Macclesfield: Brain, Hessey, Cresswell (Izak Reid 60), Walker, Brisley, Dunfield, Tolley, Jennings (Gritton 60), Evans (Spencer 68), Thomas, Green.

Subs Not Used: Levi Reid, Edghill.

Booked: Jennings, Walker, Hessey, Green.

Goals: Tolley 82, Green 85.

Shrewsbury: Garner, Hunt, Pugh, Langmead, Herd, Davies, Jones, Hall (Humphrey 87), Cooke (Constable 70), Tierney (Hibbert 46), McIntyre.

Subs Not Used: Bevan, Darren Moss.

Booked: Pugh, Hibbert.

Goals: Hibbert 65.

Att: 2,473

Ref: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire).
Assistants: C Brumwell, S Ledger
Fourth Official: A Smith

Paul Simpson rings the changes for his first game in charge as Town manager, in come Luke Jones and Asa Hall as he sets out with a 4-4-1-1 formation that sees Andy Cooke as the loan striker and Ben Davies in a floating roll alongside him.

Marc Pugh looked confident right from the off and when he played a one two with Davies just inside the Macc half Pugh was away, he kept his run going and ghosted past his marker and kept going, he cut to the by-line and then skewed in a shot that Brain did well to tip over. The corner came across and was cleared by the home side but only as far as Hunt, he nicked the ball to the left into McIntyre who was in acres of space, he powered towards the box and then hit in a shot cum cross that had Brain beaten but the post/crossbar was there to save Macc.

The best of the attacking was coming from Town when they got the ball down and passed it, this was allowing the visitors to pull the home side apart. Cooke did well to hold the ball up and then push it into Hunt, he pushed it to McIntyre who then waited for Tierney to overlap before putting the ball into his run, he then whipped over a low cross that Cooke left for Hall who drove in a low shot that flew just wide of the target.

Macc did look a decent attacking force when they got possession around the Town box and were putting a lot high balls over the defence to try and turn Town. This was paying divides at times and when the ball was cleared by Jennings headed it down to Tolley who was just outside the box, he hit a first time volley but luckily for Town it flew wide of the mark.

Macclesfield should have been in front on the half hour mark when a ball Jennings put a ball through to Gareth Evans to put him in on goal, Tierney came across and hooked a foot around that sent Evans flying and with Tierney being the last man Town fans hearts went into their mouths but ref Swarbrick was on the spot and he saw nothing wrong with the challenge, Tierney stayed down and needed lengthy treatment from Joe Hinnigan before resuming play but it was noticeable that he was limping.

Minutes before the break Town should have had a penalty after Cooke did well to hold the ball up in the corner, he got it to Pugh who burst into the box and rode one tackle and then another before being upended in the box, ref Swarbrick was straight across and much to the surprise of everyone in the ground produced a yellow card for Pugh. People say referees tend to even decisions up over the course of the game and this was probably the one that chalked out Tierney's tackle early in the game.

Half-time: 0-0

The half started with Paul Simpson's first substitution as a Town boss but it was one forced on him, Marc Tierney came off after the affects of his half injury to be replaced by Dave Hibbert with Town switching to a 4-4-2 formation.

Town had a decent spell of possession around the Macc box but had little of goal mouth action to test Brain in the home goal. David Hunt's long throw was causing a lot of problems to the home side but the best Town had to show for their possession was a long range snap shot that Ben Davies fired in.

Town had a great sight of goal after McIntyre hit a superb ball down the left to put Hibbert in, he showed good strength to hold off his marker before whipping across an inviting cross that Cooke just failed to connect with, the ball came back to Hunt on the edge of the box and he set up for Hall who hit in a good looking shot, there was a block that had the Town fans had a huge shout for a handball but the ref saw nothing and Macc cleared.

The best chances were falling to Town and when Pugh ran at Brisley and then went the outside of him, he then drilled in a shot that Brain got down to pull off a great stop.

Town then kept the pressure on with a string of corner but couldn't get the break they deserved.

The break though did come on 64-minutes when more good work from Marc Pugh saw him put Dave Hibbert in on goal, he kept his composure and cool to slot the ball past Brain with the outside of his right foot to make it 1-0 to Town.

On 70-minutes Paul Simpson made his second switch of the afternoon brining on James Constable to replace Andy Cooke in a straight switch.

All the attacking play was coming from Town and with Pugh and Davies on the flanks the visitors were nearly always on the attack, Pugh in particular were was causing the home side all sorts of problems. Hibbert was working the forward line well and he was pulling the Macc defence all over the place to make openings for his team mates.

Macc were back on level terms on 82-minutes with their first shot of the half, Scott Spencer picked up the ball on the left and skipped through the Town defence, he cut infield and looked for the shot but Luke Jones came across to block, the ball then dropped to Jamie Tolley some 25-yards out and he span and drilled in shot that beat Garner's full length dive to make it 1-1.

3-minutes later Macc were 2-1 up after another worldy goal out of nothing, they had decent pressure around the Town box and were pulling the Town defence across the pitch the ball then came to Francis Green on the right of the Town box just the edge of the box, he turned McIntyre before drilling in an unstoppable shot that gave Garner no chance and gave the Macc the lead.

Town were continuing to push as the game entered injury time but they were reduced to 10-men after the ball went up and Dave Hunt and Scott Spencer jumped for the same ball, Hunt got caught by Spencer and was out for the count and after treatment he was helped from the pitch with what looked like concusion.

Full-time: 1-2