Northampton striker Adebayo Akinfenwa produced a fine performance as they secured victory at Macclesfield.
The Cobblers almost went ahead when Andy Holt tested Jon Brain with a volley, before Lee Bell went close for the hosts with a 20-yard free-kick.
Northampton when ahead when Akinfenwa laid the ball off to Luke Guttridge and his drive was deflected into the net.
Both teams hit the woodwork before Akinfenwa wrapped it up with a downward header from Ryan Gilligan's cross.
Northampton Town manager Ian Sampson told BBC Radio Northampton:
"It's very pleasing. We made a point of telling the players to get out of the traps early-doors. We played well during the first-half and could have been three or four goals up.
"Adebayo Akinfenwa was excellent, but he was one of eleven in the team that performed fantastically. He contributed to a good team performance and it was a great ball in by Luke Guttridge (for his goal).
"We had a good week's training on the grass and it's been a pleasing night."
Live text and stats
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Npower League Two
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Macclesfield
0-2
Northampton
FT
(HT 0-1)
Guttridge 23
Akinfenwa 76
Macclesfield
01 Brain
03 Tremarco
04 Hessey
05 Brown
06 Morgan
16 Brisley (Sappleton 60)
07 Bell yellow card
15 Bolland
17 Daniel
09 Sinclair (Rooney 60)
11 Wright (Tipton 72)
Substitutes
13 Veiga,
19 Lowe,
02 Reid,
14 Rooney,
22 Sappleton,
23 Tipton,
28 Lindfield
Northampton
01 Dunn
03 Johnson
05 Hinton yellow card
06 Beckwith
23 Gilbert
04 Guttridge
08 Osman
11 Holt
12 Gilligan
10 Akinfenwa (O'Flynn 81)
17 McKay (Herbert 73)
Substitutes
27 Lumley,
02 Rodgers,
19 Curtis,
25 Wilkinson,
15 Dyer,
22 Herbert,
28 O'Flynn
Ref: Danny McDermidAtt: 1,035
MACCLESFIELD
NORTHAMPTON
Possession
Macclesfield48%
Northampton52%
Attempts on target
Macclesfield2
Northampton8
Attempts off target
Macclesfield5
Northampton9
Corners
Macclesfield4
Northampton4
Fouls
Macclesfield15
Northampton13
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:05 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+2:59 Reneil Sappleton takes a shot. Save by Chris Dunn.
90:00+2:13 Courtney Herbert gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carl Tremarco. Direct free kick taken by Carl Tremarco.
90:00+0:18 Peter Gilbert gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Reneil Sappleton. Lee Bell restarts play with the free kick.
89:29 Peter Gilbert concedes a free kick for a foul on Mathew Tipton. Sean Hessey takes the free kick.
87:51 John Rooney takes a shot. Craig Hinton gets a block in.
86:47 Free kick awarded for a foul by Reneil Sappleton on Andrew Holt. Free kick taken by Dean Beckwith.
86:33 Luke Guttridge produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the goal.
85:58 Ryan Gilligan takes a shot.
85:20 Lee Bell challenges Abdul Osman unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Peter Gilbert.
84:47 Outswinging corner taken from the left by-line by Carl Tremarco.
84:01 Shot from just outside the area by Mathew Tipton goes over the bar.
81:33 Outswinging corner taken by Peter Gilbert.
81:16 Andrew Holt takes a shot. Save by Jon Brain.
81:04 Unfair challenge on Courtney Herbert by Sean Hessey results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Peter Gilbert.
80:23 Substitution Stephen O'Flynn comes on in place of Adebayo Akinfenwa.
79:49 Effort from deep inside the area by Luke Guttridge misses to the left of the target.
75:27 The assist for the goal came from Ryan Gilligan.
75:27 GOAL - Adebayo Akinfenwa:Macclesfield 0 - 2 Northampton Adebayo Akinfenwa finds the net with a headed goal from close range. Macclesfield 0-2 Northampton.
74:54 Sean Hessey concedes a free kick for a foul on Courtney Herbert. Peter Gilbert takes the free kick.
74:18 Mathew Tipton concedes a free kick for a foul on Craig Hinton. Chris Dunn takes the free kick.
72:49 Substitution Billy Mckay goes off and Courtney Herbert comes on.
71:07 Chris Dunn restarts play with the free kick.
71:07 Substitution Mathew Tipton joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ben Wright.
71:07 The assistant referee signals for offside against John Rooney.
