The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

I should imagine that MS is keeping an eye out for current 18 year old players from opposing teams who he feels, if he is appointed the AFC senior team manager next season, might be able to make the step up to a higher level of football. ;)

Went to the match last night and have to say Cogenhoe are a good side although I dont think it was hard for them to look good last night, many of our lads I felt didnt perform like they have done in the past.

See we got Duston in the County Cup, lucky at present we didnt get any of the bigger 4/5 teams I feel as it gives MS a chance to take stock.

easystreet wrote:See we got Duston in the County Cup, lucky at present we didnt get any of the bigger 4/5 teams I feel as it gives MS a chance to take stock.

Duston will be no pushovers you know - they play in the same league as OG's, Irchester etc. and won their first round match 9-1.

I reckon Mark Starmer would be the first to say that if we don't show them the respect that they deserve then we'll definitely be going home with nothing from the game.

Seems to be no input from people about last nights match.

I wasnt the only one there or do people only sing when were winning

I don't think you can say alot about last night first half shocking second half much better, but this league is turning out to be a lot tougher than perhaps we thought it was going to be a few weeks in.
Not a bad thing as it will test players, management,fans etc
At half time last night it was a good test of starms and I thought he did well to get the response he did from the team.

cogenhoe pressed hard and over ran us. pretty much dictating play, allowing them to shoot at will. they must have hit the bar 5 times too.

therushden wrote:cogenhoe pressed hard and over ran us. pretty much dictating play, allowing them to shoot at will. they must have hit the bar 5 times too.

They did, but first and foremost you have to compete with them and get a foot in, this was the first time we have not done that (in the first half). Ok there might have been age differences, and a few first choice players missing, but we must learn a harsh lesson.
Only Lewi and our goalie came out of the first half with any credit really, and it was those two who deserved our men of the match IMO.
Of course we cannot put a full team of these kids into the UCL, we'll get battered every week if we do, but there are a few promising players who might get a game or run out. Now if we could assemble a team from our last season's youth double winning side for the UCL, that would be different.