The Gulls nearly doubled their lead seconds later when Danny Stevens smashed a shot from distance just wide after a defence-splitting run from the halfway line.
Daggers should have gone ahead earlier in the half but Mark Arber sliced wide from close range from the visitors' fourth corner in the opening 15 minutes.
Michael Spillane came close to equalising in the second period with a superb 64th-minute free-kick that home keeper Bobby Olejnik flapped around his post at the last second.
But the Gulls held on to maintain their 100 per cent record since the turn of the year.
Torquay boss Martin Ling said: "It wasn't the prettiest of wins but sometimes you have to win ugly and that's what we did here. The goal was quality and takes Lee's tally to nine for the season and who would have thought he would be on that many at this stage of the season?
It was a great strike and was out of context with the rest of the game really, but we will take the win and move on. We've got Northampton here on Saturday - another team fighting for their lives down at the bottom - and the fans will know now that it won't be easy. I thought Mark Ellis and Chris Robertson did well again at the back. They were strong and solid and Bobby (Olejnik) made a great save and I keep saying I think we've got the best goalkeeper in the division here."
The Dons controlled the game from kick-off, almost going ahead inside a minute when Byron Harrison unlocked Macclesfield's defence only for Luke Moore to slice over.
Jack Midson and Harrison tested Jose Veiga before the visiting keeper spilled a cross and Midson thundered a 12-yard volley straight back at him.
The Silkmen piled forward after the break and former Chesterfield midfielder Mattis pounced on Shaun Brisley's header to score on his debut.
Knott responded by firing in a 25-yard strike and the hosts regained control with Midson heading over before Moore wriggled free to slot home and secure all three points at the death.
This was the Silkmen's fifth defeat in six games including four on the trot.
| 1 | Southend United | 26 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 0 | 4 | 30 | 19 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 51 | 28 | 52 | +23 | ||||
| 2 | Crawley Town | 26 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 29 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 7 | 4 | 48 | 30 | 52 | +18 | ||||
| 3 | Cheltenham Town | 26 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 15 | 16 | 4 | 6 | 39 | 23 | 52 | +16 | ||||
| 4 | Swindon Town | 26 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 26 | 7 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 15 | 13 | 15 | 4 | 7 | 41 | 20 | 49 | +21 | ||||
| 5 | Shrewsbury Town | 26 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 18 | 14 | 6 | 6 | 39 | 25 | 48 | +14 | ||||
| 6 | Torquay United | 27 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 17 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 41 | 32 | 47 | +9 | ||||
| 7 | Oxford United | 27 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 23 | 14 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 15 | 13 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 38 | 27 | 42 | +11 | ||||
| 8 | Gillingham | 26 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 12 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 22 | 23 | 12 | 5 | 9 | 44 | 35 | 41 | +9 | ||||
| 9 | Burton Albion | 27 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 16 | 15 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 26 | 11 | 8 | 8 | 40 | 41 | 41 | -1 | ||||
| 10 | Accrington Stanley | 27 | 7 | 1 | 5 | 20 | 16 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 14 | 13 | 10 | 10 | 7 | 34 | 29 | 40 | +5 | ||||
| 11 | Crewe Alexandra | 27 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 19 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 19 | 12 | 3 | 12 | 37 | 38 | 39 | -1 | ||||
| 12 | Port Vale | 27 | 5 | 2 | 6 | 24 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 18 | 11 | 5 | 11 | 44 | 39 | 38 | +5 | ||||
| 13 | Rotherham United | 26 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 14 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 24 | 25 | 10 | 7 | 9 | 42 | 39 | 37 | +3 | ||||
| 14 | Morecambe | 27 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 23 | 21 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 20 | 13 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 43 | 34 | 36 | +9 | ||||
| 15 | AFC Wimbledon | 27 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 21 | 30 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 17 | 21 | 10 | 5 | 12 | 38 | 51 | 35 | -13 | ||||
| 16 | Macclesfield Town | 27 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 16 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 10 | 9 | 21 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 25 | 31 | 30 | -6 | ||||
| 17 | Bristol Rovers | 27 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 17 | 23 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 17 | 25 | 8 | 6 | 13 | 34 | 48 | 30 | -14 | ||||
| 18 | Barnet | 26 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 8 | 5 | 13 | 33 | 46 | 29 | -13 | ||||
| 19 | Aldershot Town | 26 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 12 | 4 | 1 | 8 | 14 | 22 | 8 | 4 | 14 | 24 | 34 | 28 | -10 | ||||
| 20 | Bradford City | 26 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 23 | 19 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 17 | 6 | 9 | 11 | 31 | 36 | 27 | -5 | ||||
| 21 | Hereford United | 27 | 3 | 2 | 9 | 13 | 28 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 8 | 13 | 27 | 43 | 26 | -16 | ||||
| 22 | Plymouth Argyle | 27 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 15 | 19 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 14 | 30 | 5 | 7 | 15 | 29 | 49 | 22 | -20 | ||||
| 23 | Dagenham & Redbridge | 27 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 17 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 9 | 9 | 23 | 6 | 3 | 18 | 26 | 47 | 21 | -21 | ||||
| 24 | Northampton Town | 27 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 31 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 5 | 6 | 16 | 33 | 56 | 21 | -23 | ||||
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