Didn't get back home till about 12:30 am last night, and had to be up early this morning, but I didn't care one jot. I'm still smiling now. Nights like last night are why I love this club. The atmosphere throughout was terrific, and the reaction after Deak's header hit the net, and after the final whistle, will live with me for a long time.
I thought that in the first half, the ball was getting into Byrne & Foster slightly too easy, and with midfield runners often supporting them, they created several good chances; hitting the post twice and forcing a couple of cracking saves from Quincy as well. Apart from McBride's chance where he hit the side netting when he should've scored, we were really struggling first 25 minutes, and I thought we had a very long night on our hands. However, massive credit to the lads for pulling themselves up, rolling up their sleeves, and making it a much more even 20 minutes leading up till half time. In that time, we were denied one stonewall penalty when Alfie was fouled (I was stood directly in front of it; their defender got NOTHING of the ball), and one possible penalty (when Gearing was brought down). Matty also wasted a good chance, after dancing past a couple of players, when through 1 on 1, but it was well saved.
The second half was certainly one of the best I've ever seen from a Rushden & Diamonds side considering where Sileby were in the table, and the quality they had in their side. McBride and Harris were playing almost on top of our CB's, so the service up to their front two wasn't as effective, and compared to the first half where they had plenty of time to turn and run at our defence, they were now being crowded out and snuffed out. We were also asking some serious questions of their defence with some incursions down the flanks, and we always looked dangerous when we played the ball over the top, and made Sileby's defence turn back towards their own goal. I thought that when Gearing slashed that one into the side netting (after a brilliant left wing cross from Gilly), that we might rue these chances that we were spurning. But then Gearing swung in a perfect corner, right onto the head of Alex Deakin, who flicked his header majestically into the far corner. Cue pandemonium behind the goal (where I was standing), and the terrace running along the side of the pitch. We held on thanks to a couple of brilliant blocks from the two Aaron's (King and Parkinson).
Can't really single out any of the players, because I thought all of them were brilliant. All fighting for the cause, and you could see how much it meant to every single one of them at the final whistle. Personally, I thought Deak's was absolutely majestic second half; can't remember him losing one header, plus he dealt well with their talented strike force really well (and of course, who could forget his goal??), and Gearing was a massive threat to them throughout. All of them were brilliant though, and should be proud of themselves. Like I am now. Proud of every single one of them.
Sorry for going on a bit by the way, but it was a brilliant night all round. One I won't forget in a hurry, that's for sure