68:14 Foul by Craig Hinton on Reneil Sappleton, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Lee Bell.
67:01 Corner taken left-footed by Peter Gilbert, Shot from close range by Billy Mckay misses to the right of the target.
66:44 Billy Mckay takes a shot. Sean Hessey gets a block in.
62:11 Corner taken by Lee Bell played to the near post.
59:56 Substitution John Rooney on for Emile Sinclair.
59:56 Substitution (Macclesfield) makes a substitution, with Reneil Sappleton coming on for Shaun Brisley.
54:57 Sean Hessey takes a shot.
54:00 Abdul Osman gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Ben Wright. Lee Bell takes the free kick.
53:15 Corner taken by Peter Gilbert played to the near post, Lee Bell manages to make a clearance.
52:12 Free kick awarded for a foul by Sean Hessey on Adebayo Akinfenwa. Craig Hinton takes the direct free kick.
50:26 Billy Mckay fouled by Sean Hessey, the ref awards a free kick. Craig Hinton takes the direct free kick.
49:48 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Lee Bell played to the near post, John Johnson manages to make a clearance.
48:13 Carl Tremarco concedes a free kick for a foul on John Johnson. Direct free kick taken by Chris Dunn.
46:51 Andrew Holt concedes a free kick for a foul on Shaun Brisley. Direct free kick taken by Lee Bell.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
Half Time
45:00+1:02 The referee blows for half time.
40:43 Andrew Holt challenges Emile Sinclair unfairly and gives away a free kick. Sean Hessey restarts play with the free kick.
39:29 Craig Hinton takes the direct free kick.
39:29 Booking Lee Bell is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
38:43 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Abdul Osman by Lee Bell.
37:27 Luke Guttridge is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Jon Brain restarts play with the free kick.
36:54 Ryan Gilligan takes a shot. Jon Brain makes a fantastic save.
35:28 Shot by Colin Daniel missed to the right of the target.
34:06 Luke Guttridge gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Carl Tremarco. Direct free kick taken by Sean Hessey.
33:44 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Lee Bell by Andrew Holt. Direct free kick taken by Jon Brain.
33:06 Corner taken left-footed by Peter Gilbert, clearance by Nathaniel Brown.
32:49 Adebayo Akinfenwa takes a shot. Save made by Jon Brain.
30:28 Headed effort from inside the area by John Johnson misses to the right of the goal.
30:01 Shaun Brisley concedes a free kick for a foul on Andrew Holt. Direct free kick taken by Peter Gilbert.
26:06 Unfair challenge on Adebayo Akinfenwa by Nathaniel Brown results in a free kick. Craig Hinton takes the free kick.
24:55 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Colin Daniel by Craig Hinton. Lee Bell takes the direct free kick.
24:03 Headed effort from deep inside the area by Luke Guttridge misses to the right of the target.
22:43 Assist on the goal came from Adebayo Akinfenwa.
22:43 GOAL - Luke Guttridge:Macclesfield 0 - 1 Northampton Luke Guttridge finds the back of the net with a goal from outside the area to the top left corner of the goal. Macclesfield 0-1 Northampton.
20:32 Abdul Osman concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Bolland. Direct free kick taken by Sean Hessey.
18:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nathaniel Brown on Adebayo Akinfenwa. Luke Guttridge shoots direct from the free kick.
17:40 Shot by Billy Mckay from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.
14:53 Corner taken by Lee Bell from the right by-line, Header from deep inside the area by Shaun Brisley goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
12:32 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Luke Guttridge by Carl Tremarco. Direct free kick taken by Luke Guttridge.
11:07 John Johnson has shot on goal from just outside the box which goes wide of the right-hand upright.
10:14 Unfair challenge on Billy Mckay by Sean Hessey results in a free kick. Craig Hinton takes the free kick.
8:25 John Johnson handles the ball and concedes a free kick. Lee Bell has a direct shot on goal from the free kick.
7:38 Ryan Gilligan concedes a free kick for a foul on Sean Hessey. Jon Brain takes the free kick.
6:38 Free kick awarded for a foul by Dean Beckwith on Ben Wright. Lee Bell takes the direct free kick.
4:39 Foul by Shaun Brisley on Andrew Holt, free kick awarded. Peter Gilbert restarts play with the free kick.
2:43 Luke Guttridge takes a shot. Blocked by Carl Tremarco.
2:14 Andrew Holt takes a shot. Comfortable save by Jon Brain.
0:00 The game begins.
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