It was fully deserved for Mark Wright's Chester as the visitors had bossed the second half.
However, it poured pressure on the shoulders of Macc's veteran boss Brian Horton as the Silkmen have still only got four points from 11 games.
It had seemed they must grab their first win after a breathtaking opening goal in the ninth minute, when livewire striker Martin Bullock embarked on a 70-yard run before swerving past three defenders and arrowing a low shot to the far corner from the edge of the box.
Macclesfield bossed the first half and in the 28th minute they were unlucky not to add a second, when defender Andy Teague creeped forward to meet a John Miles cross at the far post only to see his header blocked on the line by Ashley Westwood.
They again went close in the 31st minute when a throw-in crept to the far post where Matthew Tipton unleashed a fierce snapshot which cannoned off Chester skipper Stephen Vaughan.
But Chester looked a completely different outfit after the break and seconds after the restart they nearly equalised when Laurence Wilson picked out the unmarked Gregg Blundell, who glanced wide from eight yards.
The equaliser was not long in coming, Sandwith who was cast aside by Horton at the end of last season quoting a lack of commitment, hurtled on to a Roberto Martinez corner to power home a header from six yards.
Chester then took control and in the 68th minute Wilson slashed a free shot from 15 yards over the bar.
Wilson then manoeuvred himself into a good position on the 79th minute ready to drill home a free shot from six yards only for young Macclesfield midfielder Jordan Hadfield to make a telling interception.
In the dying stages Chester were lining up to score, but the Macclesfield defence for once this season stood firm with some resolute performances.