MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1, LEYTON ORIENT 1
The fairytale is still on as Macclesfield Town inched ever closer to a return to the English Football League following their home draw against Leyton Orient.
The Silkmen, relegated from the EFL in 2012 and with one of the lowest budgets in the National League, for several hours went 12 points clear at the top with only two games left.
Second-placed Tranmere still had five games left, but the fate of John Askey’s side remained very much in its own hands.
Assuming Tranmere won all of their games, Macc need only one win from their two remaining fixtures to be crowned champions and go up automatically.
A crowd of more than 3,000 packed into Moss Rose on an afternoon in which Macc could have been promoted had they won and Tranmere lost later in the day.
Macc made the perfect start as 37-year-old Danny Whitaker, who was with the club when they were in the EFL, fired them ahead with a low shot after 17 minutes.
It would have gone even more swimmingly had Nathan Blissett made it 2-0 after half an hour heading over when well placed.
It was a miss that would come back to haunt Macc just befor half time when they failed to clear a corner and Josh Koroma scrambled home an effort.
The second half petered out into a non event as Macc were unable to create a meaningful chance.
Orient, whose side included former Premier League players George Elokobi and Jobi McAnuff, almost snatched victory at the death through the vastly experienced David Mooney who had a great chance but saw his effort blocked.