It's played two, won two for Macclesfield - but how they were made to work for their victory at Telford.

In control and two goals up at half-time, they conceded with 10 minutes to go and somehow repelled the Bucks' advances to escape with the three points.

Adriano Moke slid in his first goal for the club with just three minutes on the clock. Macc had struggled to clear a free kick into the box but when they broke they did so with pace and precision.

With three attackers on the hunt Danny Whitaker sent Waide Fairhurst clear down the right and his low ball across was ideal for the winger to slide in under Jonathan Hedge.

Minutes later Chris Holroyd, who was beaten to the ball by Moke for the goal, blazed his best chance over after Fairhurst's blocked shot fell for him.

Just after the half-hour mark, Telford drew level in style, as left-back Andy Owens blasted one into the top corner from at least 30 yards. That goal aside Telford hadn't really threatened, their wastefulness with pot-shots illustrated by Adam Farrell, who destroyed lettering on the top of the away stand.

Macclesfield Town FC V Braintree Town . Macclesfield ' s Waide Fairhurst . 9 August 2014 . Picture by Matt Ratcliffe
 

But although the Bucks seemed to be edging nearer, Fairhurst's alertness proved telling, with two goals in six minutes.

Firstly he turned in Scott Barrow's wayward drive and then pounced to grab his second after captain Paul Turnbull had seen his shot parried by Hedge.

That two-goal advantage always looked like it would be enough for Macc and Paul Lewis was denied a deserved goal, Hedge somehow turning his header round the post.

The home team's pressure as they desperately tried to get back into it stepped up a notch. But the torrents did nothing to dampen the Silkmen's resolute spirit. Taylor made a fine save to deny Owens a second goal but he was powerless to prevent Steve Akrigg from heading in the Bucks' second with 80 minutes on the clock.

That sparked a real onslaught from Telford and Neill Byrne headed wide, Macc's Luke Waterfall cleared one off the line and Sean Clancy volleyed a good chance over.

With a helping hand from referee Jason Whiteley, who blew up inside three of the additional four minutes, Macc withstood the Bucks' efforts to keep their 100 per cent record intact.