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01/10 08:34 CST Defending champion Crystal Palace loses to 6th-tier
Macclesfield 2-1 in massive FA Cup upset
Defending champion Crystal Palace loses to 6th-tier Macclesfield 2-1 in massive
FA Cup upset
MACCLESFIELD, England (AP) --- Minnow Macclesfield beat title holder Crystal
Palace 2-1 in one of the biggest upsets in FA Cup history on Saturday to reach
the fourth round.
Macclesfield is a team playing in the sixth tier of English soccer, five levels
below its Premier League opponent, and took the lead when captain Paul Dawson
headed in a cross from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute.
Isaac Buckley-Ricketts made it 2-0 in the 60th, prompting wild celebrations.
Following a scramble in the penalty area the ball pinged to Buckley-Ricketts,
who came through the Manchester City academy, and he deftly clipped the ball
with the outside of his right foot past goalkeeper Walter Bentez.
Macclesfield is coached by John Rooney, who started and ended his playing
career as a midfielder with the club and is in only his first season coaching.
He is the younger brother of former England and Manchester United star Wayne
Rooney.
Yeremy Pino curled in a last-minute free kick over the wall to leave
Macclesfield facing a nervous six minutes of stoppage time as home fans broke
out into chants of "Silkmen! Silkmen!" --- the club's nickname.
Macclesfield held on against a Palace side whose dismal afternoon was summed up
when U.S. central defender Chris Richards did a foul throw in the final minute
of stoppage time, giving possession back to Macclesfield.
The fans sprinted onto the field at Moss Rose --- a modest 5,900-capacity
stadium in northwest England --- in celebration at the final whistle while
Dawson and Duffy were carried aloft.
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