Macclesfield dropped their first points of the season at Woking, but the point they took from a goalless draw will be hugely welcome.

The Silkmen were forced to defend for their lives for the most part but held out for a decent draw at the Kingfield Stadium.

Waide Fairhurst failed to capitalise on Macc's best chance of the game, just four minutes in. That came when Cards midfielder John Goddard's awful backpass sent him in on goal, but keeper Aaron Howe was off his line sharply to smother the danger.

Goddard did prove threatening at the other end and looked for all the world like opening the scoring a minute after his error. The winger let fly from 25 yards with a fine strike but Rhys Taylor managed to stretch just far enough to get a vital hand on the ball and push it onto the bar.

Taylor, the busiest of the keepers, made an equally vital but very different save to deny Scott Rendell at point-blank range, when John Nutter's deflected shot fell kindly for the Woking forward.

Shots from Arthur Gnahoua and Danny Whitaker aside the rest of the first half belonged to the hosts and Taylor was once again called upon when Nutter's free kick looked to be sailing inside the upright.

There was more for Macc and manager John Askey to endure in the second half, as Woking continued to turn the screw. Josh Payne crashed one into the side netting and Taylor somehow prevented Rendell from heading in a Payne cross. The Macc keeper continued to frustrate Woking, not least Rendell, who couldn't find a way through when a corner fell at his feet 10 yards from goal and Joey Jones' blasted over the rebound. Not even a blow to the head, from Woking sub Guiseppe Sole, didn't put him off his game, on one of those 'none shall pass' days for him.

At the other end the visitors couldn't really trouble Taylor's opposite number Howe in the second half, with Whitaker, Fairhurst and Lewis all off the mark with pot-shots of similar distance and quality. Fortunately Macc repelled the Cards' advances to return home with a hard-earned point.