United had an eventually comfortable win over Macclesfield yesterday, although they made heavy weather of the first twenty minutes after going behind to Chris Priest’s fourth minute strike. A minute earlier Paul Wanless had seen his strike from the edge of the area hit the inside of the post before rolling along the goal-line. After United started to get their act together the victory became a routine one. Julian Alsop equalised after 29 minutes when he rose unmarked to head home from Dean Whitehead’s corner, and then just before half-time a flowing move ended with James Hunt scoring his first of the season with a header from another Whitehead cross. Wanless wrapped up the points twenty minutes from time with a near-post header from yet another Whitehead corner.

Alsop’s return to the starting line-up, in place of Jefferson Louis, was the only change from last week’s draw at Cambridge. After 25 minutes ROS Chris Hackett had to come on for Scott McNiven, who was stretchered off after twisting his ankle. With two minutes remaining Louis replaced Alsop, and a minute later Dave Waterman came on for Wanless.

Referee Richard Beeby had an unusual game in that he showed no-one from either side a yellow card. The attendance was 6,676, the second highest in Division Three, thanks largely to the plethora of kids for a quid. A match report should be posted later.

This victory sends United back to the top of the Third Division, one point ahead of Hull who were held 0-0 at home by Yeovil, who drop to sixth. Doncaster have risen to third after beating Boston 3-0. Mansfield dropped to fourth after rescuing a point with a last minute goal at home to Huddersfield, while Swansea’s 1-0 win over second-bottom Darlington takes them up to fifth.

Carlisle remain stranded at the bottom, Paul Simpson’s opener cancelled out by two Cheltenham goals at Whaddon Road. Macclesfield dropped to third-bottom while Southend climbed up to 21st thanks to their 4-0 win over United’s next opponents, Rochdale, who are now 19th.

In the Conference the formerly ROS Jamie Cook put Stevenage ahead, but they eventually lost 2-1 at Morecambe. In the SPL Derek Lilley equalised for Livingston in their 1-1 draw at Motherwell.