Harrison Iwunze’s second half strike was enough for Hereford to seal the points and move back top of the National League North.

However, there was an incident after half-time which took a whole team effort to continue play.

Macclesfield found themselves a goal down to an Aaron Skinner penalty and man down after Elliot Osborne was red carded.

The sponge water soppers which were used before kick-off to get the resting surface water off the artificial surface had been put away at the break resulting in a waterlogged section of the pitch.

With Macclesfield content to see the match abandoned and re-started from blank the Bulls had to step in to get the second half underway.

Hereford chairman Chris Ammonds found the water soppers, before Hereford assistant manager Harry Pell, along with goalkeeper coach Shaun Edwards cleared the surface water so the match could re-start.

“The least said the better from my point of view,” said Downes following the win.

“The referee was good. At half-time he said, ‘listen, we're playing this game no matter what’.

“We had to sort of do it ourselves. Fair play, the Chairman spotted the sponges that were down the side of the stand.

“The captain Chris Hudson was getting them on. Then Harry (Pell) and Sean (Edwards) got to work, got the game on by any means possible.

“Fair play to them. I'm just glad we got the game on. Harry has been excellent for me. I’m really glad he's by my side.”

Driving rain and a blustery wind made for difficult playing conditions and despite the Bulls failing to kill the game off with a third goal, Downes was content with the final result.

He said: “It's a tough place to come at the best of times, then you add the wind and the rain.

“It does make it really tricky for the players, both sets of players. It was a tricky afternoon to navigate. I thought in the main, our boys did it well. I'm just really pleased for everybody at the football club with the result.”

Hereford were cheered along by a loyal band of 469 visiting fans, with many of them standing soaked in the uncovered standing terrace.

Afterwards Downes paid tribute to the loyal supporters who had cheered his side to victory.

He added: “I can't begin to think how annoyed I would have been if we didn't give them three points to go home with because that is some brave, hardy souls that have come.

“They know what they're coming to. They knew it was going to be wet, windy, cold, and exposed to the element and they still came out in their hundreds and they sung their hearts out.

“I'm really, really pleased that we're able to give them three points to go home with. I thank every single one of them, I really do because that is an unbelievable effort.”