The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Winning the league on the first attempt is always going to be a mammoth task, especially considering the talent in the league already. It don't help only one goes up this season!
Don't think this is our season now, and by no means should we win it, to be honest I can see the next 2 or 3 seasons in this league, if they win it I'll eat my words :lol:

Saturday was mentally tough on the lads and really hope that starms picks his team wisely for Saturday for one of the 'easier' games of the season. Not saying changing the whole team, but give rest to those where needed. We have a huge task in playing every Tuesday and sat till mid December and energy will be vital. We have a few of the smaller teams coming up, but then again it don't make them easier matches but would rather have a fully energised team against Spalding when it's arranged compared to say desborough and wisbeach in the next 2 weeks...

All the best for Saturday boys, waiting to see the odds when released, although by the sound of it won't be worth backing :lol:

I think the comments in the UCL's report on the game, as well as the reaction of the PNS players and officials make it clear we are going to be regarded as a big scalp by our opponents, even if they are only a point behind us in the league - as PNS were before last night's game - http://full-time.thefa.com/DisplayFixtu ... d=12749444

PNS seem to be able to raise their game for these sorts of matches - as they did for their two cup games against Yaxley - and there will be many others who do the same.

Winning the UCL Premier title this season, in our first attempt, was always going to be a big ask and I don't think any do our supporters ever seriously thought we could do it. We always knew that Spalding United with their spending ability recruiting the likes of Andy Tidswell from last season's champions would make them the odds on favourites. That is still the case although I still think we can still finish in the top five and give the likes of Huntingdon Town and Deeping Rangers a run for their money. Huntingdon slipped up last Saturday losing at home to the Doughboys and have now lost their ambitious manager so it will interesting to see how their players react to a change in management. It wouldn't surprise me see Histon raid them for a few of their players. Deeping dropped a couple points last evening at home against a lowly Boston Town outfit.
Starms always maintained that a top 4-5 finish would be target and progress for our fledging club and I'm certainly not writing off our league chances just yet and we may find we now go on a long unbeaten run to narrow the gap on the leaders particularly if we were able to take 4-6 points off Spalding.

I am not convinced we had CUP hangover. This is just a case of the manager not using the whole squad as was needed. The starting line up was wrong, the substitutions were wrong and at the wrong time, based on what was required to get something out of the game. There was very little evidence of team spirit and this is a concern at a club that has made progress on players who believe in the club and its direction.
The game coming up on Saturday should be relatively comfortable for any team we put out.
Let us move on from what should be classed as a blip.

:(

BartonRaz wrote:One more thing. I'm sure the video will confirm but i'm 99.9% sure Fazel Koriya scored our second, not Aaron King.

The video did indeed confirm that, and the goal has been credited to Fazel Koriya.