Going this far in the Cup is like getting to Pluto

as Alan Power slotted home a penalty and Chelsea loanee Fikayo Tomori sliced into his own net.

Theo Robinson’s third for the hosts late on, after another defensive mistake, saw the travelling fans streaming out of the away end and towards the city’s famous cathedral and their counterparts invading the pitch.

“The football gods were with us today but we set a new benchmark in terms of our levels,” said Cowley.

“We were disappointed to concede the goal and after using the analogy of getting to the moon in the week, it was now like getting to Pluto.

“Whenever we play against a team of higher status than us we try to shorten the game. We know if we can do that we have a much better chance of getting on the right side of it.

“We really believe in our fitness, our resolve, resilience as a group, so we felt if we had to take it long we could. Fortunately, we didn’t have to.” A return to the Football League after a six- year absence remains a priority but Lincoln’s heroics – already worth over £500,000 – are on course to double that.

A live fifth-round television appearance alone pays £247,500. Lincoln came into the game on a wave of optimism despite the midweek loss to Barrow – only their second in any competition since September.

And the locals were on a high in the eighth minute when Robinson converted from the edge of the area only for a linesman’s flag to rule it out. Brighton did not lack attacking fluency and went ahead when Towell buried the ball inside the goal from Glenn Murray’s flick-on.

Yet going 1-0 down did not deter the minnows and they were handed a lifeline eight minutes into the second half as Murray was adjudged to have held back the competition’s top scorer Robinson in the box.

The three- minute delay while Niki Maeenpa, who fell awkwardly trying to claim Bradley Wood’s delivery, received treatment for a shoulder injury, only added to the tension. But Power kept his cool to send substitute keeper Kasper Ankergren the wrong way from 12 yards. And the game was spun on its head when Nathan Arnold crossed from the right and the luckless Tomori got in a tangle.

Then when Uwe Hunemeier coughed up possession, Matt Rhead slipped in Robinson to open up a two-goal lead. Brighton boss Chris Hughton said: “Yes it hurts more, and we have all been there. It’s a result I couldn’t see at half-time.

“Were they a better team than us? No. But they didn’t make mistakes to let us score, we did. Credit to Lincoln and I sincerely hope they get a good draw.”