped and Macc looked hungry for more goals from all over the pitch.

Young full-back Shaun Brisley had an impressive game on the right and broke forward at every opportunity.  In the 57^th minute he took down Dunfield's pass and looked to be fouled as he closed in on the keeper but as the ref waved play on the ball broke to Evans on the edge of the box and his drilled shot through a crowded area was hacked off the line by Parkes.

Shaun Brisley - His best game so far with quality defending and probing breaks forward

Kenny Gillet was lucky to stay on the pitch following a rash two footed lunge on Danny Thomas and as the game threatened to boil over a few other wild tackles came in during a flurry of snow which swirled around the Moss Rose.

Tolley dug out an effort from 20 yards which was expertly palmed around the post by Harrison as chances became limited and both teams seemed happy to play out the remainder of the game in midfield.

In the five minutes of injury time Birchall could have hit a consolation for the away side when his brilliant control brought substitute Jason Puncheon's cross down and after turning on a sixpence his low drive was easily collected by Brain.

The Silkmen were good value for their win and with other results going favourably they go back above Notts County in the table.  Earlier in the season Macc may have been creating a host of chances only to lose, whereas today they competed well in a physical game and put away the chances which fell their way.

Andy Brinkhurst