Albion 2 Rushden 1: Peter Taylor is afraid to answer the phone in case it's another club wanting to buy Danny Cullip.

The Albion manager's reluctance to lose his centre half is understandable after an outstanding display spearheaded Albion's scrappy passage through to the third round of the FA Cup.

As important as a goal of unexpected quality from the Seagulls' second most prized possession after Bobby Zamora was Cullip doing what he does best.

He won his personal battle with Diamonds' Jamaican giant and danger man Onandi Lowe, despite conceding a disputed penalty which threw the visitors a lifeline.

Cullip is still reluctant to talk about his transfer request, made a few weeks ago. "It's time for a change for myself, but I don't want to go into it any more than that," he said.

Taylor believes Cullip has been performing even better since asking to leave.

We all knew he could head a ball. He demonstrated that particular strength with his previous goal, which clinched the Third Division title against Chesterfield at Withdean in May.

We also know he defends with such dogged determination that he seems to consider Albion conceding a goal as a personal insult.

What none of us knew, not even his manager or team-mates, is that Cullip possesses a deadly left-foot.

Six minutes into the second half he turned past his marker from a Paul Watson pass to arrow the sweetest of strikes beyond Billy Turley from 20 yards.

It certainly surprised Taylor. "Where he got that turn and shot from I don't know. It was a tremendous bit of skill and I'm delighted for him.

"I thought he was our best player by a mile. We knew he had a handful in the fella Lowe up front and we knew Danny had to be six inches taller. I think he was.

"He has been absolutely brilliant, a tremendous defender. He wins most of the headers and scored a wonderful goal. You can't ask for any more."

Cullip's stunning strike brought a smile to the face of his colleagues. Co defender Simon Morgan said: "We can't believe it. He has never done anything like that.

"Anyone who saw him toe-poke one over the bar at Swindon in the last minute will know what I'm talking about!

"It was tremendous and rounded off a magnificent individual display from Danny."

Cullip was modesty personified. "I just had a swing at it and it went in," he explained. "I haven't got a favourite foot because I usually use my head. It was nice to score, I was due one."

The only blot for Cullip came eight minutes later, when Premiership ref Steve Bennett ruled that he impeded Lowe from a cross. Ritchie Hanlon scored from the spot, although Michel Kuipers got a hand to it, to set up an anxious last half-hour.

Cullip thought the decision was 50-50 and Taylor wasn't sure about it either.

Morgan was much more convinced. "If you give that as a penalty you will give six a game," he complained. "We had one two minutes later where Danny was blatantly held down in the box.

"The big fella up front (Lowe) was bleating all the time to be given something, but speaking as a defender if you award them then you will concede 20 to 25 a season."

Cullip's performance upstaged a new club record for Bobby Zamora, an achievement in itself. Zamora needed only six minutes to become the first Albion player ever to score in nine successive appearances.

It was a disaster for Diamonds and Turley in particular. He failed to deal with a cross from Nathan Jones as Zamora challenged, then flapped when Paul Underwood miscued his clearance skywards.

Gary Hart got a touch and Zamora stooped to head himself into history from a couple of yards, his 18th of the season.

Taylor said: "It's a good sign of a goalscorer when he scores scrappy ones. I'm delighted for him, because he works very hard and he deserves a record against his name."

A pattern has been established at Withdean recently of Albion chiselling out results without playing especially well. The pitch doesn't help, although it is improving again and Taylor refused to use it as an excuse.

The second round of the FA Cup for clubs like the Seagulls is like a semi-final for the giants. Winning is everything and in that respect Albion just did enough.

"It wasn't a very good performance, but it was a scrap and thankfully we got the result," added Taylor. "When we got the second goal I expected us to go on from there, but all of a sudden they got the penalty and were back in it."

Most of Rushden's efforts were straight at the competent Kuipers, but the big Dutchman made an important feet-first save early in the second half when Lowe was put through.

Rushden boss Brian Talbot admitted: "We didn't create enough pressure on their goalkeeper.

"But we have come a long way in a short time. Nine years ago we were way down the leagues, now we are coming to a team at the top of the Second Division and are disappointed not to get a result."

Zamora can equal Jermaine Defoe's feat against Reading on Friday.

Defoe scored in ten successive appearances for Bournemouth on loan from West Ham last season and just look what is happening to him at Zamora's favourite club.