Rushden improved their chances of winning the Third Division championship outright with an emphatic 3-0 victory over in form Macclesfield.
Macclesfield started well and Rushden had a lucky escape in the ninth minute when Danny Witt saw his tremendous shot from 30 yards hit the cross bar and rebound to safety.
On 13 minutes Dean Holdsworth also got on the end of David Bell's cross, but Lee Martin in the visitor goal did well to parry the striker's effort.
Good build up play by Rushden on the half hour mark ended with Holdsworth shooting just wide of the mark.
Macclesfield were again unlucky five minutes later when John Miles chipped the ball over Billy Turley, but the ball struck the cross bar and rebounded to safety.
Rushden took the lead on 42 minutes when Martin dropped an Andy Burgess corner and Holdsworth pounced to score from close range.
Rushden began to dominate in the second half and on 55 minutes Duane Darby was put in but Martin did well to smoother his efforts.
Rushden increased their lead on 66 minutes when 19-year-old David Bell, celebrating his birthday, scored a superb goal cleverly beating Danny Adams and curling in a brilliant shot from 25 yards out.
Rushden went further ahead on 70 minutes when Andy Edwards knocked Bell's cross back for Holdsworth to head home from two yards out.
Macclesfield had a chance to reduce the arrears when Miles was upended in the box by John Dempster but Danny Whitaker blasted the stop kick high and wide.
Despite late pressure the visitors were unable to break down a stubborn Rushden defence, well marshalled by Andy Edwards, although praise must go to the whole team for their workman like performance.