In a stunning turn of events, non-league Macclesfield achieved one of the biggest FA Cup upsets by defeating the defending champions, Crystal Palace, with a remarkable 2-1 victory in the third round on Saturday.
Reformed in 2020 after the dissolution of Macclesfield Town, the Silkmen are currently 117 places below Palace in the football hierarchy. Yet, they displayed remarkable determination and tactical superiority against a lackluster Eagles team, marking a historic moment for a club that has risen from the ashes.
Macclesfield took the lead just two minutes before halftime, thanks to their energetic captain, Paul Dawson, who scored with a header. Palace struggled to respond, and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts extended the lead to 2-0 in the 60th minute.
Yeremy Pino’s free kick in the 90th minute made for a tense finish, as six minutes of added time ensued. However, Palace, who had only recently lifted the FA Cup as their first major trophy, disappointed with a lackadaisical performance, allowing Macclesfield fans to storm the pitch in celebration of a truly historic win.
This marks the first instance in which defending FA Cup holders have lost to non-league opposition since Palace themselves defeated Wolves back in 1909 while in the Southern League.
The day served as a poignant reminder for Macclesfield, a club grappling with the tragic loss of forward Ethan McLeod, who tragically died in a car accident returning from a match on December 16 at the age of 21.
Under John Rooney’s management, the team honored McLeod with a spirited performance against a Palace side that featured six changes, including England internationals Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton.
Palace’s first opportunity didn’t come until the 13th minute, but Pino’s shot went wide. Christantus Uche came closer with a dipping shot in the 28th minute, yet Macclesfield’s goalkeeper, Max Dearnley, remained largely untested as the home side grew in confidence.
After Josh Kay’s shot went astray, he was fouled by Kaden Rodney, leading to a free kick from which Dawson capitalized on Palace’s vulnerability during set pieces.
Sporting a bandage after an early clash, Dawson quickly rearranged his head dressing with help from Sam Heathcote before Luke Duffy delivered the free kick, allowing Dawson to head it into the far corner.
Oliver Glasner reacted with three substitutions at halftime, introducing Tyrick Mitchell, Will Hughes, and Brennan Johnson. Despite the changes, Palace appeared sluggish offensively and increasingly anxious defensively.
Palace struggled to find their rhythm and found themselves trailing 2-0 around the hour mark. In a disorganized moment, Mellor appealed for a penalty after going down under a challenge from Chris Richards, but two failed clearances from Palace were eventually blocked. Buckley-Ricketts then pounced on a deflected shot to extend the lead, slipping the ball past a startled Benitez.
Finally, Palace showed signs of life as Uche’s shot went narrowly wide, followed by a header that was disallowed due to offside just before Wharton’s deflected shot went wide. Nevertheless, Macclesfield held firm against the mounting pressure until late in the game when Mellor fouled Guehi at the edge of the box, allowing Pino to score from the resulting free kick. But it was too little, too late.