Macclesfield manager Gary Simpson saluted his youthful team's efforts in their 3-1 home defeat to Cheltenham.
Macc, missing nine first-team regulars, took the lead through Marcus Marshall before goals from Sido Jombati, Jeff Goulding and Luke Garbutt turned the game on its head for the Robins.
Despite the loss, Simpson heaped praise on the hosts, saying: "They (Cheltenham) are a good team, they have got some good players, but my kids have done really well.
"They have passed it and tried to keep it and caused them some problems, but one or two are running on empty and we are threadbare.
"Now we've just got to buckle down and work hard until we turn it around and get a point on the board.
"As a club we have faced a lot more difficult times than this in the last two years and I am sure we will come through this just as we have done in the past."
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