Crystal Palace suffers surprise defeat to Macclesfield in FA Cup

Crystal Palace, FA Cup holders and Premier League club, suffered a surprise defeat to Macclesfield Town, a team from six leagues lower, in the FA Cup on Saturday. The match saw Macclesfield Town advance to the fourth round with a 2-1 victory.

Macclesfield Town took an early lead when captain Paul Dawson headed in a cross from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute. Isaac Buckley-Ricketts doubled the score in the 60th minute, prompting celebrations from the home fans. The goal was scored after Buckley-Ricketts received a pass through the Manchester City academy and deftly clipped the ball past goalkeeper Walter Benítez with the outside of his right foot.

Macclesfield Town’s coach, John Rooney, who started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club, led his team to victory. Rooney is in only his first season coaching and is the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.

The match was marked by a dramatic turn of events, including a last-minute free kick from Yeremy Pino that left Macclesfield facing six minutes of stoppage time. The home fans broke into chants of “Silkmen! Silkmen!” as the team held on to their lead. Palace’s dismal performance was summed up when United States central defender Chris Richards committed a foul throw in the final minute of stoppage time, giving possession back to Macclesfield.

The FA Cup has a long history of giant killings, and Macclesfield Town’s victory sits at the top of those achievements. The team is currently 14th in National League North, 11 points above the relegation zone, and may well come to be regarded as one of the most famous teams in the competition’s history.

Source: Al Jazeera