Whitehawk 5-3 Lincoln City
- Published
National League South side Whitehawk secured a place in the FA Cup second round for the first time as they beat Lincoln despite Matt Rhead's hat-trick.
Danny Mills put the hosts ahead and Jake Robinson made it 2-0, but Rhead scored a penalty after a foul by Mills.
Sam Deering curled in Hawks' third and Rhead hit Lincoln's second from close range but Dave Martin made it 4-2.
Rhead sealed his hat-trick but Deering made it 5-3 from the spot after he was fouled by Alan Power, who was sent off.
Whitehawk, who were making their first appearance in the FA Cup first round, began the tie 17 places below Lincoln, who are a league above them, in the football pyramid.
The hosts enjoyed a perfect start, breaking the deadlock in just five minutes as Deering's cross was met by Mills, who nodded home from close range.
Robinson ran into the Lincoln area unopposed and finished smartly for Whitehawk's second but the visitors struck back through Rhead's spot-kick on the stroke of half-time.
Whitehawk found themselves two goals ahead once more when Deering picked up the ball in midfield and drove into the box before curling home.
Lincoln fought back yet again when Whitehawk failed to clear and Rhead was on hand to power home and halve the hosts' advantage.
A frantic final 10 minutes followed, as Martin struck from the centre of the box to make it 4-2 but Rhead completed his hat-trick when he nodded home Greg Tempest's rebounded effort.
But the hosts sealed a place in the FA Cup second round as Power was sent off for a foul on Deering, who made no mistake from the spot.
Whitehawk boss Steve King told BBC Sussex:
"I am still shocked, not so much on winning the game, but just the emotion of the tie going from one way to another and then allowing them to get back into the game.
"I don't think anyone can begrudge us on that victory.
"I've been around for 700 non-league matches and 12 years as a manager. That group of fans are amazing and that's from minute one and before the game.
"They're having a party and talking to them, they can't believe what's happening here.
"I said to the chairman 'a year ago this wasn't here'. We're going in the right direction and the fans got behind us like you wouldn't believe."
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