FA Cup: From 10-goal routs to historic upsets

THE FA CUP delivered a study in extremes on Saturday, with ruthless dominance at one end of the third round and a historic shock at the other as English football’s vast pyramid was stretched to its limits.

Heavyweights largely flexed their muscle across the country. Manchester City ran riot, Chelsea began a new managerial era with ease, and several Premier League sides advanced without major alarm. Yet as the results rolled in, one scoreline refused to fit the script.

Big names, big margins

Manchester City produced the most emphatic result of the round, humbling League One Exeter City 10-1. Antoine Semenyo marked his debut with a goal as City matched their biggest win in the competition.

Aston Villa edged Tottenham Hotspur 2-1, increasing the pressure on Spurs manager Thomas Frank, while Liam Rosenior’s reign as Chelsea manager began with a 5-1 victory at second-tier Charlton Athletic. Chelsea goals came from Jorrel Hato, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez.

Elsewhere, Newcastle edged top-flight rivals Bournemouth 7-6 on penalties after a 3-3 draw following extra time. Anthony Gordon scored a 95th-minute penalty to make it 2-2, Harvey Barnes struck in the 118th minute, and Marcus Tavernier replied in stoppage time to force a shootout.

Fulham, Brentford and Burnley all progressed, while Wolverhampton Wanderers maintained their recent improvement with a 6-1 thrashing of League Two Shrewsbury Town. Everton’s first FA Cup tie at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium ended in defeat as Sunderland won on penalties after a 1-1 draw, with Robin Roefs saving all three spot-kicks he faced.

Stoke City edged Championship leaders Coventry City 1-0, Southampton beat Doncaster Rovers 3-2 and Ipswich Town defeated Blackpool 2-1.

A result that stopped the round

Amid the familiarity of favourites advancing, sixth-tier Macclesfield delivered the result of the day by stunning holders Crystal Palace 2–1 at Moss Rose.

The result made Macclesfield the first minor league club to beat the FA Cup holders for more than 100 years, bridging a gap of 117 places in the English football pyramid, an FA Cup record.

Captain Paul Dawson and Isaac Buckley-Ricketts struck in each half. Dawson opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, rising to head home a curled Luke Duffy free kick, before Buckley-Ricketts doubled the lead in the 60th minute by twisting his body to wrong-foot Palace goalkeeper Walter Benitez.

Palace pulled one back in the 90th minute through a stunning Yeremy Pino free kick, setting up nervy added-time minutes, but Macclesfield held on.

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

Dawson, who played much of the match with a bandaged head, said: "I was surprised (with the win), the gaffer gave us a game plan and we all stuck to it. Macclesfield means the world to me. It's an immense achievement. I am proud of the boys and proud of the fans. It's a really big community club."

Holders undone

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner, who made six changes from Wednesday’s 0-0 draw with Aston Villa, sent on Will Hughes, Tyrick Mitchell and Brennan Johnson at the start of the second half, but the visitors struggled throughout on the artificial pitch. However, Glasner refused to blame the playing surface.

"We had no kind of quality today and I saw no one who could win a dribble. Then conceding set goals and timing in the header," Glasner said. "We deserved to lose. I have no explanation for what I have seen today."

Palace were the last non-league club to beat the FA Cup holders when, as a Southern League team, they defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers in 1908-09. This time, they were the holders on the wrong side of history.