Manager Mike Newell has restored confidence in the Mariners and all that was missing was a little bit of luck.
Even though Francis Green clipped the crossbar for the home side in the fifth minute with a 30-yard dipping drive, it was Grimsby that dominated the first half.
In the tenth minute Adam Proudlock turned neatly on the penalty spot only to see his low left-foot shot crash back off the foot of the post.
Two minutes later his snap-shot ricocheted off a defender for Nathan Jarman to lash the rebound inches wide.
Grimsby got the ball in the back of the net in the 24th minute when Tom Newey picked out Jamie Clarke only for the youngster to be judged offside.
Newey then tested Macc keeper Jonny Brain with a powerful 30-yard shot from the diagonal which the shot-stopper finger-tipped past the far post.
However after the break Macclesfield grew in confidence and on 63 minutes they nearly went ahead through an own goal, keeper Phil Barnes tipping a header from his own defender Rob Atkinson over the bar.
Moments later Barnes was again at his best as he made a full-length save to block a fierce low shot from Green.
However he could do nothing to stop Brown's drive on 68 minutes that was still rising as it hit the far corner.
Macc nearly added another on 73 minutes when striker Martin Gritton narrowly failed to get on to the end of a curling Terry Dunfield free-kick.