Macclesfield Town went down at Lincoln after a shocking second-half performance in which they surrendered their half-time lead and collapsed to a 3-1 loss. The Silkmen were rampant in the first half but couldn't find the necessary finishing to put the game away, and paid a dear price at Sincil Bank.
Sean Hessey and Michael Symes both failed to test Imps keeper Alan Marriott with early efforts, but Gareth Evans made no mistake in the eighth minute. Terry Dunfield's through-ball allowed Evans to break Lincoln's offside trap and he knocked the ball beyond the advancing Marriott before rolling the ball into the unguarded goal. Evans had a chance to double the lead from Danny Thomas' cross but the young striker, impressing on the right side of midfield, saw his glancing header go wide and out of the reach of former Lincoln hitman Franny Green. Green himself had a volleyed effort from Hessey's cross go astray.
The hosts failed to muster any meaningful advances until midway through the half, when Scott Kerr's free-kick was headed back across the goalmouth, Dunfield clearing the danger. Good work down the right by Izak Reid made the space for a cross from which Evans gave Marriott a fright but he back-pedalled to tip Evans' header over this crossbar. Although well on top, Macc almost conceded when a ball into the box found Mark Stallard. At point-blank range, the valiant Jonny Brain pulled off two outstanding stops, receiving a gash to his head in the process. Brain's reward was several stitches and a rest as he was replaced by Tommy Lee.
Ian Brighwell's men went in at the break a goal to the good but fears that their slender lead would be too little proved correct as they failed to reproduce the passion or commitment required. Stallard fired the Imps' first shot in anger after he smartly turned his man but, with Lee beaten, the bar saved the Silkmen and Lenell John-Lewis' follow-up was off-target. Ten minutes after the restart, Kerr's late challenge on Dunfield earned him a yellow card but Macc's captain was forced to retire with the effects, James Ashmore coming on for him.
With Dunfield went the visitors' bite and Lincoln held the upper hand as Macc were second best throughout the half. Symes spurned a good opportunity to score Macc's second when Green's neat pass sent him through but his left-foot shot was directed wide of Marriott's far post. Lincoln, however, were as dominant as their visitors had been before the interval and Jamie Forrester somehow sent a 10-yard header wide when he was unmarked in the act of receiving substute Dany N'Guessan's cross. Forrester almost made amends just minutes later but his shot from around the six-yard line, was repelled by one of his team-mates.
The midfielder played a part in Lincoln's equaliser, forcing Lee into saving his shot, but unfortunately for the Silkmen, John-Lewis reached the loose ball first and fired home. Although Evans put a header wide, it was little surprise that the Imps took the lead. Reid was robbed close to the corner flag by John-Lewis and he laid on Forrester for a convincing finish. With time running out, Nick Blackman replaced Thomas and Cresswell advanced in search of a leveller. The plan backfired when N'Guessan collected a clearance and ran at Neil Ashton. Cutting inside, he beat Lee with a measured low shot that rebounded in off the foot of the post.
Mike Glendinning, Macclesfield Express
