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Absolutely fantastic dominating performance today. Did exactly what you would hope we should do against a poor team. Would love to know how far FBT ran today. Immense. Bossed that midfield. AJ , Jesse , Ty & Nath on fire. Long may it continue. Bring on Banbury, we owe them 1!!!

I have to say, what a fantastic performance that was. Considering the pitch resembled a ploughed field, some of the football we played on it was a joy to watch. I could single out everyone for individual praise, but Fernando I thought had his best game for the club, he was everywhere.

Brilliant also to hear the noise coming from our changing room after the game, and to see the lads all patting each other on the back on social media. It feels like it's been a while since there's been a feel-good factor around the place but there certainly is one at the moment. Long may it continue, a pity we have to wait 2 weeks for another game.

I had wondered why St. Ives are doing so poorly with a squad that on paper looks strong enough to be in and around the top end. Now I see they try to play out from the back like peak-Barcelona almost regardless of the conditions and how the game is going. I don't know if it's admirable or stupid but that's 65 goals conceded for them now, nobody else is anywhere near that.

Post match interviews with AFCRDTV

Match Report

https://www.afcdiamonds.com/afc-rushden ... s-town-fc/

Absolute top drawer yesterday. Let's get it right, St Ives were hopeless, and possibly the very worst side we've come up against this season, but against similar sides this season we've found ourselves playing at their level, but not yesterday. We looked strongest in every area of the pitch, and the link up between the front 4 was incredible. Ty really knits the whole thing together up top. Good to see us going for more goals even at 3 and 4 up.

Of course Nathan takes the MOTM yesterday with the 2 goals, but in reality, you can't look past Fernando. Absolute immense, and the partnership between him and Diamond in the middle has been fantastic. I'd never have seen that as an option, but credit to Peaks, it's a perfect partnership.

On that note, got to hold my hand up and say I got it totally wrong regards Peaks. The football was absolute shite earlier on in the year, and we really didn't look like turning it round, but in hindsight of course calls for sacking him were premature, he's really turned it round, massive credit to him.

Fancy us against anyone the way we've played against Ives and Royston and genuinely think we'd have turned PSL over on Boxing Day.

Looking forward to next game against Ives, Easter weekend, and if the stars align we'll send them down. They've escaped it for a few seasons and their fans are absolute nobheads. Would love to see them go.

Talking of a turnaround. First 13 games 13 points. Last 10 games 24 points.

A clinical performance from start to finish in a game that pretty much had everything! The perfect way to see in 2022. It’s the first time this season that we’ve really put a team to the sword from the start and put four goals past them. Once we established a good lead early on there was only one winner. St. Ives didn’t look like a team who beat the league leaders not too long ago in December.

There seems to be a great team spirit and togetherness within the squad which is paying dividends on the pitch. Our excellent strength in depth will stand us in good stead for the weeks ahead particularly with Covid around. It’s been an incredible effort from the management and players to turn us into serious Play-Off contenders. There’s a long way to go obviously but it’s starting to look promising.

It sets us up really nicely for the Banbury game from which most people won’t expect us to get anything. With so many ex-Diamonds players there now and with the clubs fairly close by, it should feel something like a derby match with a proper crowd and atmosphere. If the team plays to its potential and we go there in our numbers and really get behind the lads, then you never know!

Andy Peaks speaks to Jon Dunham

Match Highlights from AFCRDTV