'What dreams are made of' - Macclesfield reach FA Trophy semi-finals

The Silkmen moved to within one game of a trip to Wembley after overcoming their Southern Central League opposition at a raucous Leasing.com Stadium.

A calamitous early mix-up between goalkeeper and defender saw Coalville's Eliot Putman head the ball into his own net, gifting Michael Clegg's side an early opener.

The scoreline would remain that way until after the hour mark, when John Rooney guided a shot into the top corner to double the advantage.

A near-post finish from Kane Drummond put the result beyond doubt 10 minutes later as Macclesfield added their name to the hat for the final four.

The draw for the semi-finals will be made at around 3:15pm on Monday afternoon. The Silkmen will be joined by promotion-chasing National League trio Bromley, Solihull Moors and Gateshead.

Speaking post-match, manager Michael Clegg, who has only been in the role for little over a fortnight following the sudden departure of Alex Bruce to Salford City, heaped praise on his side for the way they stepped up to the occasion to extend their impressive cup run.

He said: "It's what dreams are made of, isn't it? You don't need extra motivation on a day like today.

"I thought we were poor to start with, we were really sloppy. We got given a goal, but we took over after that and could've had a few more and gone into half-time two or three goals up.

"I'm absolutely delighted, and a massive thanks to the fans. They were like our 12th man.

"I know it's cliche, and I'm not one to be like that, but they were absolutely superb. I'm made up for everyone involved with the club."

Photo credit: Chelsie Wilson