Macclesfield 0-1 Brentford — Heathcote own goal ends spirited FA Cup run
Macclesfield's bid to repeat their famous giant-killing ended in cruel fashion on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026 ET, as a Sam Heathcote own goal handed Brentford a 1-0 win at Moss Rose and a place in the FA Cup fifth round.
Macclesfield dominance but no reward
The National League North side set the tone from the first whistle and spent much of the opening 45 minutes on the front foot. John Rooney's team were first to virtually every loose ball, pressed relentlessly and carried genuine threat through Isaac Buckley-Ricketts, Paul Dawson and Luke Duffy. Dawson headed over from a free kick early on and several promising approaches fizzed into the box, leaving the home crowd convinced a breakthrough would come.
Brentford, fielding a rotated XI with seven changes, looked uncharacteristically flat. The visitors struggled for rhythm and were often hurried out of possession by Macclesfield's intensity. Romelle Donovan and a debutant in midfield created occasional moments of menace for the Bees, but long spells of possession inside the final third failed to produce the decisive touch Macclesfield deserved before half-time.
With industrious defending and a compact shape, Macclesfield frustrated their higher-ranked opponents. Moments that might ordinarily have belonged to a Premier League side — deep crosses, composure inside the box — were repeatedly repelled by the hosts. At the interval the scoreline read 0-0, but the feel of the night remained very much in Macclesfield's favour.
Late twist hands Brentford progression
The picture shifted after the break as Brentford began to impose themselves more often, forcing a series of corners and edging the pressure higher. It was a sustained spell that eventually yielded the decisive moment. In the 70th minute Aaron Hickey worked space down the left and whipped in a dangerous cross that Sam Heathcote inadvertently diverted past his own goalkeeper.
The stadium exhaled and Macclesfield pushed hard for an equaliser. A penalty appeal for handball was waved away and substitutes offered fresh legs, but brave blocks inside the box and last-ditch defending kept the visitors afloat. Brentford rode their luck at times, yet managed to cling to the slender advantage until the final whistle.
The winner means a fifth-round trip to London awaits Brentford, while Macclesfield's memorable cup run — which included that season-defining victory over top-flight opposition last month — ends with heads held high rather than hung low.
Reaction and what comes next
There was little doubt in the visitors' dugout about the scale of Macclesfield's performance. The Brentford head coach praised the bravery and togetherness on show from the home side and paid personal tribute to the work done by their coaching staff. Across the pitch, John Rooney spoke of pride in his players' efforts and highlighted how far the club had come during their cup adventure.
For Macclesfield, the evening underlined the unpredictable romance of the fa cup — a reminder that lower-league teams can still unsettle the established order with belief and organisation. For Brentford, the victory provides a welcome, if narrow, escape and a tougher assignment in the next round.
Ultimately it was a single, unfortunate touch that decided a tie many expected to tilt heavily in favour of the Premier League side before kick-off. Instead the result reflected a competitive contest in which the underdogs pushed the favourites to the limit and only a late slice of misfortune denied them more silverware memories.
