Colne’s second half recovery at Macclesfield was not enough to earn them a share of the points after they had trailed by three goals at half time. The Reds never came to terms with the speed of the Macclesfield attack especially before the interval and faced an uphill battle in the second half.
Colne made a promising start and came close to opening the scoring in the first few minutes of the game when Owen Watkinson opened up the home defence with a good run into the home penalty area and when his low cross was half cleared Oli Roberts followed up to blast a shot over the bar.
But there was an early warning as Macclesfield burst forward after seven minutes and a searching cross by Brandon Lee was cleared from the Colne goalmouth by Harry Winstanley. Two minutes later, Macclesfield took the lead when Neil Kengni raced clear on the right and cut inside before firing past Colne keeper Tom Donaghy for the opening goal.
The Reds looked for a quick reply and a free kick by Roberts was deflected wide for a corner but the resulting cross was taken by the keeper at the far post. And as play switched to the other end, a penetrating run by James Berry gave him a sight of goal and his shot brought a great save from Donaghy to prevent a second goal and turn the ball wide for a corner. And from the resulting cross, Nicky Maynard headed wide at the far post from a good chance.
Macclesfield came close after 24 minutes when ex-Red Alex Curran fired wide at the far post from a cross into the Colne area. But five minutes later, Curran went one better when he found the net as he converted a cross by Neil Danns from the right wing to give Macclesfield a two goal lead.
Again Colne looked for a reply and Roberts’ cross from a corner was headed down in the home goalmouth by Watkinson before being cleared by a resolute home defence. But Colne conceded a third goal after 36 minutes when Danns forced the ball over the line in a goalmouth scramble as the Reds defence failed to clear the danger.
Glenn Steel and Luke Stowe were brought on at half time to strengthen the Reds defence and Colne were able to push forward. After 54 minutes, Enock Lusiama released Craig Carney into the home penalty area and he was brought down by the onrushing keeper to give Colne a spot kick. Lusiama fired home the penalty to give the Reds fresh hope.
But Colne were stung again just three minutes later as a Macclesfield attack on the left wing gave Danns a sight of goal and he found the net with a shot from the edge of the area to give his side a 4-1 lead.
Colne still pressed forward looking to reduce the deficit and Stowe’s hard low cross was cleared from the goalmouth by the keeper with his feet. While at the other end, Steel made good clearances under pressure alongside Tom Hoyle and Tom Fagan, and Donaghy made a series of excellent saves to keep out the home side.
A goal-bound shot from inside the area brought a great save by Donaghy before the ball was cleared off the goal-line by Colne’s man of the match Tom Hoyle.
In the closing stages, the Reds kept up their search for a goal and Steel headed just wide of the far post from a high cross after 82 minutes. And five minutes later, Lucas Weaver reduced the deficit with a good run across the edge of the area and firm low shot into the bottom corner of the net for a second goal for Colne.