FORMER FitzWimarc School teachers Danny and Nicky Cowley have led non-league side Lincoln City into the last 16 of the FA Cup for the first time in 115 years after defeating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1.

The Imps defeated Ipswich Town in a third round replay to secure a fourth round tie with the Championship leaders on Saturday.

An Alan Power penalty, along with an own goal from Fikayo Tomori and a Theo Robinson strike was enough to turn the game on its head after Richie Towell put Brighton in the driving seat.

Danny and Nicky Cowley, who were head of PE and head of boys PE at the Rayleigh school respectively, will now be dreaming of taking on a Premier League giant in round five.

“This wasn’t an 11-man job, it was a whole club and whole city winning a football match,” said Imps boss Danny Cowley.

“This is a great football club and a great club is made of football. It isn’t about the bricks and mortar. It’s about the people and they haven’t had the success they deserve. So the fact we’ve been able to go on this journey means everything.

“It’s caught the imagination of the community and its brought Lincoln City back into the forefront of people’s minds and after this result it might bring Lincoln City into their hearts and that can only be good for us going forward.

“For hour after hour, day after day, I’ve seen those supporters queue for tickets. We knew the commitment they’d made to be here and we wanted to replicate that commitment with the performance. We did that and that makes me feel really proud.”

Neil Harris’ Millwall will also be in tonight’s fifth round draw after the Lions claimed another Premier League scalp.

The Eastwood-based former Southend United striker’s side defeated AFC Bournemouth in the third round, and a Steve Morison goal five minutes from time was enough to see off Watford.

Meanwhile, ex-Bromfords School student Paul Hayes scored twice as Wycombe Wanderers came agonisingly close to knocking Tottenham Hotspur out of the competition.

The Chairboys’ captain had already struck the crossbar before he put the League Two side ahead with a sweetly struck volley.

Hayes doubled his and Wycombe’s tally from the penalty spot after a foul by Southend-born Spurs defender Cameron Carter-Vickers.

But Hayes and Wycombe could not hold on and a goal from Son Heung-min in the dying seconds secured a 4-3 victory for Spurs and broke Wycombe hearts.

Southend-born Dominic Iorfa’s Wolverhampton Wanderers, struggling in the Championship, claimed a shock 2-1 win at Premier League title challengers Liverpool.