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Macclesfield head to Ibiza after biggest FA Cup upset
Summary
Non-league Macclesfield beat Premier League Crystal Palace 2-1 to reach the FA Cup fourth round, and club owner Robert Smethurst had promised the players a trip to Ibiza if they won.
Content
Macclesfield FC, a non-league club, defeated Premier League Crystal Palace 2-1 at their 5,300-capacity Moss Rose ground to progress in the FA Cup. The result stands out because the two clubs sit 117 league places apart and Palace were the previous season's cup holders. The team dedicated the victory to 21-year-old striker Ethan McLeod, who died in a car accident before Christmas. Owner Robert Smethurst had promised the squad a trip to Ibiza if they won, and he has invested in the club's recovery after earlier financial difficulties.
Key facts:
- Macclesfield beat Crystal Palace 2-1 to advance to the FA Cup fourth round.
- Captain Paul Dawson scored the opening goal, was named man of the match, and played after treatment for an early head injury.
- Isaac Buckley-Ricketts scored Macclesfield's second goal; Palace reduced the deficit with a stoppage-time free kick but could not equalise.
- The match took place at Moss Rose, which has a capacity of about 5,300, and many supporters queued for more than six hours to buy tickets.
- Owner Robert Smethurst bought the club when it faced debt, invested about £4 million, and the team has won three promotions in four seasons to reach the National League North.
- John Rooney is the manager and was joined at the ground by his brother Wayne Rooney, who commented while working as a BBC pundit.
Summary:
The win sends Macclesfield into the FA Cup fourth round, marking a notable achievement for the club and its supporters. Details of their next opponent and the fixture are undetermined at this time.
