A frustrated Macclesfield Town manager John Askey blamed five minutes of madness as his side surrendered a crucial relegation battle to fellow strugglers Cheltenham.
With veteran centre-back Steven MacAuley off the pitch having stitches to a minor cut his side conceded two sloppy goals. Askey said: "I didn't feel that Steve MacAuley's injury merited stitches, but even so we should have done better.
"It was five minutes of madness and we allowed ourselves to be muscled off the ball. We just didn't put up a good enough fight." Macclesfield had taken the lead in the 10th minute when a woeful Jamie Victory clearance had presented John Miles with a seventh goal of the season from close range.
But Cheltenham grabbed their opportunity when Macc were temporarily reduced to ten men. Martin Devaney crossed from the right flank for the ball to hit Mac midfield man Danny Whitaker for a weak own goal.
Moments later John Finnigan crossed from the same right wing for the unmarked Grant McCann to arrow home a six-yard header.
Macclesfield should have equalised before the break, Colin Little firing wide with only the keeper to beat.
John Ward spread five men across midfield in the second half and Macclesfield were reduced to long-range chances, their best fell to Martin Carruthers in injury time, but the much travelled striker could only fire wide.
Ward said after the game; We took our chances and they didn't it was a tight game, but I'm not going to grumble too much because it is seen us climb clear of the relegation zone.
"However we will have to do much better if we want to get anything out of Kidderminster next week." Askey added: "I knew we were in a relegation battle the day I took over and it is certainly no different now."