Diamonds claimed a pivotal victory over fellow play-off chasers Alvechurch at Lye Meadow on Saturday afternoon.
They made the perfect start inside two minutes when Liam Dolman poked home from close-range, and they almost doubled the advantage straight away only for AJ George’s pass to be intercepted after rounding the keeper. Recent home signing Ryan Nesbitt had a near-post shot blocked away before he levelled after heading home a left-wing cross. Rushden quickly retook the lead though when Ty Deacon latched onto a poor pass before running clear and clinically dinking into the back of the net. Alex Collard and Dolman headed over while Dean Snedker produced a superb fingertip save to deny Daniel Waldron and preserve Diamonds’ lead.
Alvechurch pressed for an equaliser in the second period, but they were met by a stoic Rushden defence. Nesbitt ran through only to be crucially denied by a sprawling Snedker, and the away keeper made further important stops from Tom Turton, Nicholas Clayton-Phillips and Zak Brown. Diamonds looked a constant threat on the counter-attack as Deacon had a clever overhead kick held, George hit a bobbling low strike narrowly wide and Nathan Tshikuna saw a long-range shot tipped wide. The visitors made a number of crucial headers, interceptions and clearances to ensure that their first-half strikes were enough to secure the win and move only two points away from the top five with games in hand.
First half
Manager Peaks kept the same starting XI that had impressively defeated in-form Needham on Tuesday evening at Hayden Road. The only alteration came amongst the substitutes as new signing Jack Snelus took a place in the squad.
The anticipation was palpable as Alvechurch, occupying the final play-off spot, took to the field alongside Diamonds who sat one place and five points behind, though they have two games in hand. The hosts hadn’t won in five league games before they had emerged victorious at Bromsgrove last time out, but they entered the contest with the third best home record in the league. Rushden had won seven of their last nine, nine of their last twelve and had won three consecutive away matches before they had been narrowly defeated at league-leaders Banbury a week previously.
Referee Neil Pratt began the contest and, in the first attack, the visitors took the lead. They won a free-kick just ahead of the halfway line which Ravi Shamsi took, and his low delivery was flicked up into the air. Ty Deacon flicked it further into the area where Liam Dolman found himself free to poke a low effort under home keeper Daniel Jezeph and into the corner of the net.
Diamonds couldn’t have asked for a better start, and they almost doubled their lead only a couple of minutes when Paddy Casey embarked on a slaloming run before sliding it through to AJ George. The winger skipped round the keeper but his attempted pull-back to Deacon was just intercepted and cleared away by the scrambling Alvechurch defence.
Shamsi then had a bobbling effort easily held after skipping in from the right and captain Alex Collard had a deflected strike saved by Jezeph. The home side broke to fashion their first chance as recent signing Ryan Nesbitt was played in behind but Dean Snedker, who had signed a contract with Rushden in midweek, made a strong save down low to deny the striker.
Alvechurch did level after a quarter of an hour though. A move down the left resulted in a deep cross to the back post where Ryan Nesbitt rose unopposed to plant a header past the helpless Snedker.
The frenetic start to the encounter continued as, only five minutes later, Diamonds forged ahead again. A poor back-pass was intercepted by the predatory Ty Deacon who ran through and clinically dinked the ball over the onrushing Jezeph – already the striker’s eighth goal in his short time at the club.
The tempo naturally started to drop a little, though both sides continued to threaten. Home midfielder Nicholas Clayton-Phillips had a free-kick in a promising position but hit the defensive wall, and Daniel Waldron was only denied by a crucial sliding challenge from goalscorer Dolman. At the other end Nathan Tshikuna was also stopped by a last-ditch tackle and Collard met Shamsi’s corner only for his header to drift just over.
After the half-hour mark, Snedker made his second big save of the half when Waldron broke through on the left before shooting across goal. The Rushden keeper dived to his left and finger-tipped it wide of the far post. Diamonds were pressing the hosts effectively high up the pitch though to force mistakes, and one such moment led to them breaking forward before Deacon and Shamsi both had efforts denied by last-ditch challenges.
