The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Clearly over the league season we aren't good enough to go up automatically. Our record vs top sides is shocking. However, anything can happen in the play offs. Today is a write off, next week we just need our Hobans to fluke some individual brilliance and you never know. Two wins from promotion. Glad I saved my early clock off for next week. COYD!

I hope we don't go up through the playoffs, we don't do well against the better teams in this league. Another year in this league to regroup and strengthen our squad with the right signings is needed at this stage - we've seen how we become undone. Very pleased to have made the play-offs though!

TheIncognitoKid wrote:The way the table is setting up, it Looks like we may well be traveling down to Egham again next week

Unles Royston beat them on Saturday, which I hope they do tbh, would much rather the drive to Royston on a midweek night than Egham, looks pretty much sealed that we will finish 5th as St Ives will probably beat relegated North Greenford on Saturday. Glad to make the playoffs of course, although shame we won't be getting home advantage cause we've struggled enough against the top teams at home this season let alone away, all about what happens on the day in the playoffs though, everyone has a chance and I hope we can have a morale boosting win on Saturday going into the semi final.

And while I agree another year in this league wouldn't be a disaster, I hope the players and staff don't go into the playoffs with a happy-to-have-made-the-playoffs attitude, you're in them, you're 2 wins away from promotion, you want to win them, I want us to win them and I hope we travel in large numbers next week to try and cheer on a great end to the season, you never know what's going to happen in the playoffs.

ParcelFace wrote:I hope we don't go up through the playoffs, we don't do well against the better teams in this league. Another year in this league to regroup and strengthen our squad with the right signings is needed at this stage - we've seen how we become undone. Very pleased to have made the play-offs though!

Couldn't disagree more. How can you watch your team in the play offs hoping you lose? It's just the biggest load of baloney ever. Yes it's the sort of rubbish we can tell ourselves if we lose, but until that point it's 110% positivity and belief. We are one promotion off our level, off a level that is respectable and where we can be proud of where we've come to, and where competing becomes an achievement rather than dominating. I for one will be hopefully attending next Tuesday wanting to win as much as I wanted to win at Leeds United, at Yeovil Town, at K*ttering, Northampton and at Oxford when we knew our club was at stake. Our form and team hasn't been ideal going into it, but we have two games to cement our position back on the proper football ladder. Come on you diamonds!

The first half performance was our best since we beat Aylesbury away - a win that has proved vital to get us in the playoffs. If we could make more of our opportunities at corners we could easily have been leading 2-0 at half-time. When Stevo went off we started to lose our impetus, and we struggled to get going in the second half - not quite as badly as at Arlesey, though.

The pitch was certainly showing no after-effects of having been waterlogged on Saturday - it was firm and even the goalmouths and linesman's runs were in good condition.

With Saturday's game now counting for little, it will be a chance to sort out who we might have to play up-front in the big games to follow - perhaps we might have to see Elliot Sandy in a face-mask up front.

ParcelFace wrote:I hope we don't go up through the playoffs, we don't do well against the better teams in this league. Another year in this league to regroup and strengthen our squad with the right signings is needed at this stage - we've seen how we become undone. Very pleased to have made the play-offs though!

Personally I think we'll be in a different league next year, either the Southern Premier if we suddenly find some form in the playoffs or Northern Premier Division One South.

Mad Dog wrote:

ParcelFace wrote:I hope we don't go up through the playoffs, we don't do well against the better teams in this league. Another year in this league to regroup and strengthen our squad with the right signings is needed at this stage - we've seen how we become undone. Very pleased to have made the play-offs though!

Personally I think we'll be in a different league next year, either the Southern Premier if we suddenly find some form in the playoffs or Northern Premier Division One South.

If ever they needed an incentive to win the play offs that is it - some long journeys in a coach next season in the NPD1S !!

First half was great as others have said. We were unlucky not to be a couple of goals up at the break, even Stevo was putting a shift in, it was incredible.

As soon as the second half starts we've given away another penalty, team talk out of the window, from then on we're chasing the game which is somethIng we don't seem to be good at. I must say, I thought our delivery from set-pieces was woeful all night. If the same player rolls a daisy cutter into the first man or lofts it into the goalkeepers arms every time then it might be worth looking at who is taking them instead of persisting with the same person.

I'm all for being positive, but at the end of the day 1 win and 5 defeats against the other sides in the top 5 suggests we may struggle in the playoffs. I'm likeminded with others that it's not the end of the world should we remain at this level next season.

Do we know how bad Stevo's injury is?

Personally, I'd fancy us in a playoff final against any of the other 3 with our support.

If it looks as if St. Ives are going to thrash NGU on Saturday, I wonder if Peaks would consider bringing off or resting the likes of Claudio, Dolman, Hally, Ashton etc

Does anyone know if all four clubs in the play off places will take up the option to compete for promotion? - Does anyone know if KL will take promotion should they win it on Saturday?