English football witnessed one of its most astonishing giant-killing acts on Saturday, January 10, 2026, as sixth-tier minnows Macclesfield Town toppled the mighty Crystal Palace, the defending FA Cup champions, with a stunning 2-1 victory in the third round.
The Historic Giant-Killing at Moss Rose
The drama unfolded at the intimate Moss Rose stadium, a ground with a capacity of just 5,900 in northwest England. Against all odds, the part-time players from the National League North – a full five divisions below the Premier League – outplayed their illustrious opponents. The home side took a shock lead just before halftime when captain Paul Dawson powered in a header from a Luke Duffy cross in the 43rd minute.
The dream solidified in the 60th minute when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, a product of the Manchester City academy, doubled the lead. After a scramble in the box, Buckley-Ricketts showed sublime skill, clipping the ball with the outside of his right foot past Palace goalkeeper Walter Benítez.
Rooney's Pride and Palace's Despair
The mastermind behind this footballing fairy tale was John Rooney, the younger brother of England legend Wayne Rooney, who is in his first season as Macclesfield's coach. An emotional Rooney told the BBC, "I can’t believe it, we never thought we would be in this position. We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners."
Premier League Palace, utterly out of sorts, managed a late consolation when Yeremy Pino curled in a free-kick in the final minute. This led to a nervy six minutes of stoppage time, where the home fans roared their nickname, "Silkmen!" The visitors' dismal day was perfectly captured when American defender Chris Richards committed a foul throw in the dying seconds, handing possession back to the heroes.
Celebrations and a Place in History
At the final whistle, pandemonium erupted as ecstatic fans stormed the Moss Rose pitch. The match-winners, Dawson and Duffy, were carried aloft on the shoulders of supporters in a scene of pure joy. This result instantly entered FA Cup folklore, alongside legendary upsets like non-league Hereford beating Newcastle in 1972.
A shell-shocked Crystal Palace manager, Oliver Glasner, had no excuses. "You don’t need tactics. In these kinds of games, you don’t need a manager," he admitted to the BBC. "We deserved to lose." Palace captain Marc Guéhi was left to console the team's traveling supporters after a humbling exit.
The magic of the FA Cup was in full flow this weekend, following second-tier Wrexham's elimination of Nottingham Forest a day earlier. In other third-round action, Sunderland beat Everton on penalties, Wolves thrashed Shrewsbury 6-1, and Leicester won 2-0 at Cheltenham.
