Macclesfield produced arguably the biggest giantkilling in FA Cup history, defeating Premier League side and holders Crystal Palace 2-1 in the third round. The sixth-tier club, 117 places below their opponents in the English football pyramid, became the first non-league team to eliminate the cup holders since 1909.
Captain Paul Dawson headed Macclesfield into the lead before half-time, and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts added a second on the hour mark. Yeremy Pino’s late free-krick set up a tense finish, but the hosts held on to spark ecstatic scenes at a sold-out Moss Rose ground.
Manager John Rooney, brother of former Manchester United striker Wayne, dedicated the win to teammate Ethan McLeod, who died in a car accident last month. “It still doesn’t feel real,” said Rooney. “I thought we were deserved winners. The players have created something unbelievable.”
Palace boss Oliver Glasner admitted his side were outplayed. “To explain that performance would be completely wrong,” he said. The Eagles included three of their cup-winning side from last season, but they struggled against Macclesfield’s intensity and physicality.
Macclesfield’s squad is made up of part-timers with jobs in teaching, law and property. Their victory sets up a potential dream tie in the fourth round, with Rooney hoping for another home game after the memorable win.
