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.
Relief was the main emotion experienced by the Brentford fans on the uncovered Silkmen Terrace at Moss Rose. Exposed to a freezing wind on this Monday night, they will have been additionally grateful to avoid extra-time and penalties.
Watching the Bees in Keith Andrews’ debut season as 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, but it made for more nervous moments than hoped.
Ultimately, the Bees got through this tricky test on the plastic pitch at Moss Rose, 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.
Brentford starting XI: Valdimarsson, Kayode, Collins (c), Pinnock, Hickey, Janelt, Jensen, Yarmoliuk, Donovan, Furo, Nelson
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)