[ Sat 16th Feb ] v Leiston FC, KO 3pm ESCP HOME

[Three of Diamonds]

You know, we're having a good season, but every once in a while the team lets itself down with a sub standard performance. That's what happened in the 2nd half. Can't put my finger on what's doing it, but there's a drop in quality and performance and it's frustrating as hell. I can't see us making the play offs so the team can relax and play with freedom.

[TheIncognitoKid]

Like bartonraz has already said, we were lucky to escape with a point with only one potential winner in the second half. IMO the main reason we did grab a draw was from the excellent defensive display of Alex collard. His headers and reading of the game deserved the motm vote. I'm thinking this every game, that ben diamond is looking lost and sometimes disinterested out wide. It's like we're just finding a place for him. John Dean did have a fair game and deserves to start again on Tuesday, but again like already mention, what is the point of signing acquaye? Really thought he might have got on today, but no. Can't see him sticking around much longer. Potential selection headache for peaksy is when Sam Brown returns, as Jack Ashton has played well the last two games and scored today.

[therushden]

Must be difficult for peaksy, as I think he's unsure of his best starting 11. buggered if I know, either.

[Dazzler]

Jon Dunham's Report

https://twitter.com/JonDunhamNT/status/ ... 5791931392



Jack Ashton heads off to celebrate his goal in AFC Rushden & Diamonds' 1-1 draw with Leiston at Hayden Road.
Picture courtesy of HawkinsImages

[MarkH]

[Trek]

I’m afraid yesterday confirmed my long held view that our team are not top five material. Second half we completely lost our way and seemed happy to try to defend a slender and somewhat fortunate half time lead. Leiston had far more inventive attacking options than Lynn the previous week and in the end we were lucky to pick up a point. Poor old Tom Lorraine was left to plough a lone furrow up front and was desperate for some assistance. Johnson should have been employed far earlier in my opinion.
I expect us to finish the season in the top 8 which I think is decent consolidation in this new league although the overall standard of Step 3 football has been watered down with the addition of an extra division. An improved performance will be required against Thomas Baillie’s boys on Tuesday evening.

[Pigman]

I started the season expecting to finish in the top 10 and we are on track to do just that. But like everyone else, hopes have been raised because we’ve given ourselves an outside chance of the playoffs. I see no reason why we can’t push that all the way.

Positions 1 and 2 are nailed on - but with just 6 points separating positions 3-8 it is all very much to play for. With the exception of Alvechurch none of the sides are showing great consistency and points can be earned or dropped against anyone as we have seen.

Tomorrow is a massive game because if we lose it a gap starts to be created - but win it and we’re right back in amongst it.

I’m really enjoying this season and if we miss out on the play offs so be it - but what I don’t want to see is the season fizzle out to nothing over the coming weeks! I want to see us push all those sides around us as hard as we can.

I can see what you’re saying Trek, but I think we are good enough on our day to beat anyone in this league, and the way it is set up we do have it within us to be a top 5 side, but we’ve got to perform better than Saturday to do it.

Realistically I expect we’ll finish around where we are now, but I want to see us give it a right old go over the coming weeks - performances like we delivered against Leiston will need to be the exception rather than the rule though if that is to happen.

I honestly thought we’d get 3 points out of the games against Kings Lynn, Leiston and Stratford - we’re on 4 already!

My glass is very much half full with this season whatever happens.

[sussexdiamond]

Well said Pigman. I endorse everything you say. As I have said before we do need to put a run of wins together, we are still to win more than two in a row.

[Brownie]

Our indifferent recent form which results in (to many draws) others words not mine, see’s us in 3rd place in the current form table. Covers everything really about just how competitive this league is, excluding Bedworth, safe to say it now we have played them twice anyone on their day can beat anyone. Yes we could have turned a few draws into wins but equally a few could have been defeats.
A season of over achieving to date as far as the league goes which like many I’ve enjoyed.