PAUL Mullin has rarely been far from the headlines when it comes to Accrington Stanley and the Carling Cup.

It was Mullin who gave Stanley a 1-0 victory over Nottingham Forest on their return to the Football League three years ago, only to miss a penalty in the shoot-out as the Reds went out in the next round at Watford.

It was Mullin who also put Stanley on course for a shock win at Wolves last year, only for the then Championship side to eventually edge to a 3-2 win.

And last night it was Mullin – back at the club following a loan at Bradford but without a goal in 17 games – who nodded home at the back post in the 90th minute to give the Reds a comeback win over League One Walsall, down to 10 men for 55 minutes, in the first round.

Stanley have faced Premier League opposition in a competitive game just once before – in that shoot-out loss at Watford – but they could be handed another opportunity with Manchester City, Tottenham Hotspur and Blackburn Rovers all among the possibilities when the draw for the second round is made tonight.

The Reds made just one change to the side that opened the League Two campaign with a 1-0 loss at Rotherham on Saturday, with new club captain Andy Procter returning from a one-match ban.

Bobby Grant, who was one of the Reds’ most impressive players at Don Valley but did limp off late on with an ankle injury, dropped to the bench.

The Reds might have gone ahead inside five minutes as loan striker Billy Kee, making his first appearance at the Crown Ground, latched on to Jimmy Ryan’s superb cross but could only send his diving header into the ground and wide of the far post.

That miss proved costly as Walsall claimed an early lead.

Jamie Vincent put a free kick into the box from near the halfway line and Alex Nicholls broke free to turn the ball past keeper Alan Martin on the stretch.

At that point the goal had been against the run of play, but League One Walsall grew in confidence and began to dominate.

Stanley did have threatening moments of their own, though, with Ryan unleashed a stunning 30-yard effort from near the touchline that angled inches wide of the far post.

At the other end, Matt Richards hit a 25-yard effort wide for Walsall before the moment that put Stanley back in with a real shout.

Rhys Weston had already been booked for a late tackle when he slid in on Phil Edwards in the 35th minute.

The full back – captain for the night in the absence of Mark Hughes, who was rested and missed out on a match against the club he turned down in the summer – gave referee Nigel Miller no option.

The red card was soon brandished but that did not stop angry scenes as Stanley assistant Jimmy Bell raced down the touchline to express his disgust at the challenge and his concern at Edwards’ condition.

Edwards was able to continue after treatment and Stanley began to gain the ascendancy over a reshuffled Saddlers side.

Luke Joyce should have notched his first Reds goal just before half time as he broke free to meet Ryan’s cross but nodded just wide with Walsall keeper Rene Gilmartin helpless.

Stanley boss John Coleman opted to switch to a 3-5-2 formation five minutes into the second half, with Grant replacing Chris King.

And Grant, who had joined Ian Dunbavin in issuing a public apology earlier in the day after both were handed suspended sentences for affray last week, took just three minutes to level the match.

The winger had scored five goals during pre-season and crashed in a shot off the underside of the bar from the edge of the box after a scramble in which Joyce had had a shot blocked.

Stanley, pushing for a winner, came agonisingly close to making it 2-1 with eight minutes of the 90 remaining.

Sean McConville looked to have repeated Grant’s feat by scoring within minutes of coming on, only for his fine 25-yard shot to come back off the inside of the post.

But the Reds did win it in the 90th minute as McConville crossed from the left and Mullin pulled away from his marker at the far post to clinically head home.

Stanley had won only once in six previous League Cup ties spanning 50 years, but they will hope this victory gives them just the cash boost they require when they go into the second round in two weeks’ time.

Stanley: Alan Martin; Dean Winnard; Phil Edwards; Darran Kempson; Chris King (Bobby Grant 50); Andy Procter; Luke Joyce; Jimmy Ryan; John Miles; Billy Kee; Paul Mullin. Subs not used: Ian Dunbavin, Peter Murphy, John Mullin, Sean McConville, Gary King, Michael Symes.

Walsall: Rene Gilmartin; Rhys Weston, Stephen Roberts, Manny Smith, Jamie Vincent; Richard Taundry, Dwayne Mattis, Matt Richards, Steve Jones (Troy Deeney 55); Alex Nicholls, Sam Parkin. Subs: Tim Cooney, Will Grigg, Sam Adkins, Josh O'Keefe, Richard Davies, Darryl Westlake.