Dolman narrowly glanced over a Shamsi corner from the right before Alvechurch’s full-back Ethan Sephton was booked for pulling back Deacon as he attempted to run through. That was the final action of the half though as Diamonds entered the break with a narrow lead, one that they merited for their enterprising and positive play.
Half time: Alvechurch FC 1-2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Second half
The second half began quietly, with Rushden looking the most likely to score the next goal. George was just crowded out following neat link-up play with Deacon, and the striker then had an acrobatic overhead kick straight at Jezeph following a Collard flick-on.
Like in recent away wins at Hitchin, Tamworth and Royston, Diamonds would go on to defend excellently in the second half to protect their lead. However, the backline was breached once following a quick Alvechurch break that led to Nesbitt being released through on goal. His low shot was goalbound but Snedker flew out to meet the forward and vitally block the strike away.
Home midfielder Tom Turton hit a fizzing drive from range that the Rushden keeper claimed down to his left, and a minute later George had a great chance for the visitors as he latched onto a flick and cut into the area from the left. His low effort trickled wide of the near post though with Jezeph beaten.
Play continued to swing between both ends as, one moment, Dolman produced a potentially goal-saving header behind following a dangerous cross from the left and Zak Brown then hit a curling shot that Snedker was equal to. A moment later, Tshikuna lined a strike up from range only to be stopped by a stretching save from Jezeph.
Rushden continued to defend terrifically and were working incredibly hard to shut down the hosts who were understandably starting to throw more men forward. Clayton-Phillips had a bending shot well saved, Collard then importantly headed away a right-wing cross and Dolman was perfectly placed to deny Brown and shepherd the ball back to Snedker.
Peaks made a couple of changes as firstly Matty Slinn replaced Tshikuna and Connor Furlong then came on for Shamsi. In between the substitutions Deacon almost reached a Collard flick and the excellent Ben Diamond then had a looping header that almost caught Jezeph out.
Despite five minutes of additional time being signalled, Alvechurch only created one final opportunity to snatch a draw. A cross from the right looked like it would find a home man but, as had been the case for most of the match, Dolman was perfectly placed to crucially clear away.
Will Jones was brought on and then booked for time-wasting, but the referee soon blew the full-time whistle to confirm the vital victory in the race for the play-offs.
Full time: Alvechurch FC 1-2 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Despite their recent indifferent form, this was only Alvechurch’s third home defeat of the season which is testament to Diamonds’ result and performance. They clinically took their opportunities, created other chances with regular inventive and pacey attacking play including on the counter-attack, and they defended resolutely all over the pitch in making a number of crucial saves, interceptions and clearances to protect the lead.
Rushden are back in league action next Saturday afternoon (29 January, 3pm kick-off) as they entertain the in-form Stourbridge.
Attendance: 314
Diamonds Man of the Match: Paddy Casey
Match report by Ollie Mortimer
Alvechurch FC: Daniel Jezeph, Josh Mansell, Ethan Sephton (Ben Cassidy 82), Tom Turton (Tyrell Skeen-Hamilton 73), Ethan Patterson, Ash Carter (C), Samuel Mclintock, Zak Brown, Ryan Nesbitt, Nicholas Clayton-Phillips, Daniel Waldron (subs not used: Leon Phillips, Tyreace Brown, Jack Hallahan)
Alvechurch FC goals: Nesbitt (15)
Alvechurch FC yellows: Carter (43), Sephton (45+2), Mansell (80), Brown (82)
Diamonds: Snedker, Casey, Warburton, Bell-Toxtle, Dolman, Collard (C), Tshikuna (Slinn 79), Diamond, Deacon (Jones 89), Shamsi (Furlong 84), George (subs not used: Hughes, Snelus)
Diamonds goals: Dolman (2), Deacon (20)
Diamonds yellows: Jones (90+4)
