MACCLESFIELD, England – In a result that will reverberate throughout English football, non-league Macclesfield Town stunned FA Cup holders Crystal Palace with a 2-1 victory in the third round on Saturday. The historic upset, considered by many as the greatest in FA Cup history, saw the sixth-tier Silkmen knock out a Premier League team that, at one stage this season, was challenging for Champions League qualification.
The 5,900-capacity Moss Rose stadium in northwest England erupted as Macclesfield, currently 14th in the National League North, secured their place in the fourth round. Their manager, John Rooney, the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney, described the win as incredible. "I can't believe it, we never thought we would be in this position," Rooney told the BBC. "We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn't be any prouder of the lads".
Macclesfield entered the competition in the second round qualifying and had to overcome Atherton LR, Nantwich Town, Stamford AFC, AFC Totton and Slough Town to even reach this stage. They faced Crystal Palace, the first time the FA Cup holders had met a non-League side since 2004-05. The last time the holders were knocked out by a non-league team was in 1908-09, when Palace themselves, then in the Southern League, beat Wolves.
Despite a relatively steady start by Palace, with Yéremy Pino and Christantus Uche coming close to scoring, Macclesfield frustrated the Premier League side with a disciplined defensive display. Just two minutes before halftime, Luke Duffy's curled cross found captain Paul Dawson, who headed the ball into the far corner, giving Macclesfield a surprising lead.
Palace responded at the beginning of the second half by introducing Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell, and Brennan Johnson. However, Macclesfield struck again in the 60th minute. Following a scramble in the penalty area, the ball fell to Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, who flicked it past Palace goalkeeper Walter Benítez.
The goal injected urgency into Palace's play, with Uche and Pino threatening the Macclesfield goal. Pino eventually scored a stunning free-kick in the 90th minute, setting up a tense six minutes of stoppage time. Macclesfield, however, held on to secure a famous victory.
After the match, Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner didn't hold back, stating he had "no explanation" for his team's "lack of quality" and that they "deserved to lose". He described Macclesfield's second goal as "slapstick" and congratulated them on their victory.
The final whistle sparked wild celebrations as Macclesfield fans stormed the pitch, carrying Dawson and Duffy aloft. For Macclesfield, this victory is not just a sporting achievement but also a morale boost for a club still grieving the loss of their forward, Ethan McLeod, who died in December. This historic win will be remembered as one of the FA Cup's greatest giant-killing acts, a testament to the magic and unpredictability of the competition.
