A quality finish from Chris Holroyd earned the Silkmen all three points from their long trip to Dover Athletic.
A goalless draw against the Kentish strugglers was beckoning when Holroyd netted his late winner at the Crabble to settle a game where one goal had always looked likely to be enough.
In truth the result was harsh on newly-promoted Dover, who enjoyed most of the possession and created the vast majority of chances.
But John Askey’s injury-hit side battled hard and defended solidly throughout, dealing well with Dover’s many set pieces and containing the hosts well.
In an uneventful first half played out largely in midfield, Rhys Taylor was the first keeper called into action, as he gathered a sixth-minute shot by Ricky Miller.
At the other end, Will Haining’s header from David Gonzalez’ cross, comfortably saved by Dover’s Mitch Walker, was the Silkmen’s only effort of note in a half of few chances.
The hosts came at Macc after the break and started to mount more pressure on Taylor’s goal.
Livewire Miller, Dover’s loan striker from Luton Town and the star of the previous weekend’s 4-1 win at Telford, was causing the visitors’ backline problems and went close on several occasions.
Dover tested the Macc defence with a succession of corners and free kicks but they dealt with them well all afternoon, aided by some inaccurate Dover finishing.
Miller and fellow striker Jake Reid missed the target before Reid came perilously close to breaking the deadlock when his effort on the hour mark went wide.
Macc mounted a rare attack of their own midway through the half as Holroyd shot low from outside the area, but it lacked power and Walker gathered comfortably.
Dover were continuing to press, and Taylor produced a fine save to tip Nick Deverdics’ long-range shot over the bar.
And Macclesfield gave the hosts a lesson in finishing 13 minutes from time through Holroyd, producing a real goalscorer’s finish from their only real chance of the game.
Holroyd seized on a defensive error and fired home a right-foot shot high into the net from the right edge of the area.
Dover threw on their remaining substitutes in a last-ditch attempt to salvage a point, with Taylor saving substitute Nathan Elder’s header, and Miller shooting wide.
That proved the end of Dover’s attacking efforts as the Silkmen saw out the five minutes of injury time to leave the South Coast with the three points to strengthen their promotion challenge.
