Part-timers of Sutton take shock of the round
Captain Jamie Collins scored the winner from the penalty spot as the National League side stunned a team 83 places above them in the pyramid.
Leeds manager Garry Monk, clearly concentrating on promotion back to the Premier League, paid the price for making 10 changes to his line-up.
Collins’ second-half spot-kick ensured Sutton joined Lincoln in the fifth round — the first time two non-league teams have made it to the last 16.
Doswell admitted he will not have much time to celebrate their latest giant-killing exploits, as he has to be up for work this morning.
The 50-year-old property developer already has an inkling about who his side might be paired with in this evening’s draw. “It’s a huge achievement by the players and the club to get to the last 16,” he said.
“I can’t praise the players enough. Every time they’ve been asked a question they have responded.
“Lincoln were an inspiration for us, and I can almost guarantee that will be the draw. We are due to meet them that weekend anyway.
“But at least then a non-league team will be in the quarter-finals. That would be a fantastic moment.”
Monk’s side, packed full of youngsters and including two debutants — neither of whom were even named in the squad line-up on the back of the programme — struggled badly on Sutton’s artificial pitch.
Roarie Deacon had a goal harshly disallowed after five minutes and the winger, whose five goals in the competition had fired Sutton this far, continued to torment the Championship side for the rest of the first half.
Sutton got the breakthrough they deserved six minutes into the second half, thanks to some shambolic Leeds defending.
Goalkeeper Marco Silvestri came out to meet Maxime Biamou but succeeded only in colliding with team-mate Lewie Coyle, taking the Sutton forward out and giving referee Stuart Attwell little option but to point to the spot.
Collins, a builder by trade, stepped up and nervelessly sent Silvestri the wrong way to spark wild celebrations on the old-style terraces behind the goal.
Leeds were reduced to 10 men with 10 minutes left after captain Liam Cooper was sent off for a foul on Craig Eastmond.
Monk took the blame for the chastening defeat, saying: “It’s a frustrating result and a frustrating performance but it’s my responsibility.
“I’m the one who selects the team. I made a lot of changes, it didn’t work and it backfired in that sense.
“All credit to Sutton. We wish them all the best in the next round. We didn’t want to see this happen, but it has.
Meanwhile, Lincoln boss Danny Cowley described his side’s 3-1 win over Brighton on Saturday as a success for the whole city.
“This wasn’t an 11-man job, it was a whole club and whole city winning a football match,” said 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.”
Worner, Amankwaah, Downer, Collins, Spence, Biamou, Eastmond (Baboye Traore 90), Bailey, May, Deacon, Gomis
John, Fitchett, Monakana, Tubbs, Shaw, Gueye
Silvestri, Coyle, McKay, Cooper, Denton, Grimes, Whitehouse (Roofe 73), Dallas (Sacko 57), Phillips, Doukara (Wilks 64), Antonsson.
Ayling, Vieira, Peacock-Farrell, Vann
Stuart Attwell
CONNECT WITH US TODAY
Be the first to know the latest news and updates
