Macclesfield 1 AFC Telford United 0
AFC Telford worked hard and matched promotion-chasing Macclesfield for much of a tight encounter at Moss Rose. But when the dust had settled, the Bucks' 1-0 defeat had nudged them further towards the Conference Premier trap door.
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They now have just nine matches left to close that gaping 11 point chasm between themselves and safety after failing to find the necessary attacking quality after falling behind early on.
Manager Steve Kittrick made just two changes from the team that triumphed at Torquay on Saturday, both of which were forced.
Striker Sam Smith was nursing a hamstring injury picked up at Plainmoor and centre-back Neill Byrne was suspended having picked up his 10th booking of the season in the same game.
As a result, Rod McDonald slotted in at the back as a like-for-like swap with Byrne while Ross Dyer started up front in Smith's place.
The Bucks enjoyed a couple of half-chances very early on as the Silkmen unconvincingly cleared a couple of long throws into the area.
And striker Tony Gray had home hearts in mouths when he charged down a kick out by Macclesfield goalkeeper Rhys Taylor in the ninth minute.
Unfortunately the bounce wasn't kind to him allowing the Silkmen to scramble to loose ball clear.
But at the other end Mike Grogan, who was playing his second straight game at right-back, had to produce a vital tackle to
deny Theo Bailey-Jones a clean run on goal a few minutes later.
And the hosts went ahead on 17 minutes when Thierry Audel poked home from close range following a terrific Paul Turnbull cross on the left.
Freddy Hall was almost caught out by a poor kick out just a few minutes later, which fell to Daniel Whitaker 40 yards out.
The midfielder got his shot away quickly but it lacked both the power and the accuracy to catch out Hall, who had sufficiently recovered to make the save at his far post.
Hall then showed a solid pair of hands when he cut out a threatening Bailey-Jones cross to the far post after the player had outfoxed Bucks full-back Glenn Matthews.
Defender Ian Sharps also had to be on his toes to prevent Matthew Barnes-Homer from dispatching Adriano Moke's well-aimed pass to the far post just before the half hour mark.
Neither side created much of note in a flat last 15 minutes of the first half. But Whitaker went close with a fizzing low drive which whistled past the far post on 39 minutes.
Telford had not been creative enough in possession in the first half but Gray, who had been arguably their best player up to this point, drew a strong block from Audel with a rasping strike on 45 minutes.
At the break the Bucks could reflect on a solid enough defensive showing, Audel's goal aside, but they needed to be more accurate and imaginative in attack if they were to get back into the game.
And they started the second half on the front foot. Gray was again quickly causing problems for defenders and Grogan blazed a wayward effort wide following some promising build up play around Macclesfield's box.
Gray did managed to get a solid effort on target a minute later but Taylor comfortably held his firm strike from distance.
The Bucks were managing to keep their opponents camped largely in their own half for the first 15 minutes of the half, but could not find the necessary quality needed to profit from it.
They could have found themselves 2-0 down on the hour mark but Bailey-Jones shot just over from a tight angle and them George Pilkington headed wide from a corner-kick.
Substitute Paul Lewis also went close with rasping drive from outside the box after Poku had blocked a powerful drive from the edge of box.
But Grogan should have done better with an excellent Sean Clancy cross to the far post which he could only guide just wide at the far post with 13 minutes remaining,
Whitaker should have wrapped up victory late on but blazed high over the bar from two inviting positions on the counter attack
And Telford substitute Adam Farrell almost punished those misses in stoppage time, but unfortunately his powerful near post volley sailed just, just wide of the near post.
