Rushall Olympic manager Liam McDonald: They deserve this - PICTURES
Proud Rushall Olympic boss Liam McDonald hailed his side's resilience as they dug in to win the Walsall Senior Cup on penalties.
The Pics rallied after two equalisers from 10-man Walsall Wood in normal time - the last of which came in the third minute of added time - to seal a 4-3 triumph on penalties at the Banks's Stadium.
It capped a fine first Dales Lane season for former Hendesford Town boss McDonald, who guided the Pics from bottom to eighth after joining in October.
The boss told his troops they deserved to win the final before a ball was kicked. He said: "It's a great end to the season, finishing eighth and winning the cup. It's a great achievement.
"In the team talk I said to them they deserve to win the cup.
"From being joint-bottom to eighth in the league, to going away on holiday to enjoy ourselves and to come back - knowing it's going to be a tough game - the last team we wanted to play was Walsall Wood, we know they've got some quality players.
"But the lads dug in and we got through it. It's been a bit of the story of our season getting through the games."
Rushall took a first-half lead through Richard Brodie before Midland League Division One champions Wood had Keenan Meakin-Richards dismissed before half-time.
Wood levelled through Paul Sullivan after the break but Andre Landell restored Olympic's lead. Lei Brown netted a last-gasp equaliser to take it to spot-kicks but McDonald's men, fresh from their team holiday in Benidorm, claimed the prize.
