Macclesfield Town provided an FA Cup first round shock with a 1-0 victory over League one side Walsall.

John McCome’s first half header was enough to ensure the National League side's place in the second round of the FA Cup which takes place this evening.

Walsall could have been ahead after just 9 minutes when Joe Edwards went on a superb solo run from his own half but couldn’t quite find the finish being denied by a low save from Craig Ross.
More than 40 places separated both the sides and Walsall were quick to exert their extra quality on the tie with the hosts dominating possession heavily for the opening 20 minutes.
Despite enjoying large parts of possession, Walsall struggled to break down a well organised Macclesfield defence and were made to pay in the 23 minute.
A poor header back from Matt Preston saw Neil Etheridge come scurrying out of his box bringing down Paul Lewis for a free kick out wide.
The keeper received a yellow card but worse was to follow when John McCome tucked away a header from the glancing free kick to send the travelling fans into rapture.
The Silkmen nearly grabbed a second shortly after when winger Danny Rowe cut inside and hit a low curling shot down to the keepers left which he was equal to.
The second half saw Macclesfield begin brightly and they almost made it two, when Etheridge’s poor clearance gifted Jack Sampson with an opportunity but his effort was denied by the post.
The Saddlers almost pulled level near the hour mark when Macclesfield failed to clear a corner but Jackson missed from close range and Town survived the subsequent scramble in the six-yard box.
John Askey’s side never came under any real threat for the remainder of the second half and some well organised and resolute defending sees them marching on into the second round of the FA Cup.

Walsall team : Etheridge, Edwards, Laird, McCarthy, Chambers, Jackson, Oztumer, Preston, Ginnelly, Toner, Moussa (Bakayoko 65). SUBS: MacGillivray, Dobson, Osbourne, Kinsella, Bakayoko, Roberts, Makris.
Macclesfield team : Ross, Halls, Fitzpatrick, Byrne (Hancox 45), Pilkington, McCombe, Lewis, Sampson, Rowe, James, Whitaker. SUBS: Branagan, Mackreth, Holroyd, Hancox, Sutherland, Roberts, Madeley.
Attendance: 2,334