Chris?Holroyd knows it should have been Macclesfield’s first win, but insists they’ll take more than a league point from their stirring show at Luton.

The local lad could have been forgiven for thinking his strike just after the hour mark would be enough to sink the Hatters.

But after a late leveller broke Silkmen hearts, Holroyd held his hands up and shoulders his share of the blame for the two dropped points in a fine outing.

“I think it does feel like a defeat. The boys are gutted in there, everyone’s head’s down, even though we can take a few positives from today,” he admitted. “We’re starting to look more and more like a team though, we passed Luton off the park and I’m as guilty as anyone of not taking my chances. I know I scored one but I’m disappointed not to have got a few more.

“The important thing is how we’re playing, that’s really encouraging. It would have been a lot sweeter if we’d managed to see it out for that extra minute, it’s tough to take. I know Pej (physio Mel Pejic) had to come on a few times but sometimes you don’t get the decisions.

“I thought we had a stonewall penalty in the first half and it’s just little things that didn’t go for us. The goal was heart-breaking but sometimes you don’t get decisions when you come to grounds like this.”

Holroyd, who returned to the club this summer after first appearing in Steve King’s team last season, is also positive on how the Silkmen’s attacking lines are shaping up.

“It’s disappointing that we haven’t got a few more points on the board but the performance today was the best out of the three so far, by a mile.” he said.

“It was a big pitch but everyone, to a man, put 100 per cent in out there.

“The gaffer and Efe have planned the pre-season out well. We’ve been sharp without being burned out. The sharp passing drills come through and I think we looked the fitter side, which is encouraging.

“Me and Scotty have played together a bit in pre-season and Connor’s come along later and whoever is up there, we work on it in training and it’s nice to have that link-up.

“We went for a different shape today, I think you can see that link between the two strikers more in a 4-4-2 than a 4-3-3, it was good. And JP was great today, some games it’s hard to get him into a game and finding his position and giving him that bit of freedom. You can see the effect he has on the game then.”

MACC’S match at home to Southport has been brought forward.

The Sandgrounders were to visit the Moss on October 19 but the game will now be shown live on BT?Sport 1 from 7pm on Thursday,?October 17.