NATIONAL LEAGUE

MACCLESFIELD 4

FOREST GREEN 1

FOREST Green boss Ady Pennock felt 'small margins' cost his side as the National League leaders tasted back-to-back defeats inside a week, writes Richard Joyce.

Jon Parkin’s early goal looked to set Rovers on their way to what would have been an incredible tenth win in eleven matches this season.

However, a Kristian Dennis double, coupled with further strikes from Paul Lewis and Danny Whitaker, clinched victory for Macclesfield against the table-toppers.

Rovers’ bad day at the office saw midfielder Rob Sinclair red-carded and goalkeeper Jonny Maxted make a rare error, but Pennock was quick to look on the bright side.

He said: “I’m disappointed with the result today obviously, but it’s small margins.

“We’re still top of the league though, so we’re still very positive.

“What happened with Jonny Maxted changed you the game but he’s been absolutely fantastic for us so I’m not going to cane him – he made some good saves as well today.

“The referee sent Rob Sinclair off for handball but Rob said he got pushed in the back, so again it’s small margins.”

Looking to bounce back from a first defeat this season on Tuesday at Woking, the match started perfectly when Parkin rammed home against his former club.

Parkin profited from a fine run by Keanu Marsh-Brown.

Macclesfield’s response was immediate, and  Maxted was called upon to make a stunning diving save to deny Lewis.

Rovers’ young goalkeeper was involved in a rare error on the quarter of an hour mark though that saw the Silkmen draw the tie level.

A difficult back-pass saw him robbed of the ball by Dennis, and he rolled the ball into an empty net.

Macclesfield looked to threaten without ever really testing the FGR goal, and were it not for a vital Neill Byrne tackle on 31 minutes, then Sinclair would surely have raced through to restore Forest Green’s lead.

Instead the midfielder was red-carded for the first time in his career on the stroke of half- time as Macclesfield were awarded a penalty.

Sinclair was adjudged to have handled Lewis’ header on goal in an unexpected incident, which saw none of the home sides players appeal, who themselves appeared shocked to profit by the officials decision.

They took full advantage though from the spot as Dennis scored.

Rovers’ set-up for the second half with three at the back, and Macclesfield resumed control, claiming their third goal on 64 minutes.

Lewis found a gap in the FGR box and nodded home.

Maxted made a crucial save minutes later from Danny Whitehead in an attempt to try and keep his side in the game.

However, Macclesfield rubbed salt into the wounds late on when they sealed a fourth.

Whitaker was the beneficiary as the midfielder swept home past the outstretched Maxted’s glove.