MORE than 250 Chelmsford City fans watched their team put up a gallant fight as they went out of the FA Cup, 1-0, at Macclesfield Town, last night.

Carl Tremarco’s first-half strike was the difference between the teams on a bitterly-cold night but it could have been the Clarets preparing to face Bolton Wanderers at home, in the third round, had they taken their chances in front of the TV cameras.

Burly striker Cliff Akurang missed a first-half volley and saw a second-period header saved by Jose Veiga, while Bury St Edmunds-based Craig Parker’s goalbound shot was diverted clear by a Macclesfield leg.

In the end, Tremarco’s shot from 16 yards, which tricked through the hands of Clarets’ stopper, Stuart Searle, sealed Chelmsford’s fate.

After the game, Macclesfield manager Gary Simpson paid tribute to the Essex side, the Blue Square Bet Conference side pushing their League Two hosts all the way.

“We did a good job on them tonight and we had to stop them from playing as they can pass the ball well,” he said.

“Had we scored a second goal, we might have made the game more comfortable but we are pleased with the performance and happy to be going through to face Bolton.”

With their cup heroics at an end, reality will bite on Saturday when the Clarets step up their promotion push at Basingstoke.