Macclesfield stuns Crystal Palace in FA Cup upset
John Rooney praised his non-league Macclesfield side after they dumped holders Crystal Palace out of the FA Cup in one of the biggest upsets in the competition’s history, reports BritPanorama.
National League North Macclesfield, formed five years ago from the ashes of Macclesfield Town, started the day 117 places below Premier League Palace and became the first non-league team in 117 years to beat the FA Cup holders, a feat last achieved by a Southern League side in 1909.
Macclesfield outplayed the Londoners in their 2-1 victory, with captain Paul Dawson setting the tone with a full-throttle challenge that earned him a cut to the head in the opening seconds before he himself headed in the opening goal two minutes before half-time.
Stunned, Palace manager Oliver Glasner made three changes to a flat side at the break, but the adjustments did little to impact the game. Macclesfield continued to assert their dominance, doubling their lead through Isaac Buckley-Ricketts on the hour mark.
Yeremy Pino’s 90th-minute free-kick set up six nervy minutes of stoppage time. However, Macclesfield managed to see out the tense final moments, with every challenge supported by a sold-out crowd who charged onto the pitch at full-time.
Manager Rooney, brother of former England captain Wayne, reflected, “It still doesn’t feel real. To go and perform the way they did…I spoke before the game about having a little bit of hope in the FA Cup, but do they really believe it? Probably not.”
He added, “When you’re 1-0 up you’re thinking, can we get to half-time? The message then is just managing the game, can we slow the game down? I thought they did it unbelievably.” Rooney remarked on the performance saying, “I thought we were the deserved winners on the day.”
It was a day of celebration for a club still coming to terms with the loss of 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who died in a car crash last December. A banner bearing his name hung behind the dugouts, and his family was present in the stands. Rooney noted, “For me, when we finished the game and then I walk in the office and see Ethan’s mum and dad in there, that’s very special to me. Just knowing they were here with us, and I’m sure Ethan was looking down on us today.”
While Macclesfield celebrated, Palace boss Glasner looked stunned after witnessing his side meekly surrender the trophy they won in May. Describing his team’s performance, he stated, “I have no words for this performance. It’s not just losing; it was creating no chances, and this was really hard to watch.” He expressed frustration at the lack of intensity and quality, noting, “Nobody could dribble past even one player. There was no physical presence.”
This upset serves as a poignant reminder of the beauty and unpredictability of the FA Cup, where dreams are forged, and history rewritten. Macclesfield’s journey embodies the essence of the competition, a testament to the spirit found in lower league football.
