Macclesfield FC produced one of the greatest shocks in Emirates FA Cup history as the non-league side defeated defending champions Crystal Palace 2-1 in the third round on Saturday. The win is being called the biggest upset ever, with Macclesfield bridging a huge gap of 117 league places to knock out the Premier League holders. It also marks the first time in 108 years that a non-league team has eliminated the FA Cup holders.
Macclesfield entered the match full of belief and showed no signs of being intimidated. Paul Dawson scored just before half-time with a powerful header after meeting Luke Duffy's curling cross. In the second half, Isaac Buckley-Ricketts doubled the lead with a clever flick inside the box, putting the National League North side in full control.
Crystal Palace pushed back, creating late pressure, and Yeremy Pino pulled one goal back with a stunning 90th-minute free-kick. However, Macclesfield defended bravely through six minutes of added time to secure their spot in the fourth round and spark wild celebrations across the stadium.
The match also made history as it was the first meeting between FA Cup holders and a non-league side since 2004-05. Before this, no non-league club had beaten the holders since 1908-09 — a defeat that also involved Crystal Palace.
Speaking after the match, Macclesfield manager John Rooney said he was incredibly proud of his squad and did not imagine such a moment would be possible. The club had started their FA Cup journey in the qualifying rounds, beating multiple lower-tier teams just to reach the third round.
