Equaliser: Hamshaw finished well to level the game.

Notts County earned a valuable point, courtesy of a late clinical strike from midfield playmaker Mattie Hamshaw.

Ghosting on to a pinpoint Myles Weston cross, he directed a hip-high volley past the stranded keeper Jonny Brain from a narrow angle.

Moments earlier Jamie Clapham had nearly given County an equaliser only to see his 25-yard free-kick crash off the crossbar.

Macclesfield should have taken the lead on 16 minutes when young wing-back Izak Reid picked out veteran striker Simon Yeo only for the former army soldier to power a header inches over the bar from eight yards.

However, Yeo made amends ten minutes later when he pounced on confusion in the Notts County defence to stroke home a left-foot shot from ten yards.

County had been unlucky with Michael Johnson taken off the pitch after a clash of heads with Mike Edwards who was racing back on to the park when a clearance crashed off his midriff to fall into the path of the predatory Yeo.

Macclesfield should have extended their lead on 56 minutes when teenage on-loan striker Tom Elliott rose above the defence at the far post only to pick out Kevin Pilkington with a firm downward header.

Macclesfield must have thought they had won the game deep into stoppage time when a rising drive from Gareth Evans crashed against the junction of post and bar with the keeper flapping at thin air.