Play-off rivals Boro and Macclesfield fought out an exciting 2-2 draw on a boggy, uneven Queensgate pitch, with both teams creating a succession of chances, and top scorer Ste Walker scored two good goals for Jono Greening’s side, but a hotly disputed red card for Boro midfielder Alex Purver was the main talking point at the final whistle.
Boro began brightly, Rio Allan fed Jack Waldron wide right, and he got to the byeline and passed into the box to Dom Tear, but Macc skipper Paul Dawson hacked clear, before a tenth minute wonder goal from Walker broke the deadlock, when a long kick upfield from keeper Ryan Whitley was met by Walker’s fabulous 30-yard lob over keeper Rogan Ravenhill. A low drive from Josh Kay was gathered by Whitley, then Kay burst clear and tried to chip Whitley, but the Boro keeper stood tall to make the save.
Boro attacks saw a Purver shot blocked by Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, Jake Hull headed into the arms of Ravenhill, and an Allan strike was blocked by D’Mani Mellor, but Macclesfield equalised when Elliot Osborne hoisted a cross into the box, and Dawson directed his header into the bottom left corner. Just sixty seconds later another Dawson header was headed off the line by Alex Brown, then James Gale went down in the box, but penalty claims were ignored by the ref. Boro fought back, a Harry Green shot was deflected into the keepers arms by Luke Matheson and an Allan shot was blocked by Osborne.
Boro regained the lead two minutes into the second half when Luca Colville passed forward to Green, whose shot was deflected wide by Matheson, and the in-swinging corner from Colville was headed home by Walker. Then Boro had a penalty appeal dismissed, when Green went down after running onto a Waldron through-ball. Walker laid off to Allan, who surged forward but was stopped by a Borthwick-Jackson tackle, then Walker headed a Green cross into the arms of Ravenhill.
Walker was denied a hat trick when he accepted a pass from Waldron and jinked into the area, but his fierce shot was pushed wide by the keeper. On 62 minutes Purver was shown a straight red when the ref judged his high boot had caught Osborne in the face. Ten man Boro, with captain Will Thornton outstanding, defended well for the last half hour. Whitley made a terrific save when Mellor burst through one-on-one, Brown tackled Luke Duffy in the area, and Matheson fired wide, then a Duffy shot was blocked by Thornton, but Dale slammed in the rebound to level the scores. Late on, Gale fired inches over, as an exciting, high quality game ended all square.
