Returning to their more familiar 4-4-2 formation Rochdale were left ruing missed chances in a game that they dominated throughout.
They were also left worrying about a growing injury list as leading scorer Chris Dagnall and loanee Kelvin Lomax both picked up what looked like serious knee injuries.
The home side started much the brighter and could and perhaps should have been two up inside the opening minutes.
After unselfish work by Dagnall, Glenn Murray was left with time and space in front of goal but saw his effort charged down by onrushing keeper Tommy Lee.
Then Murray's persistence saw him get to a bouncing ball before Lee only for defender Luke Dimech to hook his goalbound header away.
Rochdale took a deserved lead on 17 minutes when, following a foul on Dagnall, the free-kick was taken quickly and Adam Rundle's wicked low cross was bundled into his own goal by the retreating Jimmy McNulty.
Macc hit back almost immediately when, from an innocuous cross into the box, Rochdale defender Guy Branston needlessly pushed Martin Gritton and from the subsequent spot-kick Kevin McIntyre smashed the ball into the roof of the net.
Other than losing leading scorer Dagnall to a serious knee injury, the only other action of the half saw Glenn Murray claiming a goal as his header appeared to cross the line with neither the assistant referee or the referee in a position to judge.
The second half was again one-way traffic with Macclesfield defending well and the best chance falling to Rundle but he fired wide from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy after good work by Adam Le Fondre.