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Non-league Lincoln stun Burnley in FA Cup

The Lincoln City team celebrate their win
The Lincoln City team celebrate their win

Lincoln pulled off one of the great FA Cup upsets as Sean Raggett's late goal secured the National League outfit a 1-0 victory at Premier League Burnley and a place in the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

Raggett scored the dramatic winner with an 89th-minute header that Clarets goalkeeper Tom Heaton could only push away once it had crossed the line, sending the travelling Imps fans into delirium.

The deserved triumph sees Lincoln become the first non-league club to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals since it adopted its current structure in 1925, with QPR, in 1914, having been the last to get to that stage of the competition.

Lincoln's run to this round - featuring victories over Championship sides Ipswich and Brighton - had been remarkable as it was.

But this really was something special from Danny Cowley's men, not just in that they beat a top-flight side away, but particularly given it was Burnley, who had won seven of their previous eight home matches in all competitions.

23-year-old Raggett told BT Sport 2: "I'm lost for words, it's mad, I can't believe it. The fans were amazing, all through the game.

"They're a top quality side, drew with Chelsea last week, it's amazing.

"Belief? Massively, we didn't come to draw, we came to win the game.

"Crazy, a non-league side in the quarter-finals in modern football, it's unheard of."

The Lincoln manager said he was "lost for words" after the final whistle.

"Last eight of the FA Cup - it sounds really good," Cowley said. "I'm lost for words."

It was therefore initially left to his brother Nicky, the assistant manager, to sum up family feelings.

"We said it was a one in 100 chance and we had to believe it was going to be that one opportunity. Thankfully for us it was," he said.

"Incredible, a fantastic day. You wake up in the morning and you hope it's going to be that day. It's just brilliant for all the supporters, all the players, their families, directors, it's fantastic."

The manager managed to find some words when recalling his reaction to Raggett's goal.

Raggett's winner came after a Sam Habergham corner was headed back across goal by Luke Waterfall.

urnley keeper Tom Heaton pushed the ball away but it had already crossed the line, with referee Graham Scott immediately awarding the goal.

"From the view we had it was difficult to see whether it was over the line or not," said the boss.

"We needed the referee to point his arm in the direction of the centre spot and when that happened it was a fantastic feeling."

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