Keeper Turley inspires Rushden to penalty shoot-out win

Rushden & Diamonds 0 Millwall 0 aet; Rushden win 5-3 on pens

Millwall's achievement in reaching the First Division play-off last season cut no ice with Rushden & Diamonds as Brian Talbot's side, who were in the Nationwide Conference less than 18 months ago, claimed victory on penalties after a goalless first round Worthington Cup tie at Nene Park.

Billy Turley was their hero. The goalkeeper, who had saved two penalties in the last two weeks to help his side climb to the top of Division Three, sprang to his left to keep out Millwall's first kick in the shoot-out, foiling substitute Charley Hearn's attempt, before scoring from the spot himself as the hosts converted their five.

Although Paul Ifill, David Livermore and Andy Roberts succeeded where 18-year-old Hearn had failed, Stuart Gray, Paul Hall and Stuart Wardley all made their efforts count for the home side before captain Paul Underwood, Rushden's best outfield player at left-back, put away the decisive kick.

Turley's role had been equally as important to Rushden in normal and extra time, the 6ft 3in stopper pulling off a brilliant save to defy Ifill after 88 minutes and then making three vital interventions in the first half of extra time, chipping a swerving drive by Matt Lawrence over the bar and keeping out two efforts from veteran Steve Claridge at point-blank range as Millwall threatened to snatch victory.

On their Worthington Cup debut a year ago, Rushden had knocked out Millwall's First Division rivals Burnley away from home and, given the London side's uncertain start to the new campaign, there were good grounds to anticipate a similar upset.

Despite the absence of their Jamaican striker Onandi Lowe with injury Rushden had looked the sharper in normal time. Wardley, John Dempster, Scott Partridge and Gary Mills all went close in the first half and, at the start of the second, Millwall had Tony Warner to thank for keeping them in the tie with two good blocks within a minute from Duane Darby and Ben Hall. Darby then wasted an opportunity, taking the ball wide of Warner after a mistake by Ronnie Ball, but striking the ball against the woodwork.

Rushden & Diamonds (4-4-2): Turley; Mustafa, Peters, Dempster, Underwood; Hall, Mills (Burgess 48), Wardley, Gray; Darby, Partridge. Substitutes not used: Tillson, Sollitt, Dell, Talbot.

Millwall (3-5-2): Warner; Phillips (Claridge h-t), Nethercott, Ward; Lawrence, Roberts, Livermore, Ryan (Bull h-t) Kinet; Ifill, May. Substitutes not used: Gueret, Hearn, Robinson.

Referee: J Robinson (Hull).