Cowley: It’s football miracle and we’ve brought magic back

as League One side Millwall piled more misery on Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri by knocking out the reigning Premier League champions.

Huddersfield also held mighty Manchester City, although there was no doubt top billing went to Lincoln who, alongside Sutton, have helped to breathe new life into football’s most famous knockout tournament.

Yesterday’s win for Danny Cowley’s team made them the first non-league team into the quarterfinals since 1914, following up wins against Ipswich Town and Brighton.

‘It’s a football miracle to have a non-league team in the last eight.

We’ve brought some of the magic back,’ said Cowley. ‘Anyone who says the FA Cup is dead hasn’t been to Lincoln in the last six to eight weeks. This football club has had a tough time and this cup run is a game-changer in terms of profile and finance.

‘Our players deserve that. A lot of them them have been part-time where they’ve really had to fight. It’s not romantic and to have this moment in the limelight is thoroughly deserved.’

Danny and his assistant Nicky are fast becoming English sport’s most popular footballing brothers.

The prolonged celebrations at Turf Moor meant Cowley was forced to skip a scouting trip to spy on Lincoln’s next opponents, North Ferriby, who they face on Tuesday.

It also meant the players had to celebrate by drenching each other with water in the dressing-room afterwards instead of drinking alcohol. Goalscorer Raggett, 23, said: ‘It’s crazy. Unbelievable. It was a battle and we held our own against a Premier League team. I knew my goal was over the line but I don’t know why the linesman waited so long to give it. Maybe he was waiting for confirmation from the technology. I am an Arsenal fan so I would like them next.’

Sutton, the other non-league side still in the cup, will be hoping they can dash Raggett’s dream by stunning the Gunners at their tiny Gander Green Lane home tomorrow night.

Lincoln are only the second nonleague side to beat a top-flight team away from home in the last 40 years — Luton Town winning at Norwich in 2013.

Champions Leicester, meanwhile, went down 1-0 at ten-man Millwall to extend their winless run in 2017.

Shaun Cummings scored the only goal after Millwall’s Luke Cooper had been sent off early in the second half, and boss Neil Harris credited Lincoln for giving his side the self-belief to pull off their own victory.

‘We took inspiration from what they did,’ admitted Harris. ‘This just sums up the FA Cup.’