On the eve of their fairytale Emirates FA Cup quarter-final clash with Arsenal, National League leaders Lincoln City stand on the verge of greatness.
Victory over their Premier League opponents on Saturday would rank right up there with the biggest shocks in the history of the world’s oldest cup competition.
But the Imps have already made history just in making it to the quarter-finals – they are the first non-league team to be there since 1914.
Danny Cowley’s side have beaten Premier League and Championship opposition already on their path to the last-eight and here we chart their historic achievement.
BUMPY BEGINNINGS
Lincoln’s journey started all the way back on 15 October last year in the fourth qualifying round with a goalless draw against Guiseley AFC. In front of 765 fans two goals from Theo Robinson earned a 2-1 win.
Then it was on to the first round proper and a clash with Altrincham. Fittingly, on fireworks night, it was strikes from Sean Raggett – remember the name – and Alan Power that downed their National League North opponents 2-1.
Back then the 3,529 fans packed inside Sincil Bank could not have anticipated the historic run that was under way.
CRISIS AVERTED
Exactly a month later on December 5 and the Imps completed the first of their many giant-killings in holding off an Oldham Athletic fight-back to win 3-2 in the second round.
Cowley’s side raced into a 3-0 lead against their League One opponents, Theo Robinson bagging a double while Terry Hawkridge was also on target.
But late strikes from Peter Clarke and Billy McKay threatened to spoil the party until the Imps held out for a famous win.
The attendance at Sincil Bank had doubled to 7,012 for that clash and those lucky enough to be there were starting to believe.
“For us to have over 7,000, it's beyond all of our wildest expectations," said Cowley after the game.
“I think credit goes to the players, because they've got people in the city believing again.”
IPSWICH STOPPED IN THEIR TRACKS
Only a late Tom Lawrence strike denied Lincoln another giant-killing in the first instalment of their third round clash with Ipswich.
Robinson’s double on January 7 had put them 2-1 ahead in the closing stages but Lawrence levelled up matters four minutes from time to send the game to a replay.
But far from that being Lincoln’s chance missed, the draw was only delaying the inevitable for the Championship side.
And with 9,054 now packed into Sincil Bank for the replay 10 days later, it was Nathan Arnold that stunned the Tractor Boys.
The forward slotted home in second-half stoppage time to decide a game that had seemed destined for extra-time and put the Imps into the fourth round.
THEO’S FAREWELL
Next up for the unstoppable Imps were Championship high-flyers Brighton & Hove Albion, with Cowley and Co. again drawn at home.Still more fans flocked to the ground – 9,469 this time – as Lincoln’s journey into dreamland showed no signs of stopping.
And they proved far too strong for Chris Hughton’s much-changed side as Power’s penalty and strikes from Fikayo Tomori and Cup hero Robinson secured a 3-1 win.
However, there was a twist in the tale as not 48 hours later Robinson was gone, the striker sealing a deadline day move back to former club Southend United.
TURF MOOR MADNESS
The fifth round paired Lincoln with Premier League opposition at last, as they faced a daunting trip to Burnley.The Clarets had already beaten Liverpool and drawn with Chelsea in the Premier League in accumulating one of the top flight’s best home records.
But they too fell under the Imps’ spell and it was Raggett – goalscorer in the first round – that popped up in the 89th minute to force the ball over the line from a corner and send the Lincoln faithful into ecstasy.
Raggett – a childhood Arsenal fan – had set up a quarter-final with the Gunners and they now stand one win away from Wembley.
