Macclesfield go four points clear in the playoff places after a well-fought 3-1 win over relegation-battling Hereford.

Since they last faced off in February 2014, both clubs have folded and risen back up the leagues through phoenix clubs. That affair finished 2-1, with England international Jarrod Bowen in the Hereford squad as a 17-year-old.

This was Macclesfield's first win at home for exactly a month, after back-to-back defeats at Moss Rose.

The first minutes were taken up by a touching minute's applause for former Silkman Merrick Corfield, who sadly passed away two and a half weeks ago.

Hereford started the brightest in the first half, with Freddy Willcox going closest as he hit a half volley into the 300 travelling away fans.

The Silkmen had their first clear cut chance just before the half hour mark when Buckley-Ricketts went close, and then Edmondson found Luke Duffy on the edge of the area from the resulting corner who could only curl one onto the top of the crossbar.

Both teams piled on the pressure before a medical emergency in the away end and an injury for James Gale stopped play five minutes before half-time.

After coming back onto the pitch, Gale went close twice from close range which needed two more good saves from the Hereford goalkeeper.

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Minutes later, Harrison Sohna was shown a red card for stopping Luke Duffy getting onto a loose ball with his foot while on the ground.

Hereford's Cormac Daly finished an eventful first half with a curling effort which had to be pushed around the post by the fingertips of Rogan Ravenhill.

This was Macclesfield's first win at home in exactly a month, after back-to-back defeats at Moss Rose (Credit: Oliver Evans)

Hereford came out all guns blazing to start the second half, as Munday slashed a shot across the box that Ravenhill had to guide out for a corner.

Macclesfield had much of the ball before the hour mark though, as Buckley-Ricketts slipped through Luis Lacey who put a low cross into the six-yard box which couldn't find a teammate. A minute later, second-half substitute Borthwick-Jackson found Duffy in space, but his shot went comfortably over the bar.

After Macclesfield's fourth successive corner, the ball dropped kindly to Luke Duffy who volleyed into the crowd and the shot bobbled off the post, off Richardson in the Hereford goal and into the back of the net.

The Silkmen continued as the dominant side for the next 15 minutes and got their two-goal cushion with ten minutes to go when Luke Duffy picked the ball up on the near side of the box, beat his man and beat the goalkeeper for his second goal of the game.

Hereford fought back almost instantly, when Dawson's header back to the Ravenhill almost made its way into the net if the keeper didn't back pedal and claw it away. Macclesfield went close to putting it in their own net again when James Gale sliced a clearance past the post.

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Hereford brought one back with five to play when George Munday fired one past Ravenhill from the edge of the area, but that would be short-lived when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts cut in and fired one under the goalkeeper to restore the Silkmen's lead just before injury time.

Carlos dos Santos almost but the icing on the cake when he a low shot required a good save from the Hereford 'keeper once again.

The Silkmen face Alfreton Town on Tuesday as they push for the playoffs, and do not have another home game until Easter Monday.