Giant killers Lincoln City the FA Cup story of the century

19 February 2017 - 02:00 By Reuters and bbc.com
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
Lincoln City's hero Sean Raggett beats Michael Keane of Burnley to the ball in FA Cup action.
Lincoln City's hero Sean Raggett beats Michael Keane of Burnley to the ball in FA Cup action.
Image: REUTERS

Lincoln City become first non-league side to reach the quarter finals of the FA Cup in 103 years after they beat top-flight Burnley 1-0 yesterday.

Sean Raggett’s goal in the 90th minute settled a scrappy match at Turf Moor, making Lincoln the first minor league club to reach the last eight of English soccer’s most prestigious knockout competition since 1914.

The visitors, who play in the fifth-tier National League, matched a side 81 places higher up the English ladder and should have taken an early lead when Jack Muldoon fired over.

Burnley, with only three defeats in their previous 29 home matches in all competitions, struggled to make their higher status show until the latter stages when they finally began to pile pressure on a tiring Lincoln side.

But just when it seemed the Premier League side would score, Lincoln were awarded a corner and after Burnley failed to clear Raggett rose above a crowd of players to head the ball over the line.

They survived five minutes of stoppage time, including Burnley’s keeper Tom Heaton going forward to try to salvage a draw, to spark wild celebrations among the 3 500 travelling fans.

Mourinho has ‘respect’ FA Cup holders Manchester United will not be taking today’s fifthround clash against second-tier Blackburn Rovers lightly despite a heavy fixture schedule, said manager José Mourinho.

In 2005, Mourinho’s Chelsea were knocked out of the FA Cup by Newcastle United in the same week as wins in the League Cup final over Liverpool and Champions League against Barcelona.

“Yes, I threw it away. In the same week was Champions League against Barcelona and the cup final against Liverpool and in the middle of it we had FA Cup against Newcastle and I threw it away, I gambled too much,” he said.

Mourinho will resist the temptation to make wholesale changes for the game at Ewood Park as he tries to navigate a hectic run of fixtures.

“I focused too much on Barcelona and Liverpool,” he said.

“It was good because we beat Barcelona and won the final against Liverpool. But the feeling that I threw it away was not good.” United play the second leg against St Etienne on Wednesday before facing Southampton in the League Cup final on Sunday when Mourinho will be bidding to win his first major trophy at the club.

“I am not going to throw it away, ” he said. “We go to Blackburn with that respect.”

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now