Saturday’s Round-Up: Vanarama National League

The Silkmen came into the game without a win since New Year`s Day, and found themselves a goal down after 10 minutes when Rowan Liburd lashed a powerful shot from the edge of the area that beat Shwan Jalal.

And the Lions held that lead until the break, although the home side did go on to have the better of the half.

Macclesfield came close to equalising 7 minutes after the restart, but Guiseley keeper Luke Coddington pulled off a terrific save from a Nathan Blissett header.

And 4 minutes later, Coddington denied the Silkmen when David Fitzpatrick fizzed a ball towards goal but the keeper palmed it away.

The equaliser did finally arrive just past the hour-mark when a corner was whipped in by Danny Whitaker and flicked on to Blissett, who controlled it well before finishing acrobatically past Coddington.

And on 73 minutes, the home side had the lead when a fine ball from Danny Whitehead evaded the Guiseley back line and Tyrone Marsh's diving header send the ball it into the net.

Guiseley almost grabbed an 81st minute leveller though when Jalal could only parry a powerful James Roberts drive and the ball fell to fellow sub Mike Fondop, but he fired over the bar.

Wrexham dropped two points at the Racecourse Ground after being held to a 1-1 draw by lowly FC Halifax Town.

The Dragons started the day on top of the table and took a 19th minute lead when Scott Boden headed home Kevin Roberts` cross.

The visitors equalised right on half-time with Scott McManus heading past Chris Dunn.

Shaymen striker Tom Denton missed two great second half chances to win it as the game finished in confusion when, while Wrexham were in the middle of making two substitutions, one of the players being subbed, Paul Rutherford, had actually been shown a second yellow card, so Jack Mackreth had to swiftly get back onto the bench.

Tranmere Rovers are two points behind Wrexham in third after sharing a 1-1 draw at the Matchroom Stadium with another of the relegation battlers, Leyton Orient, who are now six points above the drop zone.

The O`s made the better start and had Tranmere on the back foot for much of the opening period without managing to break the deadlock.

And they were made to pay when it was Tranmere who opened the scoring a minute before the interval when Ritchie Sutton met Josh Ginnelly’s corner at the near post and headed past Dean Brill.

The visitors could have doubled their lead just a minute into the second half when James Norwood dispossessed George Elokobi before blazing his effort over the bar with only Brill to beat.

But on 52 minutes, Orient grabbed their equaliser with a first goal for loanee Dan Holman, who got on the end of a Macauley Bonne touch to squeeze the ball underneath Scott Davies.

The O's looked to secure victory as sub Lamar Reynolds and Holman saw their shots blocked by Tranmere bodies inside the box before Brill had to be alert to get down well to his left to deny Andy Cook the winner in the dying moments at the other end.

Sutton United are fifth after a 1-0 win at Crabble against Dover Athletic.

But the scoreline could have been a lot worse for the hosts had it not been for a tremendous performance by goalkeeper Mitch Walker.

He pulled off several fine stops, the best being a 14th minute save when a Tommy Wright shot took a massive deflection off Josh Passley that wrong-footed him, but he managed to recover in time to parry the ball past the post.

But he could do little with the opening goal after 25 minutes when Wright`s cross to far post saw Kieron Cadogan bring the ball down and angle the ball home off the inside of the far post.

Walker then produced another stunning save to claw a Harry Beautyman header out from just under his bar and tip ball around the post.

And even when Sutton went down to ten-men on the hour-mark – Beautyman seeing a straight red card for a rash tackle on Connor Essam – the U`s first dismissal of the season – Dover were unable to find a leveller, although they came mighty close in the 4th minute of stoppage time when Ryan Bird`s effort cannoned off top of the crossbar.

Boreham Wood are sixth, two points further back, after a good 2-0 win at the Silverlake Stadium against mid-table Eastleigh.

It was goalless at half-time, with neither managing to grab the game by the scruff of the neck.

Sam Matthews and Ben Williamson came the closest to breaking the deadlock for the Spitfires.

Seven minutes into the second half, the home side almost took the lead when Sam Wood delivered a brilliant ball into the box, but Chris Zebroski’s effort from close range was scrambled away.

And then on 58 minutes, it was the visitors who did break the deadlock courtesy of Morgan Ferrier, who cut inside and fired past Graham Stack.

Then on 67 minutes, Wood were awarded a penalty when Ryan Cresswell was penalised for a tussle just inside the area and Bruno Andrade duly converted the spot-kick.

Eastleigh tried valiantly to get back into the game and Grant Smith in the visitors` goal saved well from Matthews and Cresswell hit the bar, but the visitors held firm for three good points.

Richard Peniket's goal in the final minute of stoppage time for Gateshead wasn't enough to deny AFC Fylde an important win on the road as Danny Rowe's first half brace moves the Coasters into the play-off places.

Fylde took a 17th minute lead when a near post cross from Jack Muldoon is punched away by James Montgomery but the ball deflected back off Rowe and into the back of the net.

And the visitors and Rowe doubled their tally after 38 minutes when the prolific marksman found space on the left-hand and he hammered the ball through the legs of Montgomery from an acute angle.

Coasters` keeper Jay Lynch was kept busy and made two or three decent saved to keep a clean sheet.

However, he was finally beaten in the 4th minute of time added on when Peniket headed past him.

Dave Challinor`s side moved above Bromley, who were held to a 2-2 draw at Hayes Lane by Maidstone United.

Josh Rees gave Bromley an early 6th minute lead, which Jamar Loza equalised in the 36th minute.

George Porter restored the home side`s lead right on the stroke of half-time.

But Blair Turgott, who joined on loan from Boreham Wood on Friday, had only been on the pitch 12 minutes when he made it 2-2 in the 77th minute.

Another Stones debutant, Dean Beckwith, was sent-off for bringing down Brandon Hanlan in stoppage time.

Ebbsfleet United managed a first win at the Kuflink Stadium since Boxing Day, thanks to a stunning goal from sub Luke Coulson against relegation-threatened Solihull Moors.

Fleet fans` 7-hour wait for a home goal finally came in the 73rd minute when Dean Rance`s pass set Coulson free and he beat his man before sending a lovely curling effort past Max O`Leary in the Moors` goal.

Torquay United made it three games unbeaten as they won 2-1 at York Road against Maidenhead United to move to within four points of the safety-mark.

The Gulls took a 35th minute lead when Liam Davis' cross was met by a diving header by Brett Williams, and the ball came out for Aaron Barnes to find the top corner.

The Magpies finally pulled back on level terms in the 69th minute with a fine direct free-kick from Ryan Upward from 25 yards out that gave Vincent Dorel in the Torquay goal little chance.

But Gary Owers` side won three crucial points 6 minutes from time when Williams fired the ball across goal and Elliott Romain was there to finish.

Torquay pulled level on points with Chester FC and above them on goal difference after Marcus Bignot`s side were beaten 1-0 at ten-man Woking.

Woking led through Josh Staunton’s somewhat fortunate goal on 23 minutes.

Chester, who have been forced into releasing several players due to their current financial crisis, seemed to have been handed a way back into the game just shy of the hour-mark when Woking`s Matt Young was shown a straight red card for a tackle on James Akintunde.

But the visitors created little, although sub Ross Hannah did look to liven things up when he came off the bench.