Macclesfield score greatest FA Cup upset, Man City hit Exeter for 10, Rosenior’s winning start

Minor-league Macclesfield delivered the biggest upset in FA Cup history on Saturday by ‌stunning holders Crystal Palace 2–1 in a third-round thriller, knocking Oliver Glasner’s team out of the competition and sending the Moss Rose crowd into raptures.

Manchester City humbled Exeter City 10-1, ‍Aston Villa beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 and Liam Rosenior’s reign as Chelsea manager began with a 5-1 win at second-tier Charlton Athletic.

The day, however, belonged to sixth-tier Macclesfield who became the first minor league club to beat the FA Cup holders for more than 100 years.

Captain Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts struck in each half as Macclesfield, coached by Wayne Rooney’s younger brother John, bridged a gap of 117 places in England’s football pyramid, an FA Cup record.

“I can’t believe it, we never thought we would ⁠be in this position,” John Rooney told the BBC. “We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn’t be any prouder of the lads.”

Palace never looked comfortable on the plastic pitch and Dawson rose to head home a curled free kick from Luke Duffy in the 43rd minute. Buckley-Ricketts doubled Macclesfield’s lead in the 60th minute when he twisted his body to wrong-foot Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez.