Brentford reach FA Cup last 16 for first time in seven years after avoiding upset at Macclesfield

Macclesfield (0) 0 v Brentford (0) 1

Heathcote (og) 70

By Kaz Mochlinski at Moss Rose

FA Cup

Fourth Round

Brentford escaped an extremely embarrassing FA Cup upset by Macclesfield at Moss Rose but it needed a heart-breaking late own-goal to prevent the non-league team from adding to their previous giant-killing heroics.

Having unforgettably knocked-out Crystal Palace in the third round last month to create one of the biggest shocks ever in the FA Cup, the sixth-tier side came close to repeating the feat against another Premier League club from the capital.

A much-weakened Bees line-up, with seven changes from their last game at home to Arsenal, struggled to open up the opposition and managed to record only one attempt on target over the course of the contest in East Cheshire.

However, with 20 minutes to go, substitute Keane Lewis-Potter played in Aaron Hickey down the left wing for a superb left-footed cross to the near post, which the Macclesfield centre-back Sam Heathcote inadvertently headed into the wrong net.

It was a cruel way for the Silkmen’s epic cup run to end, and especially hard on Heathcote, who has been a colossal contributor to it. A PE teacher at a local school, he gets teased mercilessly by his pupils for any mistakes he makes in matches.

The only goal of the game was doubly unfortunate for Macclesfield as it was scored while they were briefly reduced to 10 men by a hamstring injury to Lewis Fensome, with the right-back waiting to be substituted and unable to defend Hickey’s cross.

Relief was the main emotion experienced by the Brentford fans on the uncovered Silkmen Terrace at Moss Rose. Exposed to a freezing wind throughout this Monday evening, they will have been additionally grateful to avoid extra-time and penalties.

Watching the Bees in Keith Andrews’ debut season as the head coach has already had several high points, and that was added to by Brentford reaching the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in seven years.

The eventual result justified his decision to rest Igor Thiago, Kevin Schade, Jordan Henderson, Mikkel Damsgaard and Caoimhín Kelleher completely from the squad which travelled to Macclesfield, although it made for a much more nervous night.

Andrews gave a debut at centre-forward to the club’s new signing from Club Brugge, Kaye Furo, and in the latter stages also introduced from the bench the Brentford B-side player, Luka Bentt, on the right wing for his first appearance in the first team.

Taking the opportunity to provide promising young players with valuable experience turned a tricky test on the plastic pitch at Moss Rose into an even more difficult assignment for Brentford against the remarkably resolute and spirited part-timers.

Ultimately, the Bees got through to earn a London derby away to West Ham United in the last 16. And they will not fear the trip to the Olympic Park, where they have won in the Premier League this season.

Macclesfield: (4-2-3-1) Dearnley - Fensome (Matheson 71), Heathcote, Borthwick-Jackson, Lacey - Osborne (Johnson 85), Dawson - Duffy, Edmonson, Buckley-Ricketts (Gale 68) - Mellor

Brentford: (4-2-3-1) Valdimarsson - Kayode, Collins, Pinnock, Hickey - Yarmoliuk, Janelt - Donovan (Bentt 94), Jensen, Nelson (Lewis-Potter 61) - Furo (Ouattara 71)

Attendance: 5,348