AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1 Wisbech Town 1

AFC Rushden & Diamonds snatched a late, late equaliser deep into stoppage time to claim a draw from the top of the table clash with Wisbech Town in the United Counties Premier League.

On an afternoon where the Diamonds struggled for momentum and rhythm for large periods, the Fenmen took the lead in the 11th minute through a glancing header from Luke Wilson, and as the game progressed, it looked increasingly likely that the home side would slip to their first home league defeat of the season. However, a late cavalry-like charge paved the way for Brad Harris to head home a corner eight minutes into stoppage time, sparking scenes of jubilation and elation amongst fans and players alike.

On a windy afternoon at the Dog & Duck, manager Andy Peaks kept faith with the same starting 11 that comprehensively defeated Huntingdon 6-1 last time out, with one alteration amongst the substitutes seeing Joe Merrill replace the injured Jason Turner. The Diamonds went into the encounter four points clear of the second placed visitors who had won 13 consecutive games before their defeat at Peterborough Northern Star in midweek.

With a strong and well populated 930 in attendance at the game, there was a grand sense of anticipation palpable around the ground as the game kicked off. A cautious opening five minutes were spent with both teams trying to gain some early dominance and some sense of urgency, and it was Wisbech who came closest to scoring in this period. A poor kick out from Diamonds goalkeeper Matt Finlay saw the ball returned at the Diamonds defence, and Jack Ashton inadvertently flicked the ball on for Tommy Treacher to run through on goal. He held off Brad Harris, advanced into the left side of the penalty area and blazed a rising shot over the top of goal.

However in their very next attack, Wisbech were to take the lead. Matt Gearing committed a disputed foul half way inside the Diamonds own half, and Adam Milson curled the ball over for defender Luke Wilson to guide a header into the top corner of Finlay’s net. The Fenmen’s travelling support was visibly delighted on the sidelines, and Diamonds had some work to do.

The home team responded with a Sam Brown long throw in the 14th minute being flicked on by Russ Dunkley, and the ball looped up off a visiting defender for Richard Bunting to guide a header over the bar. Wisbech swept down the other end and after a corner from the left wasn’t fully cleared by the Diamonds, Stuart Cobb also saw his effort clear the goal and the Peter de Banke terrace behind.

The Diamonds were appearing to struggle with the pressure applied to them all over the pitch by their opponents, and much of their play was disjointed and lacking ideas in the first period. They always represented a threat from set pieces though, and one such example saw a free kick swung over from the left by Gearing narrowly miss Ashton and just go wide of the far right hand post. A further long throw by Brown minutes later again dropped for Bunting, but the opportunity was volleyed over the top as the ball bounced up for the Rushden midfielder.

Chances were generally few and far between in the last 15 minutes of a tight and tensuous opening half, though Harris did have to smuggle the ball behind for a corner after a dangerous cross had found Wisbech winger Billy Smith lurking at the back post. Referee Martyn Gospel soon blew his whistle to signify the half time break, with the Diamonds hoping for a second half performance akin to that of the previous Saturday.

Half Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 0-1 Wisbech Town

There was a change for the home side at the start of the second half as Joe Merrill replaced Adam Confue, which saw Merrill slot in at right back and Harris move into a central midfield role. It was expected that the Diamonds would force the issue and raise the tempo in the early exchanges, but it was the visitors who continued to look the more dangerous, harassing the Diamonds midfield into mistakes and finding pockets of space in front of a stretched home defence.

In the 50^th minute Treacher found room on the right hand side of the box, drove to the byline and drilled the ball across goal, but thankfully for Rushden Finlay was on hand to clutch the ball ahead of the incoming Daniel Beaumont. Wide man Smith was proving a nuisance for the Fenmen, and after a lobbed cross in from the right wing, he had a run on Merrill to place a header at goal that was well held by Finlay diving to his left.

Wisbech went even closer one minute later to claiming a potentially decisive second goal on the hour mark, and it was Smith at the heart of the move again. After receiving the ball on the left side, he twisted away from Merrill, cut inside onto his right foot and curled an effort towards the far corner. Finlay, making his 50^th appearance for the Diamonds, made a scrambling save to his left side, and just as it appeared that the ball would drop for one of the two visiting players in close proximity, Brown stopped a certain goal by somehow hacking the ball away to safety.

