Joy for Stourbridge with Rushall cup win

Striker Justin Richards scored a superb free-kick while former Pics winger Chris Lait impressed in front of a packed crowd at Amblecote.

Hackett – whose side return to Evo-Stik League Premier Division action at home to Sutton Coldfield Town tonight (7.45pm) – thought his side were the better of the two.

He said: "I was very pleased with our performance from the first minute to 90 minutes. We needed some big performances from big players and I thought we were the better side throughout.

"It's one of those things and, unfortunately, there has to be a loser. I probably know how Rushall feel, but our lads deserved to be in the hat for the next round.

"They are a big, strong and physical side but we defended remarkably well and we always looked a threat going forward.

"I think 1-0 probably flatters Rushall rather than ourselves. Goals change games and Rushall had to play a little differently once we'd scored.

"I always felt we had more threat going forward and we were a little more polished.

"It was a great performance from us – we knew it was going to be tough against Rushall, and I'm absolutely delighted in front of a big crowd."

Rushall went close through Jamie Spencer early on and with a Jack Duggan volley in the closing minutes.

But Pics boss Richard Sneekes was disappointed with the lack of efforts on goal by his team.

Sneekes stated that he didn't think his side were 'good enough' and that the free kick was a soft goal to concede.

He said: "I think it was a game where not a lot happened to be fair. I thought they probably had the better chance in the first half to go 2-0 up.

"We huffed and puffed in the second-half but, overall, I didn't think we were good enough on the day to even take them back to Dales Lane.

"It was one of those games were we never got going, we didn't really compete, we were too far off second balls."

Richards' goal proved decisive in front of a packed crowd of 773 at Amblecote.

The visitors started brightly though, and could have gone ahead within the first few minutes.

A clever ball over the top of defence from Aris Christophorou found Spencer, on loan from Kidderminster Harriers, whose lob hit the bar.

The Pics were left to rue that miss minutes later when Lait was brought down on the edge of the area after cutting in from the left.

Richards stepped up and lifted the ball over the wall and into the corner of the net to put the home side ahead, with under 10 minutes on the clock.