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OTD: When Palace caused an almighty FA Cup upset despite ...

OTD When Palace caused an almighty FA Cup upset despite
On this very day 103 years ago, Crystal Palace achieved one of the most remarkable FA Cup victories in the club's proud history.

The first round draw in 1922 sent Palace, then in the lower half of the Second Division and trailing the likes of South Shields and Rotherham County, up to Merseyside to face Everton.

Back then the Toffees were two-time champions of England and - having finished 7th the previous season - fighting it out in the top tier, then known as the First Division.

It was expected to be a routine for Everton, with the Glaziers not given much chance by the local press, the Liverpool Courier writing in their pre-match preview that the tie should provide Everton with a "stepping stone" into round two.

How wrong they were. The Glaziers were a goal up inside four minutes courtesy of John Whibley. Shell-shocked, Everton were then 2-0 down before the half-time break thanks to Bertie Menlove.

Palace truly cemented a historic win with three further goals in only two minutes. Menlove, Alan Wood and Jack Connor rapidly making it five. Everton's woe was compounded when Stan Fazackerley then fired a penalty hopelessly wide. By the time Connor added another in the 85th minute, much of the 41,000 crowd had slumped off home.

Incredibly, a 6-0 away win could - and perhaps should - have been double figures. Palace had two perfectly good goals disallowed for offside and two legitimate penalty claims turned down, the officials perhaps wanting to save the top-flight team from further embarrassment.

It was at the time - and arguably remains to this day - one of the biggest FA Cup shocks of all-time.

The Liverpool Courier wrote in their match report - "it was a staggering blow [to Everton] and will be talked of for many days to come." 103 years on, it's safe to say they weren't wrong.

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