Cheltenham Town beat Macclesfield Town 3-0 to go second in Sky Bet League Two.
Goals from Luke Varney, Conor Thomas and Ryan Broom ensured Michael Duff’s side moved into the automatic promotion spots and are two points off the top with a game in hand.
It stretches the unbeaten home run at the Jonny-Rocks Stadium to 18 matches in all competitions in what was ultimately a comfortable win.
The Robins controlled the early stages and Gavin Reilly had the first half-chance in the 10th minute, slicing a volley over from Sean Long’s cross.
Ben Tozer, who signed a contract extension before the match, made a crucial tackle on Joe Ironside as he raced through on goal.
Ironside met a Jak McCourt cross with a powerful header on 16 minutes, but goalkeeper Scott Flinders managed to scramble it away in desperation.
The Robins responded with neat one-two between Charlie Raglan and Long, the latter seeing a dangerous cross diverted from goal by Macclesfield defender Miles Welch-Hayes.
Raglan created another chance on the half hour mark when his cross was missed by Varney just six yards out, only for Chris Hussey to blaze over the follow-up.
The Silkmen frustrated their hosts and after a spell of possession, the influential McCourt flashed a shot wide from outside the box.
However, Varney put Cheltenham ahead with a low finish from six yards out, after Broom did fantastically well by cutting inside and squaring for the veteran forward.
The second half started slowly with the home side having lots of the ball without threatening, and manager Michael Duff looked frustrated in the technical area.
Varney could have double his tally in the 56th minute when an inviting Jake Doyle-Hayes cross sailed only a few inches above his head.
The pressure was building and Thomas put Cheltenham two up on the hour mark by guiding a shot into the far-right corner after Hussey’s deflected cross.
Macclesfield boss Daryl McMahon made an attacking change and it almost proved fruitful when substitute striker Virgil Gomis turned in McCourt’s cross, but he was just offside.
The Robins’ third goal came through Broom’s sixth of the season, when he rounded the ‘keeper after substitute Jonte Smith beat three defenders and threaded a quality through ball.
Broom turned provider as Cheltenham looked for a fourth and Alex Addai was denied with a great save after heading the Welshman’s cross.
Broom was later announced as the Man of the Match, and seconds later Smith hit the post to cap a fabulous evenings work for Duff’s men.
CHELTENHAM TOWN (3-5-2): Flinders, Raglan, Tozer, Greaves; Long, Thomas, Doyle-Hayes, Broom (Ince, 87’); Reilly (Addai, 77’), Varney (Smith, 71’).
Subs not used: Lovett, Boyle, Clements, Lloyd.
MACCLESFIELD TOWN (3-4-1-2): Evans, Welch-Hayes, Kelleher, Vassell; Archibald, Kirby, McCourt, O’Keeffe; Osadebe, Gnahoua (Gomis, 68’), Ironside.
Subs not used: Charles-Cook, Stephens, Horsfall, Ntambwe, Fitzpatrick.
REFEREE: Brett Huxtable
ATTENDANCE: 2,632 (107 away)