Match ends, Grimsby Town 1, Macclesfield Town 2.
GrimsbyGrimsby Town1MacclesfieldMacclesfield Town2
Macclesfield Town boosted their promotion hopes as Danny Whitaker scored a late winner at Grimsby.
The Silkmen took the lead in the first half when Waide Fairhurst's shot was parried, allowing Denny Johnstone to drill the ball into the net.
A mistake at the back by Paul Turnbull was picked up by Jon-Paul Pittman, who equalised with a smart finish.
But, with the game heading for a draw, Whitaker latched onto a Adriano Moke's cross to finish from a tight angle.
John Askey's side, who remain third in the Conference, bounced back from two straight losses, the first of them at home to Grimsby on Boxing Day, to close the gap on second-placed Bristol Rovers to two points.
Grimsby Town manager Paul Hurst told BBC Radio Humberside:
"I don't think today we played as well as I would have liked. That said the deciding goal again, that's the second game running a foul on the far side - a blatant foul - leads up to the goal.
"Like I said about the Lincoln performance it doesn't cloud everything. We didn't pass the ball well enough, the conditions where difficult but we gave away the ball too easily today.
"It's hard to take in terms of the manner the way that Macclesfield have won the game but as I said I'm not trying to kid anyone we didn't play as well as what I would have liked.
"I think there's a few lads that are perhaps quite a way off the form we've shown and kind of that's natural in the season but the issue arises when it's a few at the same time. The other thing again is one or two players obviously missing."
Despite back-to-back home defeats, Grimsby are fourth, still comfortably in the Conference play-off zone.
Line-ups
Grimsby
Formation 4-4-2
- 1McKeown
- 2Bignot
- 5Pearson
- 19Parslow
- 3Thomas
- 7MackrethBooked at 90mins
- 16ClaySubstituted forMcLaughlinat 87'minutes
- 4Brown
- 20Arnold
- 18PittmanSubstituted forHannahat 67'minutes
- 14John-LewisSubstituted forWatsonat 76'minutes
Substitutes
- 8Disley
- 10Hannah
- 24Walker
- 26McLaughlin
- 31Watson
Macclesfield
Formation 4-4-2
- 1Taylor
- 2Halls
- 5Pilkington
- 28Grant
- 3Barrow
- 32JohnstoneSubstituted forHainingat 90'minutes
- 6Turnbull
- 23Whitaker
- 11Moke
- 10FairhurstSubstituted forBarnes-Homerat 79'minutes
- 14GnahouaSubstituted forRoweat 72'minutes
Substitutes
- 12Cowan
- 15Haining
- 20Branagan
- 29Barnes-Homer
- 34Rowe
- Referee:
- Adrian Holmes
- Attendance:
- 3,545
Match Stats
Home TeamGrimsbyAway TeamMacclesfield
- Possession
- Home48%
- Away52%
- Shots
- Home10
- Away7
- Shots on Target
- Home2
- Away5
- Corners
- Home0
- Away0
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away10
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Grimsby Town 1, Macclesfield Town 2.
Post update
Offside, Macclesfield Town. Matthew Barnes-Homer tries a through ball, but Matthew Barnes-Homer is caught offside.
Booking
Jack Mackreth (Grimsby Town) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
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Foul by Jack Mackreth (Grimsby Town).
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Paul Turnbull (Macclesfield Town) wins a free kick.
Post update
Attempt saved. Paul Turnbull (Macclesfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
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Foul by Paul Turnbull (Macclesfield Town).
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Scott Brown (Grimsby Town) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Macclesfield Town. Will Haining replaces Denny Johnstone.
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Foul by Ross Hannah (Grimsby Town).
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George Pilkington (Macclesfield Town) wins a free kick.
Substitution
Substitution, Grimsby Town. Patrick McLaughlin replaces Craig Clay.
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Attempt missed. Daniel Rowe (Macclesfield Town) right footed shot from outside the box misses to the right.
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Foul by Shaun Pearson (Grimsby Town).
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Denny Johnstone (Macclesfield Town) wins a free kick.
Goal!
Goal! Grimsby Town 1, Macclesfield Town 2. Danny Whitaker (Macclesfield Town) left footed shot from the left side of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Adriano Moke with a cross.
Post update
Foul by Shaun Pearson (Grimsby Town).
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Andy Halls (Macclesfield Town) wins a free kick.
Post update
Corner, Grimsby Town.
