MACCLESFIELD TOWN 0, ALDERSHOT TOWN 2

AT the end of their best week of the season, during which Aldershot Town made three impressive statements of intent, a place in the National League play-off positions was surely the least they deserved.

Macclesfield were swept aside with consummate professionalism on Saturday as the Shots completed a trio of potentially landmark victories.

“Credit to the players for giving that sort of performance in their third game in seven days,” said assistant manager James Rowe, following home wins against Sutton United and Dagenham. “We’ve shown our fitness levels throughout the season. We knew that as the game went on we’d come into it more and we’ve found two excellent finishes.”

The first half at Moss Rose may have been an instantly forgettable non-event, but Kundai Benyu and Matt McClure – with his fourth goal in seven games – illuminated a resurgent second half as Aldershot ruthlessly exposed the Silkmen’s lack of quality.

The drab first period contained perhaps just two half-chances – both for Aldershot. An off-balance Benyu sliced his shot high over the bar and Idris Kanu, after a driving run, supplied a cross that evaded Scott Rendell by inches.

Thereafter, the hosts never really improved and Aldershot always carried the greater attacking threat.

Chris Holroyd’s shot from on the byline was turned behind by Jake Cole and a brief bright spell for Macclesfield ended with former Shots winger Rhys Browne heading wide from six yards.

By then, Bernard Mensah had already missed his kick when unmarked at the far post. But it was Mensah’s pass in the 59th minute that led to Aldershot taking a lead which they never looked like relinquishing.

Threading the ball between three defenders, Mensah sent Benyu racing through to slide a shot beyond Scott Flinders, leaving the Silkmen’s own play-off hopes hanging by a thread.

Aldershot followed up with more decent chances. The recalled Jim Kellermann saw his snap shot comfortably saved, while a Mensah long-range effort was deflected up and had keeper Flinders scrambling to tip the ball over the crossbar.

The visitors finally wrapped up the game on 83 minutes. Shamir Fenelon invited Jake Gallagher to burst into the penalty area and although Flinders saved his shot, McClure reacted first to lash in the rebound.

Macclesfield eventually mustered a shot on target in injury time and Cole was down quickly to repel Holroyd’s swift shot on the turn.

It had been a surprisingly comfortable day’s work for Aldershot, but Rowe, on media duty, was keen to keep everybody’s feet firmly on Cheshire soil. “We move quickly onto the next game,” he stressed. “We’re in the top five, but all that matters is where you are after 46 games and we’ve had opportunities to get there before. We’ve taken a step today, so let’s all move forward together and believe in what we can achieve this season.”

Moving almost unnoticed into fifth place, the Shots could have found their best form at just the right time. With six games to go, they look a strong bet to extend their season into the play-offs.

Macclesfield: Flinders; Halls, Byrne, Pilkington, Fitzpatrick; Mackreth (Dudley 63), James (Whitaker 63), Norburn, Summerfield, Browne; Holroyd. Subs (not used): McCombe, Ross, Hancox. Booked: Holroyd.

Aldershot: Cole; Arnold, Evans, Reynold, Straker; Gallagher, Kellermann; Mensah (Hyam 89), Benyu (McClure 78), Kanu (Fenelon 73); Rendell. Subs (not used): Buckley, Smith. Booked: Evans.

Referee: Scott Oldham.

Attendance: 1,586 (223 away).

* Aldershot go for a fourth consecutive win when they travel to Solihull Moors this Saturday. The West Midlands side lost 1-0 to Torquay on Tuesday.