Southport 1 Macc Town 1

Macclesfield dropped their first points of the year at Southport, who pegged them back after Danny Whitaker's second-half opener.

The draw, Macc's first since taking a point at Welling in mid-November, saw Macc miss the chance to make up much ground on leaders Barnet. Worse still, Bristol Rovers' win at Grimsby saw the Pirates leapfrog Macc into third.

Macc had the better of the first half but couldn't make the breakthrough, although it was the hosts that came closest to a goal. Richard Brodie, who'd also have a decent penalty shout turned down minutes later, thudded a shot against the post and back into the grateful arms of Rhys Taylor.

But all the other action took place in the Southport half, and there were chances for the ever-lively Danny Rowe, one of which was just over from a tight angle, the other hit straight at keeper Danny Lloyd-Weston.

Matthew Barnes-Homer and Paul Lewis also had openings but neither could capitalise in the first period, which ended goalless.

The chances, as scarce as they'd been in the first half, dried up once they'd turned around. The closest either side could come to breaking the deadlock was Alex Grant's header, who should really have hit the target from Danny Rowe's corner.

But the Silkmen's skipper for the day Whitaker struck midway through the half, turning in a cross from Barnes-Homer. It wasn't the cleanest contact Wilmslow's finest will ever make but he got enough on the ball to bundle it over the line.

Macc's lead lasted less than 10 minutes though, as Southport's star man Brodie capitalised on less-than auspicious defending. With chances to clear the peril not taken and the ball bobbling around the box Brodie managed to hook it over his shoulder and beyond Taylor.

The chances started to come Macc's way but they'll rue not making the most of them, particularly when Barnes-Homer was thwarted in a one-on-one with Lloyd-Weston and substitute Waide Fairhurst crashed his chance against the bar, the ball rebounding off a defender and back to the keeper.

But although there was huffing and puffing from both parties late in the day, neither side could stretch to a winner and it ended 1-1.