Liam Dickinson scored the winner four minutes from time as Brighton edged plucky Rushden to make the next round.
Dickinson netted from seven yards after Nicky Forster's shot was blocked.
Dickinson had opened the scoring from Nathan Abbey's mistake in the third minute before Lee Tomlin equalised on 14 minutes with a low shot.
Forster's penalty restored the home side's advantage but Aaron O'Connor's low shot into the corner had the sides level five minutes before the break.
Brighton boss Gus Poyet told BBC Sussex:
"We know these competitions are difficult. There are always surprises, but none today, and we are through.
"We knew it (would be a battle), it's the kind of game where you know what's going to happen."
Rushden and Diamonds manager Justin Edinburgh tells BBC Radio Northampton:
"I'm gutted for the players. They deserved more than they got, but we were playing against a good side.
"I'm just disappointed at the manner we conceded, but it just shows our spirit to come from behind twice.
"We bossed the game in the first 20 minutes of the second half, and I thought we might have won the game."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 28 November 2009
The FA Cup
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Brighton
3-2
Rushden & D
FT
(HT 2-2)
Dickinson 3
Forster (pen) 22
Dickinson 86
Tomlin 14
O'Connor 40
Brighton
22 Smith
04 Elphick
06 El-Abd yellow card
23 Virgo
27 Hoyte
08 Navarro (Dicker 60)
11 McLeod (Hart 51)
20 Crofts
26 Bennett
09 Forster
10 Dickinson
Substitutes
31 Pelling,
05 Wright,
12 Tunnicliffe,
07 Cox,
15 Hart,
18 Dicker,
25 Davies
Rushden & D'mnds
31 Abbey
02 Osano yellow card
03 Robinson
05 Stuart yellow card
06 Downer
04 Porter yellow card
20 Byrne
07 O'Connor (McNamara 79)
09 Farrell
10 Tomlin
12 Cousins (Pattison 9) (Akurang 45)
Substitutes
01 Roberts,
16 Corcoran,
14 McNamara,
18 Pattison,
19 Smith,
23 Ainsley,
25 Akurang
Ref: Phil GibbsAtt: 3,638
BRIGHTON
RUSHDEN & D
Possession
Brighton53%
Rushden & D47%
Attempts on target
Brighton5
Rushden & D2
Attempts off target
Brighton4
Rushden & D4
Corners
Brighton4
Rushden & D3
Fouls
Brighton16
Rushden & D14
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:33 The referee ends the match.
90:00+1:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kurt Robinson by Gary Hart. Jamie Stuart restarts play with the free kick.
90:00+0:40 Centre by Gavin Hoyte, clearance made by Curtis Osano.
88:53 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Gavin Hoyte by Lee Tomlin. Graeme Smith takes the free kick.
87:36 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hart on Kurt Robinson. Nathan Abbey restarts play with the free kick.
86:53 Elliott Bennett fouled by Simon Downer, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Adam El-Abd.
85:32 GOAL - Liam Dickinson:Brighton 3 - 2 Rushden & D'mnds Liam Dickinson scores a goal from deep inside the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Brighton 3-2 Rushden & D'monds.
84:15 Unfair challenge on Cliff Akurang by Tommy Elphick results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Jamie Stuart.
81:27 Foul by Andrew Crofts on Nick McNamara, free kick awarded. Jamie Stuart takes the direct free kick.
78:05 Substitution Nick McNamara replaces Aaron O'Connor.
77:18 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Adam El-Abd by Cliff Akurang. Graeme Smith takes the direct free kick.
76:35 A cross is delivered by Gavin Hoyte, save by Nathan Abbey.
73:26 The ball is crossed by Cliff Akurang, blocked by Adam El-Abd. Corner taken by Lee Tomlin played to the near post.
71:09 Unfair challenge on Elliott Bennett by Cliff Akurang results in a free kick. Graeme Smith restarts play with the free kick.
69:44 Mark Byrne gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Elliott Bennett. Elliott Bennett restarts play with the free kick.
68:35 Nicky Forster has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the target.
67:53 Adam El-Abd produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.
67:28 The ball is sent over by Gavin Hoyte, Curtis Osano manages to make a clearance.
66:25 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Hart on Kurt Robinson. Lee Tomlin takes the direct free kick.
65:07 Gavin Hoyte sends in a cross, clearance by Nathan Abbey. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Elliott Bennett.
64:18 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gavin Hoyte on Lee Tomlin. Free kick taken by Kurt Robinson.
62:52 Elliott Bennett fouled by Mark Byrne, the ref awards a free kick. Elliott Bennett fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
61:36 Shot from outside the box by Aaron O'Connor misses to the left of the target.
61:07 Liam Dickinson concedes a free kick for a foul on Simon Downer. Free kick taken by Nathan Abbey.
59:09 Substitution Gary Dicker replaces Alan Navarro.
59:09 Kurt Robinson gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Liam Dickinson. Free kick taken by Elliott Bennett.
57:02 Elliott Bennett challenges Simon Downer unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick crossed by Lee Tomlin.
