The unofficial AFC Rushden & Diamonds messageboard

Official Match Preview

http://www.afcdiamonds.com/kings-langle ... h-december

Nothing like stating the obvious, but we need to win this one - with no match next week we’ll have two weeks to dwell on it which can’t be good. Whilst I don’t really care about the cup defeat midweek, I’m a true believer in winning being a state of mind, we need to get back to winning ways immediately!

The enforced break does give us a chance to rest and recharge our batteries for the busy Christmas period though and hopefully we’ll see Bully fit soon, if not for tomorrow - he’s important to us, not just for his ability on the pitch, but for his leadership and the sheer presence he brings !!

Not sure I’ll make it tomorrow sadly, but we’ll have to improve on Tuesday’s second half performance if we’re to get anything from the match.

For what it’s worth, I think we will improve and I reckon we’ll win this - but I expect it to be hard, difficult and more ground out than flowing attractive football - it won’t be a spectacle for the football purist that’s for sure lol

Absolutely agree Jim, we've played more games than most around us so need to keep on winning to stay in the mix.

Jon Dunham's pre-match preview

https://twitter.com/JonDunhamNT/status/ ... 3469358081




Jack Ashton celebrates after he scored AFC Rushden & Diamonds' late winner in their 3-2 success over Stourbridge at Hayden Road last weekend. Picture courtesy of HawkinsImages

Hoping I’m feeling well enough to make the journey tomorrow, won’t be able to give much advice to the ref if I do make it though... voice is on its last legs.
Either way, massively winnable game and (as others have said) one we need to win to set up an exciting festive period

I went in the end - wish I hadn’t bothered to charge around to get there now!

A better second half performance - but our lack of quality in midfield shone through! Disappointing result though, and now we have two weeks to ponder it!

Not our best performance today... very sloppy going forward, can only remember their keeper making one save?
Midfield looked weak today, maybe tiredness as Slinn and Hicks have played a lot! Two weeks off may do them both good.
On another note - was Peaksy not there today? Anyone know why he wasn’t if he wasn’t?

I believe Peaksy was at a niece's wedding. I also noticed McLoud was not on the bench. Is he injured?

Another abject performance marginally better than Tuesday night. As others have said, let's hope the rest will do us good

We seemed to revert to all the poor things we were doing a month or so back - hoofing the ball up to Tom Lorraine who won very few aerial challenges. Perhaps we were forced to move Tom back into this role by the issue with Ryan Dove in the warm up, along with Jordan Macleod being absent, as Tom did well in a central midfield role in the second half against Stourbridge, such that I thought we would stick with that. Apart from the threat from Ben Acquaye we had nothing going forwards.

How many times have we conceded goals during a protracted period of hesitation about bringing on a substitute, with the players' attention diverted to the substitute board that is being prepared in full view.

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