Kidderminster Harriers 0 Macc Town 2
If you're going to strike, strike hard and strike fast.
Macclesfield did just that at Kidderminster, with Alex Grant and Waide Fairhurst finding the net to take the points from their sixth-placed hosts.
After a goalless, and virtually incident-free first half John Askey would perhaps have been happy to take home a point but the two goals in three minutes - Fairhurst's yet another contender in a brimming goal of the year shortlist - continued their 100 per cent record in 2015, although it was only their second outing.
On a desperate pitch Macc struggled to get any meaningful attacks going in the first half, with lone striker Denny Johnstone looking increasingly isolated.
The striker, who this week extended his loan stay, did have the visitors' first – and most meaningful – chance of the half, but his header in the second minute had all the sting taken out of it by a Harriers' defender, making goalkeeper Danny Lewis' save a mere formality.
Kidderminster were then denied by a goal-line clearance by Macc's Danny Whitaker, with Marvin Johnson sending his shot high and wide from a half-clearance seconds later.
Johnson came closer to opening the scoring for Kiddy five minutes before half-time but Rhys Taylor, who this week pledged his immediate future to Macc, got across goal well to make a save at full stretch.
But Macc claimed victory with two quickfire strikes midway through the second half, Grant and Fairhurst knocking the stuffing out of their hosts.
The Stoke loanee struck after his centre-back partner George Pilkington headed Paul Turnbull's corner back across goal and he pounced to force in at close range.
Within two minutes Fairhurst added number two with a simply stunning half-volley from distance. He leapt on the chance to send Lewis' poor clearance back over the keeper's head from 50 yards out to double the lead.
And with the Silkmen impressive in their defending from the off that spelled the end of the Harriers' challenge.
