The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

sussexdiamond wrote:
I wonder how much, if at all, the squad can be rotated over the next two games.

Hardly at all I would suggest. I reckon we will struggle to fill a bench in the next couple of matches with Gearing and Merrill's long term injuries, Clarke out at Daventry and Ashton, Bunting, Dunkley and Gyasi all apparently struggling with niggles/man flu. Our squad is decidedly threadbare which makes a nonsense of suggestions a month or so back that we would have difficulties in keeping all senior players happy.

Not quite sure why it's just our game in the UCL today, and therefore only us and Welly facing 2 games in 48 hours. Seems a precarious position for us to be in.

Both of our upcoming games look to be tough ones too - Deeping on paper are the stronger opposition (and have been making noises about their current position being a false one and that they're confident of repeating their win over us last season) while Welly showed on Boxing Day that they can be hard to break down.

The lads that are fit are going to have to go the extra mile for the cause, the next 4 weeks could well decide the title.

Regarding the fixture lists it may be that both us and Wellingborough specifically requested fixtures on Boxing Day and today to take advantage of bumper crowds. Unfortunately this year NYD is a day closer to Saturday than last year. However I prefer a game today to the alternative to it being scheduled on a Tuesday evening in January or February. Will be interesting to see if the Fixtures Secretary uses common sense and re-schedules the replayed home game against the Doughboys for a 3pm kick off on Easter Monday afternoon which should get a far larger crowd than a Tuesday evening.

Trek wrote:

sussexdiamond wrote:
I wonder how much, if at all, the squad can be rotated over the next two games.

Hardly at all I would suggest. I reckon we will struggle to fill a bench

Ackroyd, Pinder, Lee, Ansu no point having the U21's if you aren't going to use them

SouthRushdenJFC wrote:
Ackroyd, Pinder, Lee, Ansu no point having the U21's if you aren't going to use them

I take your point but apart from the odd cameo appearance for a couple of those players in a pre-season friendly and KO Cup game are they the required standard for a team with title aspirations? If so, then a big call from management I would suggest. Perhaps McInally and Joseph will have a prominent part to play in the next few games.

I am looking at the floodlights, they have failed again. :?

Floodlights have gone off again :roll:

0-0 at halftime.

Olly wrote:Floodlights have gone off again :roll:

0-0 at halftime.

Radio Diamonds reporting no power in the 'press box' so sounds like a supply issue, different to the problems on Boxing Day.

press box and tea room lights are now on. hopefully floodlights are next.

What was the reason behind sticking with a 3pm kick-off, rather than an earlier 1pm start.?
This would resolve having to rely on the floodlights.