Macclesfield upsets FA Cup holder Crystal Palace in huge shock

The FA Cup delivered another fairytale result on Saturday when sixth-tier Macclesfield – managed by Wayne Rooney's brother John Rooney – knocked out titleholders Crystal Palace in one of the competition's greatest upsets.

The teams were separated by 117 places in the English football pyramid but Macclesfield won 2-1 which, given the difference in league positions, goes down as the most unlikely result in the FA Cup's 155-year history.

At the other extreme, Manchester City overwhelmed third-tier Exeter 10-1 in a match featuring a goal on his debut by $87 million signing Antoine Semenyo.

City tying the record for its biggest ever win wasn't the story of the day in the third round, though.

That belonged to Macclesfield, a tiny club from England's north west that was relaunched after its predecessor, Macclesfield Town, was liquidated in 2020 because of debts.

The team, placed 14th in National League North, is still coming to terms with the loss of its 21-year-old forward Ethan McLeod, who was killed in a car crash travelling back from a match he played at Bedford Town on December 16. A banner bearing his name hung behind the dugouts at the Palace game and his family were in the stands to watch.

"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," Rooney said. "Just knowing they were here with us, and I'm sure Ethan was looking down on us today."

Macclesfield took the lead just before halftime through captain Paul Dawson, before Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th following a scramble in the penalty area.

Yeremy Pino's last-minute free kick for Palace left Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans chanted "Silkmen! Silkmen!" – the club's nickname.

Macclesfield survived, their players adding their names to the competition's lore.

Fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose – Macclesfield's modest 5,900-capacity stadium – in celebration at the final whistle while Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.

"I didn't think it was possible but there is that little bit of hope that anything can happen on the day," said Rooney, who started and ended his playing career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season managing. "I can't believe it. We were incredible from the first minute."