Macclesfield could not replicate the magic of their recent FA Cup victory against Crystal Palace, as a Sam Heathcote own goal propelled Brentford into the fifth round following an energetic clash at Moss Rose.
Premier League side Brentford began the match 116 places ahead of the National League North outfit—one less than the Palace team that was famously defeated here in January. yet, the disparity between the sides flipped as John Rooney’s semi-professionals controlled the opening half.
The Bees, making seven changes to their lineup, struggled to match the determination and skill of a Macclesfield team hungry for giant-killing and eyeing a fifth-round encounter with West Ham.
Yet, they failed to secure an early advantage and could not maintain their intense pace as the match unfolded.
Keith Andrews’ squad may have lacked top-flight quality, but they established their presence in the final third, probing relentlessly until fortune favored them. That luck materialized in the 70th minute, when Aaron Hickey found room on the left and delivered a cross that the unfortunate Heathcote headed past his own goalkeeper.
Macclesfield ruled the first half, always first to the ball and bursting with a desire that their more illustrious opponents couldn’t match. The only thing lacking was the ability to convert their chances into goals.
The tone was set right away, with less than a minute gone when Isaac Buckley-Ricketts earned a free kick, which Paul Dawson headed over. Both players had scored against the holders, Palace, and were eager to repeat the feat.
Brentford’s reshuffled lineup, on the other hand, appeared sluggish and disorganized, clearly pressured by the home side. Luke Duffy was particularly effective at disrupting their rhythm and seized a poorly-placed pass, firing it over the bar.
Yehor Yarmolyuk lost the ball to the duo of Duffy and D’Mani Mellor in the 18th minute, allowing Dawson a clear shot on goal. He launched a strike from 20 yards but narrowly missed as the crowd’s anticipation heightened.
In stark contrast, the Bees were hesitant, often seeking Romelle Donovan’s pace on the right but managing little more than a goalmouth scramble and an inaccurate header from debutant Kaye Furo, who recently arrived from Club Brugge.
Their error count increased when keyy Janelt slipped under Duffy’s pressure, dragging him down and earning a yellow card, which may have saved his team from worse consequences.
A rare Brentford attack saw Max Dearnley make a solid save from Reiss Nelson, but the score remained level at half-time, which flattered the visitors.
The dynamic changed after the break, with Brentford generating chances from consecutive corners and seeing two promising crosses missed as they began to apply pressure.
The corners kept piling up as Macclesfield were pushed back, one forced Dearnley into a tip-over from Mathias Jensen’s floated pass into the box.
A moment of hesitation from goalkeeper Hákon Valdimarsson almost allowed Macclesfield substitute James Gale to capitalize, but moments later, the decisive goal arrived. Hickey maneuvered down the left side and delivered a cross, only for Heathcote to unwittingly meet it with his head and send it into his own net.
The crowd erupted in search of an equalizer as a potential handball claim against Michael Kayode went unheeded.
When Mellor found a good position inside the box, two formidable blocks thwarted the narrative of an exciting ending, but Brentford’s missed opportunity during the closing seconds kept the game from extending into extra time.
