A porous Boreham Wood defence conceded four goals for the first time this season as they lost 4-2 in their National League clash against Macclesfield.

Mitchel Hancox’s hat-trick added to a strike from Anthony Dudley to ensure efforts from David Stephens and Bruno Andrade mattered little.

A slow start saw Wood go behind in the fifth minute after a cross allowed Dudley to turn in from close range.

Wood responded well to the early set back and were level nine minutes later when Kenny Davis’ free-kick found David Stevens.

Macclesfield failed to clear and Stephens was on hand to fire into the roof to the net.

That was as good as it got for Wood, however, and a finishing masterclass from Hancox ended the game as a contest.

His first came after 27 minutes as he reacted quickest to Grant Smith’s save to convert from close range.

Wood would have been happy to be trailing by just the one goal at the break, but a succession of errors handed the visitors two goals on the cusp of half-time.

Firstly a heavily deflected strike from Hancox found the net, before a slip from Joe Devera allowed the Macclesfield man to complete his hat-trick.

Luke Garrard’s side, to their credit, fought back in the second half, but couldn’t produce a comeback, despite Andrade’s 76th minute strike.