51:51 Free kick awarded for a foul by Cliff Akurang on Adam Virgo. Free kick taken by Graeme Smith.
50:16 Substitution Gary Hart joins the action as a substitute, replacing Kevin McLeod.
48:19 Aaron O'Connor fouled by Adam El-Abd, the ref awards a free kick. Lee Tomlin takes the free kick.
48:19 Booking Adam El-Abd receives a yellow card.
47:52 Effort on goal by Max Porter from long range goes over the bar.
46:58 Foul by Kevin McLeod on Aaron O'Connor, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed right-footed by Lee Tomlin from right wing, Elliott Bennett makes a clearance.
45:49 Andrew Crofts concedes a free kick for a foul on Max Porter. Direct free kick taken by Curtis Osano.
45:01 The second half has started.
Half Time
45:00+5:57 The referee calls an end to the first half.
45:00+4:18 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett, Tommy Elphick challenges Jamie Stuart unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Nathan Abbey.
45:00+3:40 The free kick is delivered right-footed by Elliott Bennett from right wing.
45:00+3:40 Booking Jamie Stuart is cautioned by the ref for unsporting behaviour.
45:00+3:31 Jamie Stuart challenges Liam Dickinson unfairly and gives away a free kick.
45:00+3:07 Liam Dickinson sends in a cross.
45:00+2:31 Nicky Forster sends in a cross, Curtis Osano makes a clearance.
45:00+1:51 The ball is sent over by Elliott Bennett, Jamie Stuart manages to make a clearance.
44:17 Substitution Cliff Akurang joins the action as a substitute, replacing Matt Pattison.
44:17 The ball is swung over by Elliott Bennett. Corner from left by-line taken by Kevin McLeod.
43:27 Matt Pattison is caught offside. Graeme Smith takes the free kick.
41:58 Aaron O'Connor crosses the ball, save by Graeme Smith.
40:50 Foul by Curtis Osano on Liam Dickinson, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Andrew Crofts.
39:41 GOAL - Aaron O'Connor:Brighton 2 - 2 Rushden & D'mnds Aaron O'Connor grabs a goal from the edge of the penalty area to the bottom right corner of the goal. Brighton 2-2 Rushden & D'monds.
38:38 Lee Tomlin takes a inswinging corner to the near post, clearance made by Andrew Crofts.
35:36 Outswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Lee Tomlin, save by Graeme Smith.
33:38 Unfair challenge on Matt Pattison by Adam El-Abd results in a free kick. Free kick taken by Lee Tomlin.
31:09 The offside flag is raised against Nicky Forster. Indirect free kick taken by Nathan Abbey.
30:18 Matt Pattison produces a cross, save made by Graeme Smith.
29:50 Aaron O'Connor takes a shot. Blocked by Adam Virgo.
28:04 The ball is delivered by Kurt Robinson, save by Graeme Smith.
27:49 Unfair challenge on Craig Farrell by Adam El-Abd results in a free kick. Curtis Osano restarts play with the free kick.
27:02 Curtis Osano concedes a free kick for a foul on Liam Dickinson. Direct free kick taken by Adam El-Abd.
22:21 Shot by Craig Farrell from just outside the area goes over the net.
20:30 Curtis Osano concedes a Penalty for a foul on Nicky Forster.
19:52 Nicky Forster takes a shot. Nathan Abbey makes a save.
Correction - 18:48 Outswinging corner taken right-footed by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line,
18:48 Outswinging corner taken by Elliott Bennett from the right by-line,
18:16 Gavin Hoyte crosses the ball, Liam Dickinson takes a shot. Save made by Nathan Abbey.
15:54 Adam Virgo takes a shot. Save made by Nathan Abbey. Nicky Forster takes a shot.
15:20 Free kick awarded for a foul by Curtis Osano on Liam Dickinson. Elliott Bennett takes the direct free kick.
13:06 Assist on the goal came from Curtis Osano.
13:06 GOAL - Lee Tomlin:Brighton 1 - 1 Rushden & D'mnds A goal is scored by Lee Tomlin from the edge of the penalty area low into the middle of the goal. Brighton 1-1 Rushden & D'monds.
10:22 The referee blows for offside. Direct free kick taken by Jamie Stuart.
9:46 Unfair challenge on Craig Farrell by Adam Virgo results in a free kick. Lee Tomlin takes the direct free kick.
8:34 Substitution Matt Pattison replaces Neil Cousins.
5:40 Foul by Liam Dickinson on Mark Byrne, free kick awarded. Nathan Abbey takes the direct free kick.
Correction - 4:07 Booking Max Porter booked for unsporting behaviour.
4:07 Booking Simon Downer goes into the referee's book for unsporting behaviour.
3:27 Elliott Bennett fouled by Max Porter, the ref awards a free kick. Adam El-Abd takes the direct free kick.
2:27 GOAL - Liam Dickinson:Brighton 1 - 0 Rushden & D'mnds Liam Dickinson fires in a goal from just outside the penalty box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Brighton 1-0 Rushden & D'monds.
0:00 The referee gets the match started.
Live text and data provided by The Press Association.
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