Oxford United threw away a two-goal half-time lead as they capitulated big-time at Moss Rose.

This was the archetypal game of two halves, with Chris Wilder’s men dominating the first, and looking to be in total control following goals by James Constable and Tom Craddock.

But Macclesfield stormed back in the second half, with Oxford gifting them two goals.

And the Silkmen snatched an unlikely npower League Two victory thanks to three goals in 25 minutes, two of them from midfielder Paul Bolland.

This really should have been a second away win of the season for the U's.

But instead it proved to be their first defeat on the road, and the first time they have lost after scoring first.

Constable gave United a dream start with the eighth-minute opener, but much of the credit should go to right back Ben Purkiss.

The former York man overlapped on the right and instead of just sending over a hopeful cross, he lid on a precision cutback for Simon Heslop.

Heslop’s drive was blocked, but the ball ran to Constable, whose first effort was also blocked. But the striker was alert enough to react quickly and fire home the second from close range.

It really could have been two or three in the next 15 minutes.

Asa Hall hit the underside of the bar, again, with an angled left-footed shot from five yards, and Constable chased down a backpass to the keeper, and was unlucky to see Jose Veiga’s clearance ricochet off his leg and wide of the goal.

With the visitors looking lively up front, Potter then beat the keeper in a race for the ball, but sent his shot across goal and just wide of the left post.

It was an open first half, and Macclesfield were not without their scoring chances.

Straight after Constable had given Oxford the lead, they retaliated with a good spell.

They like to get the ball into the box early and whenever they can, former United midfielder Lewis Chalmers helping in this respect, with his long throws.

Up front the gangly 6ft 2in Vinny Mukendi is a threat with his height and presence, and Mukendi managed a low drive from 16 yards that Ryan Clarke pushed around his post.

From the ensuing corner, United’s keeper had to reach up high to his left to save Hamza Bencherif’s header, and moments later Ross Draper wasn’t far away with his shot.

Macclesfield had their turn to hit the woodwork when Mukendi got free at the far post as a corner drifted some way over Clarke. But Harry Worley managed to pressure the striker enough that he shot against the right post.

If that was a left-off for the Silkmen, it was nothing to the escape the home side had when Constable set up Hall for a simple left-footed finish eight yards out. But Hall, blazed wide, and although he was stretching, it was a bad miss.

How the U’s were not at least two up, only they will know.

From another good overlapping run and cross by Purkiss, Constable dummied and Tom Craddock’s shot on target was deflected for a corner.

The flag kick, hit deep by Heslop, was met on the volley by Constable, and came off Worley near the left upright, but again just wouldn’t go in.

However, a second goal did follow, in first-half stoppage time. Potter again broke clear, from Craddock’s pass, and he had presence of mind to square the ball for the inrushing Craddock to sidefoot in, and put daylight between the teams.

Macclesfield took just six minutes of the second half to get themselves back into the contest.

Mukendi’s righ-footed shot from outside the area, hit with the outside of his foot, was parried to his left by Clarke, and Paul Bolland hammered home the loose ball.

Understandably, that greatly lifted Gary Simpson’s men, and for the first 20 minutes of the second half, it was all Macclesfield.

But United defended well, and Colin Daniel’s drive over was all they had to show for a lot of possession.

That is, until the 68th minute, when a defensive howler and lack of communication gifted them an equaliser.

Striker Matt Hamshaw had wasted a chance, it seemed, but Worley knocked it straight back to him, and he accepted the offering by shooting into the net.

United went to 4-4-2 to strengthen the midfield, and after Leigh Franks had replaced Payne, who was on a booking, Matt Green took over from Potter.

But it went from bad to worse in the 76th minute as Franks allowed Hamshaw to cut the ball back too easily from the bye-line, and Bolland converted his cross.

Constable retrieved a lost cause to centre from near the corner flag for Craddock, whose header was saved.

Oxford Utd: Clarke, Purkiss, Worley, Franks, Tonkin, Heslop, Payne (Baker 63), Hall (Cole 80), Potter (Green 73), Constable, Craddock. Subs not used: Creighton, Midson, Clist, Eastwood.

Referee: Karl Evans (Lancashire).