KEVIN Sandwith put his Macclesfield nightmare behind him to send the Silkmen into the third round of the LDV Vans Trophy for the first time in the club’s history.
The transfer-listed defender struck a brilliant 85th-minute winner as the Cheshire club came from behind to beat Rotherham United at Millmoor on Tuesday night.
Paul Evans handed the League One side a 24th-minute lead when he fired home from 25-yards, but Jon Parkin equalised when he headed home substitute David Beresford’s pin-point cross on 56 minutes.
“It was a sweet strike and he played very, very well,” said Horton of the match-winner, who spent two days on trial at Swansea last week. “We’ve been working on free-kicks in training and it’s nice when it comes off. But it wasn’t just him - everybody played their part again.
“We took a bit of confidence in from Saturday’s win, and to come back from a goal down away from home against a team from a higher division shows a lot of character.”
Horton also hailed the return of talismanic striker Parkin. The muscular hitman missed the first three months of the season with a knee injury, but was outstanding against the Millers.
“Parky makes such a difference,” added the Town boss. “He scored the first goal and won the free-kick for the second. He’s such a presence - both on the field and in the dressing room. We look a far stronger outfit with him.”
All eyes will now turn to Saturday as the Silkmen go into the hat for the draw for the Northern section quarter-finals - live on Sky - for the first time. But Macc have nothing to fear after accounting for three teams from the league above - Nottingham Forest, Chesterfield and, now, Rotherham - already in cup competitions this season.
Ian Brightwell and Clyde Wijnhard will return for Saturday’s visit of Leyton Orient after being rested in midweek.
