Buoyed by their cup exploits at the weekend, Macclesfield were emphatic winners as they returned to league matters against Tamworth.
Amari Morgan-Smith and Ryan Jackson struck a goal in each half to make it four wins in a row for the Silkmen.
Steve King made just one change to the side that shocked Swindon at the weekend, with Jack Mackreth starting in place of Anthony McNamee.
And Mackreth could have opened the scoring when left-back Craig Braham-Barratt put him one-on-one with Lambs keeper Tony Breeden – but he shot weakly at the grateful stopper.
Mackreth did play a role in Macc’s opening goal as he sent full-back Jackson darting down the right. His low ball flashed across the goal was neatly turned in by Morgan-Smith, who flicked it in off the far post with his back to goal.
Mackreth spurned another chance when Kieran Murtagh’s quick free kick put him clean through but he skewed horribly wide.
Tamworth rallied late in the first half but were relying on scraps, and Peter Till and Lloyd Kerry both fired wide with snap-shots as Macc maintained the lead at the break.
It was proving a frustrating night for Mackreth, who once again sprang the offside trap, but was thwarted by Breeden, who did well to force the winger wide.
A Mackreth cross did provide leading marksman Matthew Barnes-Homer with the best chance to double the lead, but Breeden somehow palmed away the striker’s goal-bound header.
The Lambs’ last line was kept busy and he was at full stretch to get a firm hand on another sizzling drive from Saturday’s goalscorer, centre-back Tony Diagne.
When Murtagh headed the resulting corner wide there was the sense that Tamworth would make Macc pay for their profligacy in front of goal.
But 10 minutes from the end, Jackson left Breeden rooted to the spot as he drilled a low shot into the bottom corner to end Tamworth’s fading hopes of a comeback.
MACC: Cronin, Jackson, Martin, Diagne, Braham-Barratt, Mackreth (Winn 71), Wedgbury, Murtagh, Kissock (P Mills 82), Barnes-Homer, Morgan-Smith. Subs not used: Holroyd, Fairhurst, Henry.