This acted as a wake-up call for the Diamonds to step up their efforts in search of a leveller, and promptly an Ashton free-kick on the halfway line chipped into the box saw Dunkley go down under the close attentions of Wilson, but referee Gospel was unmoved and waved play on. Wisbech again responded and after earning a free kick just in from the left touchline, Milson’s free kick was glanced narrowly wide by captain Jon Fairweather in the midst of a sea of players.

Elliot Lamb-Johnson entered the fray shortly after to replace Declan Rogers, with him going straight across to the right wing and Gearing moving across to operate from the left. It was a Gearing corner in the 71^st minute that caused a moment of panic amongst the Wisbech defence, but a rising Dunkley was just unable to make any contact with the ball.

Five yellow cards were brandished in the second half, with many players struggling to deal with the hard pitch that was causing the ball to bounce up and leading to frequent 50-50 challenges. The away side were also becoming more and more protective of their lead as the clock ticked on, and many groans were heard on the sidelines as Wisbech continued to wind the time down by cleverly winning free-kicks to relieve the increasing pressure.

Tom Lorraine was summoned for the last 15 minutes of normal time, but still the Diamonds were repelled by what was seemingly the impregnable Fenmen backline. Cross after cross was cleared away from danger, and with the Diamonds committing more men forward as the time hit 90 minutes, they had to be wary of a potential counter attack. Four minutes of added on time was initially signalled by the referee after the full quota of substitutes had been used for both sides and with some lengthy stoppages having occurred, and it was in the fourth of these where Rushden created a great chance. Lamb-Johnson dashed down the right and after the ball ricocheted back to him, his chipped ball into the box found Liam Dolman. He brought the ball under control beautifully, and the ball squirmed away to Lorraine 10 yards from goal, but his goalbound effort was blocked away.

More delays and stoppages in the added-time period led to an extension of the original four extra minutes, and Diamonds fashioned another presentable chance in the 96^th minute. A Brown long throw was only headed away to the edge of the box, and Bunting was lurking to hit a true half-volley back towards goal. The ball went through a throng of players but, unfortunately for the home side, straight at Lea Jordan in the Wisbech goal.

It appeared that Diamonds’ last chance had been and gone, but there was to be one late, almost astonishing twist. The home side won a throw in just before the dugouts, with a Wisbech midfielder requiring treatment as a result of a challenge that had just taken place. This enabled time for Brown to throw the ball deep into the Fenmen’s half, and the ball was worked to the left for Tommy Berwick to cut into the box. He went down under a challenge just inside the box, but again the referee signalled no penalty, and the ball was cleared out for a corner. Gearing swung a deep delivery in from the left side, and it cleared everyone including the Wisbech goalkeeper; apart from Brad Harris. He kept his cool to direct his header from six yards goalwards, and despite the valiant effort of a visiting defender on the goal line, the linesman furiously waved his flag to signal a goal.

Cue pandemonium. Cue ecstasy. Cue scenes very similar to those experienced by Diamonds fans at the Dog & Duck versus Eynesbury back in April 2013 and Cambridge City the season after. Every single player piled on top of each other in celebration, and the reaction of the majority of the fans inside the stadium painted a picture of how much it meant to them, the club and the season as a whole. There was barely even time for the game to restart before the whistle was blown on a whirlwind and climatic last 10 minutes of the contest.

Full Time: AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-1 Wisbech Town 

This represented a point very much gained for the Diamonds, especially when they were very much not at their free-flowing best, but at this stage of the season, the old adage ‘It’s the result that matters’ could never be truer. They can be pleased and take heart from their performance and never-say-die attitude showed perfectly in the closing stages of the game, and the unbeaten home league record they have this season still stands. The four point lead that they held over Wisbech remains intact after today’s fixture, and Holbeach are thirteen points behind Rushden with a game in hand. With seven league games left to play, the Diamonds are still in prime position for promotion, and they next face a trip to AFC Kempston Rovers on Tuesday evening.

Diamonds Man of the Match Chosen By Match Sponsor Hevey Building Supplies: Brad Harris

Attendance: 930

Match Report by Ollie Mortimer

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