Macclesfield's shock win against Crystal Palace makes FA Cup history

If you play for a sports club, you'll know how amazing it would feel to beat a team ranked way higher than yours.

And that's just what happened to Macclesfield FC, having shocked the footballing world by beating Crystal Palace 2-1.

The teams faced each other in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon.

Not only are Palace the current Cup holders, but Macclesfield are a massive 117 places below the South London team, in the sixth tier.

The incredible result for Macc has been described as the biggest upset in FA cup history and a deserved win for the Silkmen, who were the better team on the day.

Palace have now failed to win a match in nine games, but this will surely have been their most disappointing loss so far.

Everyone on the northern home side however was over the moon after the game, with fans rushing onto the pitch to congratulate their team after the final whistle.

Manager John Rooney, was delighted, as was his brother, Manchester United ex-star Wayne Rooney, who came to watch the pivotal match and to support him.

Wayne said afterwards: "It's incredible to see my younger brother achieve this... He has not long been the manager. I am so proud of him.

"It's such an achievement. What he's achieved today, absolutely superb."

And John Rooney was just as proud of his players as his brother was of him.

"I can't believe it, we never thought we would be in this position," John Rooney said.

"We were incredible from the first minute. I thought we were deserved winners. I couldn't be any prouder of the lads. I couldn't have asked any more of them and you can see the joy in them."

Captain Paul Dawson, who scored the first goal of the match, said while laughing after the game: "He [John Rooney] told me last week I'm two stone overweight and my best foot is my head!"

Captain Paul Dawson took Macclesfield into the lead with a stunning header in the first half, delighting home fans.

Another goal was scored by Isaac Buckley-Ricketts in the 60th minute, who redirected the ball neatly into the net.

Palace made things tense by scoring a free kick in stoppage time, but it wasn't enough - the result was 2-1, to Macclesfield - and history was made.

The Silkmen will now play Woking, in the FA Cup fourth round, on Tuesday, 13 January, at 7:45pm.