Tranmere’s Cheshire Senior Cup campaign ended in a 4-2 defeat at Macclesfield.
Tranmere’s Cheshire Senior Cup campaign ended in a 4-2 defeat at Macclesfield.
Rovers had fought back from 2-0 down to level midway through the second half through Harvey Saunders and Chris Merrie but two late goals from Oumar Niasse gave the Silkmen the win at a bitterly cold Leasing.com Stadium.
Josh Hawkes sent the first shot of the game wide of the target on five minutes, volleying past the post from a tight angle from Reece McAlear’s cross field ball.
Charlie Jolley drilled a left foot shot wide from 12 yards on 14 minutes and McAlear side footed over the bar from the edge of the area soon after.
Jolley shot over after good work from Sam Taylor and McAlear on 19 minutes but two minutes later the home side took the lead. A free kick from the right was cleared outside the area but Oumar Niasse was onside for the ball back in and the former Everton striker back heeled past Conor Robson from eight yards.
Robson turned a long-range strike around the post on 25 minutes and raced back towards his line to save Niasse’s attempted chip 11 minutes later.
Saunders broke clear early in the second half but his square ball to the unmarked Jolley was cut out by Macclesfield keeper Conor O’Keefe.
Ten minutes into the second half the Silkmen doubled their lead. Robson came out of his area to clear his lines but a block saw the ball land in the path of Luke Mariette who lobbed into an empty net from 35 yards.
On 63 minutes Rovers reduced the deficit. Hawkes found Jake Leake out wide and the left back raced past a defender and sent in a low cross towards Saunders who turned into the top corner from six yards.
Seven minutes later Rovers were level. A free kick from McAlear was only cleared as far as the edge of the area from where Merrie’s low effort was deflected over O’Keefe and into the net.
Saunders saw a header saved by O’Keefe on 80 minutes and the keeper was quickly off the floor to turn the follow up behind for a corner.
With the game looking set for a penalty shoot out, Macclesfield netted in the 87th and 89th minutes to seal the victory. A cut back from Neil Kengni was turned in by Niasse for his second and he completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot soon after.
Tranmere: Robson, J. Norris, Turnbull, Belehouan, Leake (M. Davies 86), Taylor, Merrie, McAlear, Hawkes, Saunders, Jolley. Substitutes: Brown, Hockenhull, Mikulski, Henderson.
Attendance: 340 (44 away)