by Peter Scherer (Image: Steve Ingers)
Any hopes Mickleover had of repeating their shock home win against Macclesfield, were dashed after a late second half goal spree.
0-1 at half time, Andy Dales struck the equaliser, but in the final 30 minutes Macclesfield hit five more, including two goals in injury time to make it 1-6.
Starting line-up: 1-Yusuf Mersin 2-Kieran Brown 3-Jake Bennett 4-Gabby Adebambo 5-Will Atkinson 6-Danny Benson 7-Dylan Edwards 8-Ryan Wilson 9-Chris O’Grady 10-Andy Dales 11-Samson Hewett. Subs: Toby Smith, Kwaku Donkor, Amarn Robinson, Brandon Ferron, Stuart Beavon.
Macclesfield had their first attack after just two minutes, when Adebambo lost the ball to Etaluku, but no one was in the middle as his cross came in.
Five minutes later Kengni sent in another cross which Benson managed to block, before Dales got a break for Mickleover. He managed to find Edwards, but there was no power in the shot and it failed to challenge home keeper Dearnley.
The hosts continued to look dangerous on the break and 11 minutes in Elliott managed to latch onto another telling cross, only to head over the bar.
Adebambo lost possession again after19 minutes, but Mersin made an excellent save, after Mellor and Elliott had combined.
Six minutes later Rooney shot well over the bar, after an accurate square ball from Etaluku had found him, but having been yellow carded earlier for breaking up a Macclesfield attack, Bennett went close for Sports with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, well saved by Dearnley.
Atkinson cut out another Etaluku break on the half hour, and Benson similarly as Duffy earned a corner. Menaysese came up for the corner and after 36 minutes, the Mickleover defence was finally breached as he scored the opener and it remained 0-1 at half time.
Ferron replaced Brown for the second half, but only three minutes into the half Mickleover were back on level terms, when Dales’ rocket shot from outside the box, found the right-hand top corner. 1-1.
But Mersin’s skills were soon saving Mickleover again. A brilliant low save from a Fensome shot was taken low down after 51 minutes, two minutes later it was a save from Mellor, before Donkor replaced Hewett.
Elliott then tried an overhead kick, which Mersin took well, before Robinson came on for Edwards after 63 minutes. But Rooney and Eliott made it two more in three minutes and suddenly Sports were 1-3 down.
Mickleover had been far from disgraced in the first hour and were still in with a chance for much of the game.
Rooney fired another attempt over the bar, just before Smith came on for Adebambo, but with seven minutes of normal time left, Rooney scored his second, after stepping up to convert a penalty.
Sub Heathcote almost scored too within minutes of coming on, but his effort was just over. In time added on though the Macclesfield rampage continued, with Mellor and Dawson both scoring to make the final score 1-6, which flattered Macclesfield somewhat and gave little credit to Mickleover.