Football: IRON SLIDE

STEVE WILSON kept Scunthorpe at bay to earn Macclesfield a hard- fought point.

The Macclesfield keeper produced a fine save to deny Andrew Keogh in the first half, and thwarted Michael Rankine and Steve Torpey twice each.

The Iron could find no way through and slipped out of the automatic promotion positions after Swansea picked up a win.

Macclesfield looked bright in the opening exchanges, but Kevin Townson suffered a double blow. First he saw his stinging eighth- minute shot parried away by keeper Paul Musselwhite, then he brought down Andy Crosby and was booked for dissent. The Iron were still looking to get into the game when the visitors went close from their first corner.

Paul Harsley swung his flag-kick in from the left and Paul Harsley climbed at the far post for a header which Lee Ridley scrambled away. Scunthorpe took 20 minutes to produce their first clear opening, and were denied when Keogh's drilled left-footed shot was parried by Wilson.

Things began to go the home side's way from the half-hour mark, with Keogh and then Matthew Sparrow seeing shots cleared. Then Macclesfield were forced into a reshuffle when Mark Bailey limped off 12 minutes before the break. Macclesfield were able to reorganise themselves quickly, and threatened again when Michael Welch found space in the area for a shot which Musselwhite saved.

Sparrow saw his shot deflected wide and Rankine had a left- footed drive saved by Wilson, but Macclesfield's defence was holding out well. Wilson was extended 12 minutes into the half, having to tip over a Rankine shot from 25 yards, but the home side could find no way through from the corner.

Macclesfield served a reminder of their own promotion ambitions when Kevin McIntyre sized up a chance from 30 yards that tested Musselwhite.

Torpey spurned one of the best chances of the game when he found space in the area for a 72nd-minute shot but Wilson did well to block.

Scunthorpe forced a flurry of three corners in succession in the latter stages, but the visitors' defence held firm. And when Paul Hayes did find an opening 11 minutes from time in the area he saw his shot parried by Wilson.

Macclesfield could have snatched all three points in the last minute, when they forced a corner. Harsley swung the ball in and Michael Welch beat his marker but could only head wide of the left- hand post.

There was still time for Torpey to latch on to Cliff Byrne's cross and bring a save out of Wilson.

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