FA Cup: Rushall Olympic 0-2 Accrington Stanley - Report
Rushall Olympic's historic FA Cup run ended with a 2-0 home defeat to League Two Accrington Stanley as a Luke Benbow red card proved costly.
Striker Benbow, previously a hero of Stourbridge ventures in the competition, was dismissed on the hour after two quickfire yellow cards in the first round tie.
And Adam Stevens' Pics held out until the 74th minute when Josh Woods tapped in for the League Two side with goalkeeper Paul White unable to hold on to a free-kick.
Tyler Walton made it two with eight minutes left.Rushall, bottom of National League North, were competitive against the visitors, ranked 51 places above them in the pyramid, until the controversial dismissal by referee Steven Copeland.
Stanley boss John Doolan rang the changes with nine alterations to his starting line-up.
Pics chief Stevens' side included two changes, a debut for Thursday's loan signing from Albion Fenton Heard and a first start in more than a year for former Walsall midfielder Sam Mantom, who at 32 overcame a couple of injuries to be available.
Stanley, struggling themselves in the fourth tier, had winger Walton steered a shot wide across goal from a cross from the right in the tie's first meaningful opportunity inside 20 minutes.
Moments later and the Pics almost struck. Mantom hung up a cross from the right that Everton loan goalkeeper Billy Crellin could not deal with.
Frontman Benbow climbed the highest but saw his header drop on to the roof of the net.The Pics were a threat as right winger Terell Pennant, nephew of Jermaine, had a cross-shot palmed away by Crellin.
Adventurous Stanley right-back Donald Love steered wide at the near post. Love then helped wastefully over after half hour following a period broken up by stoppages.Burnley loan striker Dara Costelloe sent a dangerous free-kick inches wide of White's right-hand post.
The visitors cranked it up before half-time as skipper Shaun Whalley's rasping drive was well parried by White and Bolton loan midfielder Nelson Khumbeni's looped strike landed on the crossbar.
The busy Whalley lashed a left-footed shot over the top following the restart.Baggies youngster Heard then passed up a great opening as he could only shoot at Crellin from close range and Whalley thumped narrowly wide.
Rushall's task was made sterner on the hour as striker Benbow was dismissed for a second yellow card after a hefty coming together over the far side.
The burly striker had only been carded for a high challenge five minutes earlier.
Stevens' home side responded well with a man fewer and kept Stanley at arm's length until 16 minutes from time, when an error proved costly.
Whalley's free-kick from 22 yards looked tame but was spilled by White and substitute Woods was on hand to tap into an empty net.
Rushall, who won through three rounds to make this stage, tried to rally but the visitors put the tie to bed inside the final 10 minutes as Khumbeni released Walton to finish well across White.
The tie was watched by a club-record attendance of 1,311.
Rushall Olympic (4-2-3-1): White; McDonald (Charles, 83), Cameron (c), Fairnie, McAlinden (Rees, 83); Mantom (King, 83), McGlinchey; Pennant (Arlott-John, 72), Heard (McDonagh, 60), Martin; Benbow.
Subs not used: Martinez (gk), Joshua, McLeod, Wilson.
Accrington Stanley: Crellin, Love, Awe, Rawson, Coyle, Whalley (c) (Hunter, 86), Khumbeni (Conneely, 86), Batty, Costelloe (J Woods, 43), Walton, Aljofree.
Subs not used: Kelly (gk), B Woods, Henderson, Knowles, Trickett, O'Brien.
Referee: Steven Copeland
Attendance: 1,311
