National League 3 North
Fylde 27
Macclesfield 14
MACCLESFIELD continued with their abysmal away record on a day when little went right for the squad.
The Blues now face their most important game since securing promotion to the National Leagues when fellow strugglers Darlington visit Priory Park.
Fylde kicked off with a breeze at their backs and the hosts were camped in the Macclesfield half for most of the opening 40 minutes.
Fylde scored after 15 minutes when lock Nick King touched down. The conversion failed, as did a Ross Winney penalty attempt for the Blues but, moments later, Fylde were reduced to 14 when Dan Waller was yellow carded after a technical indiscretion.
During this period, pressure from the Macclesfield pack forced Rick Jones over for his tenth try of the season and a 7-5 lead.
The lead only lasted a short time, as poor tackling allowed the home side to break and a superb offload saw centre Paul Reeves score by the sticks to give Fylde a 12-7 lead at the interval.
As the second half got under way things got worse for the Blues as Fylde's top try-scorer Nick Royle intercepted a wayward pass, outstripping the defence to score his 25th try of the season.
Fylde scored again when Royle's opposite winger Oliver Brennand took advantage of a suspiciously forward pass in a move that led to Fylde securing their bonus point-winning fourth try.
Ollie Hewitt got Macc back on the scoreboard with a well taken try but, with just ten minutes remaining, it was to little avail, although Winney converted.
Fylde had the last laugh when Royle went in for another try after some disappointing defence.
The game closed with a set-to after a late tackle by Dan Baines was picked up by the referee, former Macc player Dave Muckalt taking the law into his own hands.
Both players spent the final moments on the sidelines after yellow cards were brandished.
Disappointed Macclesfield coach Steve Burnage said: "We made too many basic errors and the missed tackles cost us. We have to lift our game for Saturday when Darlington visit."
Team: Latham, Allen, Bieniasz, Lodge, Bostock, Baines, R Jones, Hewitt, Mason, Winney, Wilding, Howcroft, Davenport, Hardwick, D Jones. Replacements: Collie, Keane, Stockdale, Price.
