Macclesfield Shocks Crystal Palace in FA Cup Upset

Nonleague Macclesfield achieved one of the most significant upsets in FA Cup history by defeating defending champions Crystal Palace 2-1 in a thrilling third-round clash on Saturday.

Reformed in 2020 after the dissolution of Macclesfield Town, the Silkmen are positioned 117 places below Palace in the football hierarchy. However, they demonstrated remarkable tenacity and strategy, overpowering a lackluster Palace side and etching their name into the annals of club history.

Macclesfield’s captain, Paul Dawson, put his team ahead just two minutes before halftime with a powerful header. Despite their efforts, Palace could not find a response, and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts extended the lead on the hour mark.

Yeremy Pino’s free kick in the 90th minute gave Palace a glimmer of hope, resulting in a tense conclusion with six additional minutes of play. However, eight months after lifting the FA Cup and securing their first major trophy, Palace’s performance fell flat, leading to jubilant scenes as Macclesfield fans flooded the pitch to celebrate.

This match marked the first time since 1909 that the FA Cup holders lost to a nonleague team, a stark reminder of Palace’s struggles.

For Macclesfield, this victory was especially poignant as the club mourned the recent passing of forward Ethan McLeod, who tragically lost his life in a car accident after a match on December 16 at the age of 21. John Rooney’s squad honored McLeod with a spirited display against a Palace side that featured six changes but still boasted England internationals Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton.

The match began with Palace struggling to create chances; their first shot on goal came in the 13th minute, but Pino’s attempt went wide. Christantus Uche came closer with a dipping shot in the 28th minute, yet Macclesfield’s goalkeeper, Max Dearnley, remained relatively untested, allowing the team’s confidence to build.

After a missed opportunity by Josh Kay, who was fouled by Kaden Rodney, Dawson capitalized on Palace’s vulnerability to set pieces. Sporting a bandage after an early head clash, Dawson headed in from a free kick taken by Luke Duffy, putting Macclesfield ahead.

In response, Palace manager Oliver Glasner introduced three substitutes at halftime, but the team’s lethargy persisted, leading to further defensive lapses. After another near miss from Buckley-Ricketts, Palace found themselves trailing 2-0 when Buckley-Ricketts capitalized on a deflected shot to score.

Palace finally began to apply pressure. Uche narrowly missed, and a disallowed header for offside compounded their frustrations. Wharton’s shot was deflected wide, but Macclesfield’s defense held firm until Mellor fouled Guéhi late in the game, allowing Pino to score from the resulting free kick. However, it was too little, too late for Palace.