In the 20th minute, a clever set-piece from a corner saw a 20-yard shot from Nick Barmby only just deflected over the bar.
But just as the game was seriously looking to be losing its way, with City's fans getting audibly tetchy at the lack of invention on display, the Tigers' Ryan France broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. The ball fell to him on the edge of the area, and he unleashed a shot into the bottom left-hand corner, giving Wilson no chance.
City were 2-0 up just over five minutes later, after a shocking mistake Hull-born Wilson will not want to remember in a hurry. Stuart Elliott did all the work in racing down the left and shooting straight at the Silkmen's keeper, but he failed to hold on to it and gifted Delroy Facey the chance to blast past him from 10 yards.
Wilson was largely at fault for the Tigers' third, in the 38th minute, after an almost identical move by Elliott - though to be fair, the defence did nothing to stop him in his tracks. This time, the City top scorer's angled shot from 20 yards went straight under Wilson, who was left prostrate on the ground in despair.
Just 55 seconds into the second half, City were 4-0 up. Macclesfield barely had time to get organised before Ryan France raced fully 50 yards down the left wing, and slid a square ball to Facey, with no Silkman defender in sight. Facey made no mistake from 18 yards, but this time, you couldn't really blame Wilson.
Five minutes later, Facey missed the chance to bag his hat-trick after an easy one-on-one chance with Wilson, but the keeper held it comfortably.
A minute later, Potter tried his luck with a 25-yard free kick at the other end, but Myhill held it easily.
The Silkmen did rally for a brief period 15 minutes into the half, with City having to do a bit of defending, but Macclesfield could not produce any clear-cut chances. A mistake by substitute Junior Lewis gifted Parkin a chance to shoot in the 70th minute, but he hit it tamely at Myhill.
Walters came within inches of making it 5-0 two minutes later, heading just wide from Joseph's cross. City were easing off the gas, as Parkin had another shot saved by Myhill in the 77th minute.
A bizarre final twist saw the Tigers go down to 10 men and defender Joseph replace Myhill in goal, after City's keeper suffered a nasty head injury in a clash with Parkin, who was roundly booed for the rest of the game.