Greg Tansey was handed his first-team debut as Jim Gannon rang the changes at Moss Rose.
The 17-year-old midfielder was one of six new faces from the eleven that started at Hartlepool on Saturday.
James Spencer returned in goal with Damien Allen, Mark Robinson, Liam Dickinson and Michael Malcolm also handed shirts.
Despite changing the personnel, though, Gannon kept faith with his new formation.
Skipper Tony Dinning was to play in the middle of Rob Clare and Gareth Owen in a three-man defensive unit. Keith Briggs and Robinson would provide width down the flanks with Tansey, Allen and Jason Taylor forming the midfield.
Dickinson and Malcolm would play in tandem up front.
The last time these two sides met at the Moss there was a capitulation. The Hatters were determined not to allow time to repeat itself. Although with a Macc tally of just four points all season, the chances were unlikely.
It was the debut boy Tansey who created the best chance of the opening five minutes when his stinging free kick was well saved by Brain.
County, a dominant force in the opening exchanges, created another good chance when Damien Allen fed a deep ball into the box and Liam Dickinson headed just over the cross bar.
The impressive Dickinson looked back to his best when on the 15th minute he ran into the box and attempted to hit the ball on the first attempt but his shot was blocked by the Macc backline.
Macc's first chance of the game saw former Fergie Fledgling Colin Heath put an 18-yard shot in on goal that went agonisingly wide, much to the relief of the fantastic County support. A goal would have been unjust.
As the game progressed both sides were locked into a scrappy midfield battle with little in the way of opportunities created.
A dull game suddenly sparked into life when a moment of ingenuity from former County trainee Jordan Hadfield saw the Hatters cling onto their clean sheet thanks to a fine save from Spencer.
Indeed County's early exposure started to fade as the game progressed and Macc, with nothing to lose grabbed the game by the horns. They went desperately close yet again when Weir-Daley found Heath in space and the former United man headed over.
County should have taken the lead deep into injury time when Malcolm was played clear by an horrendous backpass by Heath, but he was let down by his second touch and when he managed to regain possession to find Dickinson, the former Woodley man saw his shot blocked.
Second Half
A deep corner from Greg Tansey in the opening seconds of the second half fell to the feet of Robinson, but his effort was blocked and the danger was eliminated.
A cross park pass from substitute Poole found Malcolm in space seconds later, the former Spurs man ran into the box but his shot went just wide.
A good first touch by Dickinson saw the Woodley Sports player feed the ball through to Malcolm but the Macc keeper was equal to it.
A rasping shot from Tony Dinning on the 60th minute took a good save from Brain to deny County the lead.
GOAL! County took the lead on the 65th minute when Michael Rose fed a pinpoint cross into the box for Michael Malcolm to grab his first goal of the season with a diving headet that left Brain rooted to the spot.
A wonderful first time volley from Dickinson, following a deep cross from Rose nearly doubled County's lead, but unfortunately for County Brain was equal to it.
County were coasting now, often outclassing their Cheshire neighbours with some delightful attacking football. Both Malcolm and Dickinson again went close.
Despite the scoreline this was a convincing County victory over a truly poor Macclesfield side. What a difference a year makes.
Macclesfield's Man of the Match? Jonathon Brain! Says it all really!
