**An own-goal from centre-back Sam Heathcote brought non-league Macclesfield Town’s FA Cup fairytale to a cruel end in the Fourth Round as they fought bravely to a 1-0 defeat against Brentford at the** [**Leasing.com**](http://Leasing.com) **stadium.**
The phoenix club held out for 70 minutes until Aaron Hickey’s wicked cross from the left was turned into the net past an in-form Max Dearnley, after they had started the game brightest.
Keith Andrew’s men survived a late penalty scare as the ball came off of the hand of Michael Kayode, but the Bees prevented John Rooney’s side from making history as the only club to ever knock out two top-flight sides.
Macclesfield embraced the FA Cup spirit again and came flying out the blocks, as their unmarked captain Paul Dawson headed over a free kick from inside the penalty area just two minutes in.
Young Brentford winger Romelle Donovan then rolled a sloppy pass across the edge of his own box and straight into the path of Luke Duffy, and his shot wasn’t far over the crossbar.
Yehor Yarmoulik was given very little time in the middle and eventually lost it on halfway, as the hosts worked it to Dawson again – his fierce low shot ran just wide of the post, with half the ground believing it was in.
The phoenix club hosts looked nervy when a goalmouth scramble ensued 20 minutes in, but a body in red and white ended up getting in the way of the shot from point blank range.
Brentford enjoyed a good spell on the ball, as could’ve been expected, but had to wait half an hour for an opening when Aaron Hickey picked out Reiss Nelson from the left, and his shot was well parried by Dearnley.
There was no way through for Keith Andrew’s side before half time, at which the Silkmen were applauded off for putting their fearless attitude on full show once more against Premier League opposition.
Macclesfield’s assistant manager Francis Jeffers, formerly of Everton and Arsenal, called upon John Rooney’s players to stay switched on and maintain the level of the first half in an interview with TNT Sports during the interval.
Brentford came close as Michael Kayode lashed a cross in from the right byline and Donovan tried to flick it on across the face of goal but Borthwick Jackson, who was without a club for 17 months before joining the Silkmen, steered it behind.
It was very much a repeat from a corner on the left hand side, but Hickey just couldn’t reach it at the back post as the hour mark drew near.
Dearnley was called into action once again to tip over Jensen’s looping ball from halfway inside Macclesfield territory, as the corner was dealt with confidently again.
But all of Macclesfield’s hard work was undone in a horror moment for centre-back Sam Heathcote, desperately throwing himself at Hickey’s cross after a smart run on the underlap to meet Keane Lewis-Potter’s through ball.
The ball flew past his goalkeeper and into the net right in front of the away supporters.
With under 10 minutes left the [Leasing.com](http://Leasing.com) stadium was sent into raptures as the shot from striker D’Mani Bughail-Mellor hit the hand of Kayode, but referee Darren England ruled it was in a natural position.
Five minutes of added time gave Macclesfield a shot at more history and avoided a second when Yarmoulik toe-poked wide on the counter, but that proved to be the last action of their record-breaking FA Cup journey.
**More to follow.**