Albion 2, Rushden 1

Moments later, Zamora was unable to control a huge kick from Kuipers, but the Seagulls' young hotshot did not have long to wait for his record-breaking contribution.

Zamora's ninth goal in nine consecutive games was a scrappy affair and something of a disaster as far as Diamonds were concerned.

Oatway released Jones down the left for a cross which keeper Turley failed to deal with as Zamora jumped with him.

Underwood's attempted clearance spiralled high into the air and was landing near to the Rushden net when Turley flapped again.

The ball broke for the stooping Zamora to nod in from virtually on the line.

Zamora's 18th of the season was exactly the start the Seagulls wanted. Few of his goals had been as untidy, but they all count and he was yet again in the right place at the right time.

Rushden responded with a 25 yard free-kick by Brady straight at the confident looking Kuipers. Moments later Lowe hit a tame free-kick into Albion's defensive wall from a bit closer.

Diamonds were looking quite dangerous when they got forward. On 17 minutes Lowe knocked the ball down for Partridge to find Brady with a probing pass, but his left-foot effort from an unkind angle flew wide of the target.

Hart, one of four Albion players on the brink of a ban for accumulated cautions, was lectured by Premiership referee Steve Bennett following a challenge on Underwood.

Midway through the half the Seagulls skipper Oatway fired a low shot narrowly wide from just outside the box when Rushden were unable to clear a long throw-in by Jones.

The visitors were caught unawares when a speedily taken throw by Mayo sent Brooker into space down the left wing. His cross was on its way towards the unmarked Zamora when Underwood crucially intercepted with his head at the expense of a corner.

Cullip was keeping a tight rein on Lowe, Rushden's giant Jamaican International target man. Lowe, capped 55 times by his country, was pinpointed by Albion boss Taylor as the visitors' main threat.

The Seagulls had Brian Talbot's team watched when Lowe, on a three month contract from Kansas City Wizards, scored only 13 minutes into his debut against Bristol Rovers.

Turley, so blatantly at fault for Zamora's early opener, dealt more efficiently at the foot of his post with a low angled drive from Albion's unstoppable young marksman.

Watson, manoeuvring on to his weaker right foot following a corner, shot just the wrong side of the post on 34 minutes as the Seagulls sought the comfort of a second goal.

Hunter, Rushden's former Reading and Wrexham stopper, had his name taken in the 38th minute for holding back Zamora as he threatened to latch on to a Cullip header.

Watson's ensuing free-kick, delivered this time with his favoured left foot, curled just wide of the diving Turley's left hand post.

Hanlon, whose spectacular free-kick put Rushden through at Worcester in the first round, had an opportunity to repeat the feat when Cullip was harshly penalised 25 yards out.

Frustatingly for the visitors, the midfielder's free-kick provided Kuipers with another straightforward take.

Half-Time: Albion 1, Rushden 0.

The manner of Zamora's historic strike was in keeping with an undistinguished first half, although in fairness to both sides the 'dead' Withdean pitch is not conducive to free flowing football.

Rushden made a change on the left side of midfield for the second half. Burgess, having recovered from a broken nose, came on for Brady.

Kuipers kept Albion's advantage intact three minutes into the restart. Partridge put Lowe clear through the inside channel and he held off Mayo, but Kuipers was perfectly positioned to hold the shot.

Albion went further in front six minutes into the second half with a quality strike from Cullip. The formidable centre half, fed by Watson, turned past his marker before finding the bottom corner of the net with a crisply struck left foot drive from outside the area.

The want-away stopper, transfer-listed at his own request a few weeks ago, has a knack of scoring important goals. His last, against Chesterfield at Withdean in May, clinched the Third Division title for the Seagulls.

But within eight minutes Rushden were thrown a lifeline when Cullip was adjudged to have impeded Lowe from a diagonal cross by Peters.

Referee Bennett was well placed to make the decision and Hanlon tucked away the resulting penalty, although the unlucky Kuipers got a hand to it.

All of a sudden a tie seemingly under Albion's control, was back in the melting pot.

Brooker tried to restore Albion's two-goal lead with a typically elusive run and cross-shot which Peters cleared at the near post.

Albion made a change on 65 minutes. Hart had been in the wars and he was replaced upfront by Steele.

The overlapping Watson drove straight at Turley from Steele's pass with 15 minutes remaining.

Peters was booked for a foul on Oatway a yard outside the Rushden box as the Albion midfielder tried to burst between the culprit and his partner Hunter.

It offered a chance for Watson to demonstrate his dead ball expertise, but on this occasion he could only find a heavily populated defensive wall.

Kuipers showed a safe pair of hands once more in gathering a long range shot from Underwood.

Hall then jinked away from Mayo, only to waste the opening by over-hitting his cross as Diamonds hunted for a dramatic equaliser.

They through caution to the wind with eight minutes left, introducing on-loan Luton striker Thomson for defender Sambrook.

Steele spurned the chance to kill Rushden off on 83 minutes when miscueing way wide as he ran on to Jones' clever pass., but the Seagulls managed to hold on for a date in the third round.