Taylor hopes to land big fish

Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Rushden & Diamonds 1

From the national side to the seaside, from Wembley to Withdean, Peter Taylor has made a leap of which even a quantum physicist would be proud. Twelve months ago Taylor was still in charge of England, as they awaited Sven Goran Eriksson to take up his hot seat. Yesterday Taylor was in charge of Second Division Brighton as goals by Bobby Zamora and Danny Cullip helped them limp past Rushden & Diamonds into the third round of the FA Cup.

A funny old game? Not from where Taylor is sitting, it isn't. But at least he will see his team in the hat with the Premiership big boys today. Yesterday after this dour win he said he wanted "a massive one'' but was not impressed when some wag suggested Leicester City, the club who sacked him three months ago.

With his tongue firmly in his cheek he said: "I don't want to play Leicester because all of a sudden they're a good team. And remarkably all their players are good now as well.'' Whoever they draw, they will have to raise their game several notches from yesterday's performance.

They may also have to go into battle without their most potent weapon, Zamora, as more and more Premiership clubs come sniffing for the 20-year-old's signature. The prolific striker took just five minutes to score. Not only did he land the Brighton record for the longest run of goals in consecutive games – nine – but he also put himself on prime display in the shop window in Sky's live lunchtime game.

Zamora's determination in muscling on to Nathan Jones' cross caused mayhem and then his instinct to be on hand to head home in the resultant mêlée said as much about his ability as his other 17 goals so far this season, some of which have been spectacular.

Any manager tuning in to see Zamora would have soon reached for the off button as Rushden set about trying to unpick a miserly Brighton defence that has shipped just 15 goals this season. The threat was always going to come from the home side's Paul Watson, who was twice unlucky, seeing two efforts from outside the area barely miss the target before the break. But within five minutes of the restart Cullip, an impressive centre-half, lost the Rushden defence as he turned on the edge of the area before unleashing a sweet left-footer into the corner of the net.

Taylor was as bemused as Rushden: "Where he got the turn and shot from I don't know. It was a tremendous bit of skill and I thought he was our best player by a mile.''

It must be galling, therefore, for Taylor that Cullip may also be on his way as he has put himself on the transfer list after becoming upset at the "inadequate training facilities". If he goes, and Taylor says he is blocking all calls, he will be missed despite letting Rushden back into the game by giving away a penalty for a challenge on Onandi Lowe. In fairness, only the referee Steve Bennett knew what was wrong with the challenge but Ritchie Hanlon accepted the invitation anyway to pull a goal back on the hour.

Although the Diamonds revealed the new cutting edge to their play, there was little danger of an equaliser until Hanlon's appeal for a penalty, after his shot had appeared to hit a Brighton hand, deep in injury time. Bennett waved it away – two dubious penalties would have been too cruel on Taylor.

Brighton & Hove Albion 2

Zamora 6, Cullip 51

Rushden & Diamonds 1

Hanlon pen 60

Half-time: 1-0 Attendance: 5,647