Diamonds were consigned to defeat as their recent four game unbeaten run was ended by Royston on a rainy night at Hayden Road.
The visitors took the lead inside six minutes when Joshua Williams converted a low cross from the left, and then they doubled their lead soon afterwards when Isaac Galliford capitalised on a defensive mistake to run through and slot home. Rushden got back into it through Jesse Akubuine as he too made the most of a Royston error to round the keeper and score, but they struggled to create many clear-cut chances thereafter before the half-time break.
The same story was evident in the second half, with the away side managing the game well and Diamonds struggling to find a spark. Substitute Tom Lorraine saw a header saved, but that was the closest they got to an equaliser before Royston substitute Brandon Adams sealed the victory in the dying moments with an acrobatic strike.
First half
Manager Peaks stuck with the same starting XI and substitutes that had secured a last-gasp victory over Hitchin on Saturday. Royston came into the match one point and two places above Rushden, were unbeaten in their last three matches and had won their previous two away games.
The rain had been falling heavily before kick-off, and it continued to come down as the match got underway. Both sides had barely had time to settle down before Royston forged ahead. Winger Isaac Galliford cleverly flicked the ball past Ben Garwood and sped down the left before playing a ball across the face of goal. Joshua Williams met it first time at the back post and had the easy task of tapping home past a stranded Dean Snedker.
Rushden had just started to regroup when the visitors doubled their advantage. A loose ball in midfield ran back to Garwood, but Isaac Galliford nipped in ahead of him to run through on goal and coolly slot it into the back of the net.
Royston, nicknamed The Crows, continued to dominate the early exchanges and almost added another in the 15th minute. Finlay Titchmarsh embarked on a powerful run down the right that took him past three Rushden players and into the area, but his goalbound effort was well blocked by a sliding Alex Collard for a corner.
From their first attack, Rushden found a way back into the contest. A move down the left looked like it had broken down as away captain Adam Murray stepped in and attempted to pass it back to keeper Joe Welch. However, the pass was short and Jesse Akubuine nipped in to round Welch and then roll it into the unguarded net to halve the deficit.
Chances were now starting to be created, with Welch making a save and Ravi Shamsi shooting across the face of goal at one end before Freddie Brown was denied by Snedker at the second attempt down the other end. Away man Harry Draper also looped a header over the bar, but there was no other action of note as the half-time whistle was blown.
Half time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-2 Royston Town
Second half
The start of the second period was quite frantic, but without many moments of quality and threat to either keeper. Draper lobbed another header over for the visitors and Murray also headed over from a dangerous James Brighton corner when well placed. Diamonds continued to battle gamely and had some pressure, though they were marshalled by a strong and experienced away side.
Just after the hour mark Peaks made his first change as Tom Lorraine, searching for his 100th Diamonds goal, replaced the hardworking Will Jones. He gave the hosts a different type of focal point up front, and he was at the end of their best move of the half when patient build-up play led to an inswinging cross from the right. The striker did well to get ahead of his marker, but his flicked header went straight at Welch.
Joel Gyasi and Connor Furlong were soon introduced to try and bring more spark and creativity to the hosts but, despite a few forays forward and some dangerous crosses that required good goalkeeping from Welch, they weren’t able to make inroads. Instead, it was an away substitute who settled the match with minutes left. After he had dragged a shot wide moments earlier, Brandon Adams then latched onto a flick-on to chest, swivel and acrobatically strike in one motion that left Snedker with no chance.
Full time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-3 Royston Town
Rushden were beaten by the better team on the night and could have few complaints about the end result. They did well to capitalise on a mistake to get back in the game and threaten a leveller on a couple of occasions, but they weren’t able to build a consistent period of pressure and threaten the Royston defence on a regular basis.
Peaks’ men have a free weekend due to Stratford Town’s continued involvement in the FA Cup, so attentions turn to the Southern League Challenge Cup First Round in their next match when they travel to Peterborough Sports on Tuesday 5 October, 7.45pm kick-off.
Diamonds Man of the Match: Jay Williams
Attendance: 293
Match report by Ollie Mortimer
Diamonds: Snedker, Garwood, Warburton, Williams, Casey, Collard (C), Akubuine, Dias (Gyasi 70), Jones (Lorraine 62), Shamsi, Tshikuna (Furlong 81) (subs not used: Dolman, Bell-Toxtle)
Diamonds goals: Akubuine (22)
Royston: Joe Welch, Finlay Titchmarsh, James Brighton, Spyros Mentis, Adam Murray (C), Daniel Newton, Joshua Williams (Scott Bridges 79), Ed Asafu-Adjaye, Harry Draper (Matthew Bateman 68), Freddie Brown (Brandon Adams 55), Isaac Galliford (subs not used: Daniel Brathwaite, Makai Murray)
Royston goals: Williams (6), Galliford (12), Adams (87)
