MORECAMBE picked up an important point that took them a step closer to League 2 safety.

In a game that Jim Bentley’s side needed to take something from they did enough to take the point to keep 10 points clear of the bottom two with five games to go.

Morecambe took the lead on 27 minutes with Zak Mills scoring his first goal for the club. Piero Mingoia delivered a pinpoint cross into the area for the defender who found himself unmarked to head past former Shrimps loanee Kieran O’Hara.

The lead lasted just five minutes however as the home side levelled with their test attack of any note. The Shrimps gave the ball away cheaply in the Macclesfield half and the home side took full advantage as the pace Ben Stephens ran at the Morecambe defence and found Elliott Durrell who drilled a low shot past Barry Roche from the right hand side of the box.

The goal gave Macclesfield a clear lift and they began to attack with far greater confidence and cause problems.

Reece Cole almost gave them the lead on 39 minutes with a clever free kick over the Morecambe wall that beat Roche but hit the foot of the right hand post.

The home side came out of the blocks strongly in the second half with Ben Stephens dragging an early shot wide and Durrell seeing an effort blocked by Steven Old.

At the other end, Morecambe tried their luck from distance with Mills firing over and Richie Bennett firing just wide of the left hand post.

With time running out Macclesfield pushed forward with pace with Roche saving well from James Pearson’s shot from the edge of the box and Fiacre Kelleher heading inches over from a corner.

The Shrimps also threatened with Kevin Ellison seeing a goal harshly ruled out for offside after being teed up Old and they almost snatched the three points right at the death when Ellison turned in the box and volleyed just over from close range.

Macclesfield: O’Hara, Kelleher, Cameron, Jules, Pearson, Fitzpatrick, Rose (rep Whittaker 69), Cole (rep Martis 89), Durrell, Wilson (rep Smith 64), Pearson. Subs not used: Idem, Marsh, Welch-Hayes, Evans.

Morecambe: Roche, Mills, Old, Lavelle, Conlan, Mingoia (rep Cranston 83), Fleming, Wildig (rep Kenyon 75), Ellison, Mandeville (rep Bennett 64), Collins. Subs not used: Halstead, Sutton, Oates, Brownsword.

Ref: L Probert. Att: 2,072.