Masterclass 2 min read

Danny & Nicky Cowley

Danny & Nicky Cowley
Photography by Lynne Cameron
Author
Tony Hodson
Published on
January 5 2022

FA Cup 5th Round, February 18 2017

Burnley 0Lincoln City 1

Raggett (89)

Burnley were 81 places above Lincoln City in the English football pyramid when the then-National League team visited Turf Moor for an FA Cup fifth-round fixture in February 2017. The management team of brothers Danny and Nicky Cowley had already led Lincoln to victories over League One Oldham Athletic, and Championship Ipswich and Brighton during that season's competition, but Burnley had lost only three of their previous 29 at Turf Moor, where Liverpool were among those they had beaten.

Speaking exclusively to The Coaches’ Voice, the Cowley brothers revisit the approach that brought them victory, and the engrossing battle between Burnley’s Joey Barton and Lincoln’s Matt Rhead. It was in the 89th minute when a well-rehearsed set-piece concluded with Sean Raggett’s header beyond Tom Heaton, making Lincoln the first non-league team since 1914 to reach the competition’s quarter finals.

Starting line-ups
BurnleyLincoln City
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Burnley4-4-2
Lincoln City4-4-1-1
1Tom Heaton
1Paul Farman
27Tendayi Darikwa
2Bradley Wood
5Michael Keane
5Luke Waterfall
26James Tarkowski
25Sean Raggett
4Jon Flanagan
3Sam Habhergam
25Johann Berg Gudmundsson
28Nathan Arnold
18Ashley Westwood
30Alex Woodyard
19Joey Barton
8Alan Power
37Scott Arfield
11Terry Hawkridge
7Andre Gray
9Matt Rhead
9Sam Vokes
7Jack Muldoon