Despite a man disadvantage, Rushall pressed hard in the second half and grabbed an equaliser with the last kick of the game. Manager Martin McIntosh was impressed with the character his side showed to pick themselves up and win the game with style in the penalty shoot-out.

“I think it’s what we deserved on the night.” Said McIntosh. “We created more chances throughout the game and should have won in the 90 minutes. We’ve taken knock after knock in pre-season and so many downs in this period. I’m really proud of the players to keep coming back from them.”

Both sides started quickly. The Gingerbreads forced the first corner in the first minute, but it was Rushall who went closest a minute later. Jan Budtz reacted quickly to tip and effort over the bar. From the corner, the Gingerbreads smuggled efforts from Checkraine Steel and Nememia Zazi off the line and conceded another flag kick. Steel hit a long range effort that Budtz gathered comfortably.

A long throw from Richard Batchelor set up the opening goal after 8 minutes. His throw-in was flicked on in the middle and Rackeem Reid fired in unmarked at the far post. Reid had another chance a minute later as a ball over the top of the Grantham defence found him looking suspiciously offside, but with no flag, Budtz was called into action again and saved well at his feet.

The Gingerbreads settled and began to defend higher up the pitch to nullify the threat from Batchelor’s throws and got level after 16 minutes when Nathan Dyer pounced on an error by the Rushall defence. A short back-pass was picked up by the Gingerbreads wide man who took the ball past Jonathan Flatt and rolled it into an empty net.

Nine minutes later, it was Grantham’s turn to take the lead. Dyer played a perfect pass for Manesse Kianga. Kianga controlled the ball with his first touch and slid his shot past Flatt.

Shortly after taking the lead, Grantham had a man advantage. An awful challenge on Michael Hollingsworth saw a straight red card for Reid to end an eventful half hour for the Rushall forward.

Rushall didn’t sit back and won a free kick after 33 minutes. The delivery into the Grantham 6 yard box was not dealt with well, but was eventually cleared leading to a Grantham break. Eventually a poor pass lost the chance of a shot on goal.

Grantham started the second half brightly. Kianga and Ash Worsfold combined to set up Dyer. He brought a save from Flatt. Hollingsworth was next to set up a chance, his low cross flying just in front of Niall Doran. Rushall’s Sam Whittall almost presented Kianga with a second goal on 55 minutes. Whittall turned to goal, but lost the ball to Kianga. Only a good recovery by Whittall rescued the situation.

The visitors' defender was involved at the other end a few minutes later. Another free kick caused problems for Grantham, Whittall fired off a shot, but saw his effort blocked by solid Grantham defending.

The best move of the second half almost led to a third Grantham goal. Brad Abbott, Doran and Dyer played the ball around well before delivering a low cross that Abbott’s run was inches away from meeting.

The last ten minutes saw the visitors pile on pressure, but Grantham resisted strongly, denying any chances for Rushall until the last minute. On the break, Grantham could have put the game beyond doubt. Abbott mishit one effort and Remaye Campbell went down under a challenge without getting a shot away. Three minutes from time, Dyer and Campbell set up Abbott, but the Gingerbreads skipper saw his shot beat Flatt, but come back off the post.

A desperate ending from the visitors saw scores levelled in injury time. Goalkeeper Flatt came forward for three injury time corners as Grantham could not get the ball clear. From the third, Zazi turned the ball in from a yard out to take the game to penalties.

The Gingerbreads progressed spurred on by Budtz saving the first spot kick from Whittall. Doran, Abbott and Campbell were perfect with their penalties while Shaquille Whittingham and Zazi blazed over the crossbar. Tyler Little’s successful effort between the two misses was not enough to keep Rushall in the tie.

Report by Graham Cowell