Oldham Athletic were beaten 1-0 by Macclesfield Town at Boundary Park in a frustrating clash for the hosts.
After a quiet opening 20 minutes, Macclesfield Town won a corner and the delivery was met by the head of Theo Vassell but the former Oldham man couldn’t direct his header on target.
Moments later, there was a stoppage in play after a neat piece of play by the visitors ended up in the Latics area and Connor Kirby accidentally caught Zeus De La Paz in the face with his studs.
The first half lacked any clear-cut chances for either side, but the possession was controlled by Daryl McMahon’s side.
The closest Latics came to a chance was just before the interval as Mohammed Maouche laid the ball to Tom Hamer and tried his luck from distance but it went way past the post.
Shortly into the second half, Dino Maamria’s side came close to breaking the deadlock when Jonny Smith’s free-kick was flicked on to Maouche but he blasted his effort just wide of the post.
Macclesfield began to apply pressure and were nearly rewarded with an opening when Miles Welch-Hayes cross into the box was cleared and fell to the edge of the box and landed to Corey O’Keefe, but he was closed down before he could get a strike on goal.
In the 69th minute, it was a proud moment for Lewis McKinney who replaced Maouche for his professional debut.
This was followed by a snap-shot from range by Theo Archibald but De La Paz had the effort covered and watched it go past his post.
Archibald came close again just minutes later as he got onto the end of a Joe Ironside cross, but his strike went way over the bar.
Oldham managed to win a corner it fell nicely for captain David Wheater, but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
It was that man again who came close as Smith’s free-kick landed on Wheater’s head but Owen Evans just about managed to keep him out.
In the 87th minute, Macclesfield took the lead as Mohamad Sylla gave a free-kick away on the edge of the area and substitute Jack McCourt stepped up and blasted pass De La Paz into the far corner.
Latics thought they had found an equaliser with 90 minutes on the clock as a blue shirt headed towards goal from a corner but a Macclesfield player managed to clear the ball off the line and the danger was eventually cleared.
Oldham Athletic 0-1 Macclesfield Town.
Attendance 4428 (Away 458)
Oldham Athletic XI – De La Paz, Hamer, Wheater ©, Stott, Iacovitti, McCann, Missilou, Sylla (Eagles 90’), Maouche (McKinney 69’), Smith, Azankpo (Wilson 59’).
Subs – Woods, Smith-Brown, Gaskell, Eagles McKinney, Wilson, Adams.
Macclesfield Town XI – Evans, Kelleher, Vassell, Gnahoua (Horsfall 90’), Harris, Ironside, Archibald, Welch-Hayes, Kirby (McCourt 80’), O’Keefe, Osadebe.
Subs – Charles-Cook, McCourt, Stephens, Horsfall, Gomis, Ntambwe.