Macclesfield saw off sorry Southport with defender Luke Waterfall proving deadly in front of goal.

The centre-back struck twice in the first half and with Paul Turnbull scoring in between Macc had the points just about wrapped up by the time they went in for the break.

John Askey was marking his 100 match as Macc manager and his players rose to the occasion brilliantly, not least Waterfall who crashed in a stunning opener, volleying Waide Fairhurst's ninth-minute corner right into the top corner of David Reya's goal.

Paul Turnbull
 

He headed in a second five minutes before half-time from a beautifully-delivered free kick by the returning Paul Turnbull. By that stage the skipper, who had been missing through injury for two games, had marked his comeback in style, finding the net from a free kick on the edge of the box.

Southport offered little in return, although Rhys Taylor had to be on his toes to claw Richard Brodie's header away. The keeper also survived a penalty scare after Ross Dyer went down in the box, but the offside flag meant referee Martin Coy wasn't called upon to make a big decision.

It could have been more in the second half for the dominant Silkmen, set-pieces proving a great source of chances, as David Gonzalez glanced a header beyond the post, Waterfall's centre-back partner George Pilkington headed wide at full stretch and Will Haining couldn't volley another drilled Fairhurst corner on target.

On a miserable day for Southport Brodie blazed over from 12 yards and Dyer, who brought a fine tip-over out of Taylor, headed his best chance onto the roof of the net 15 minutes from time.