AFC Rushden & Diamonds recorded a vital 1-0 victory over strugglers Leighton Town on Saturday afternoon at Bell Close.
Diamonds had the better of the first half and created numerous half-chances, with both Jack Ashton and Tom Manship seeing efforts cleared off the line and Tom Lorraine flicking a header wide when well positioned. Manship also volleyed a presentable opportunity over the bar from the edge of the box and Andy Hall saw a corner kick cleared close to the goal-line, though an effort by home midfielder Joe Nyama that flew narrowly wide reminded the visitors of Leighton’s danger.
The opening, and ultimately winning, goal arrived in the 49th minute as a long free-kick into the Reds’ area was headed away only to Elliot Sandy, and though his goalbound shot was blocked, it fell perfectly for Tom Lorraine to control and hit the ball home from close range. Substitute Jon Stevenson hit two shots narrowly wide after close chest control on both occasions, but Leighton came close through James Hatch”s stinging drive and it also took a brilliant headed clearance from Jason Lee to stop a certain equaliser. The whistle was blown after five minutes of added-on time to signal Rushden”s first win in five league fixtures.
Diamonds manager Andy Peaks named an unchanged starting XI that had drawn against Northwood the previous Saturday, though there was an alteration amongst the substitutes as Dan Quigley returned to join Shawn Richards, Jon Stevenson, Lewis Leslie and Brad Harris on the bench.
The sun shone brightly in the Bedfordshire sky as the two teams entered the field, with Leighton unbeaten in their last three games and the Diamonds winless in five. The home side being one place above the relegation zone and Rushden occupying the final play-off position meant it was a hugely significant game for both sides, and the play got underway with this sense of tension in the air.
Diamonds got off to a quick start and had the opening opportunity of the contest in the fifth minute. A neat ball down the right channel by Andy Hall found the energetic Tom Lorraine, and his attempted cross towards strike-partner Elliot Sandy was cleared behind for a corner kick. The resultant inswinging delivery by Claudiu Hoban found Jack Ashton alone at the far post, but his effort was blocked on the goal-line. Referee Shaun Barry had sounded his whistle however to signal a push by the Diamonds defender, and a free-kick was awarded.
Rushden were closing the ball down quicker and with a higher intensity than in recent weeks in these early stages, and it was such pressing that led to another chance. Hoban saw a cross blocked out for a left-wing corner, and Hall’s kick found Jason Lee unmarked. His powerful header was again blocked close to goal, this time by his own player Elliot Sandy, and despite the ball being headed around the box for a short while, the danger was eventually cleared.
However, Leighton then threatened and went close to grabbing the opening goal. A nice ball forward found Joe Nyama in space between the Rushden midfield and defence, and he exploited this gap to stride forward and drill a low effort narrowly wide of Matt Finlay’s right-hand post. Play was frenetic and very fast-paced in the opening quarter of the match, and in the 13th minute strong link-up play between Hoban and Lee allowed the latter to curl a cross into the penalty area. Lorraine and Leighton’s keeper Bradley Kirkwood challenged for the ball, and though the goalkeeper was able to punch the ball, it only fell for Tom Manship on the edge of the box. Despite Kirkwood being out of his net, the Diamonds midfielder could only volley his shot over the terrace behind the goal.
Manship and midfield partner James Jepson were combining well, with both harrying the opposition into mistakes and also maintaining possession effectively when they found the ball at their feet. Manship was involved again in the 21st minute when a short Diamonds corner was worked to Hoban, and his dart into the box followed by resultant cross found Manship, although another important Leighton block stopped the goalbound shot before it reached the net. A minute later a long throw by Kennedy reached Sandy, and his sharp lay-off found Lorraine to skew a left-footed shot well wide of the target.
Diamonds set pieces, which had been disappointing in the last few weeks, were causing the hosts many problems in the first half, and another one almost led to a goal in the 23rd minute. Hoban was fouled in the left channel, and Hall whipped in a pinpoint delivery which required another clearance from near the goal-line to prevent the opener. The resultant corner appeared to cause further danger, but Kirkwood did well to punch the ball away under strong pressure from Sandy.
Hall and Hoban were frequently swapping wings in an attempt to test themselves on the opposite flanks, and especially Hall was showing invention and creativity when cutting in from the left wing. One instance saw him receive a good ball by Manship, move inside and deliver a precise cross for Lorraine to glance a header wide as he stretched to reach the ball.
In the 33rd minute Diamonds won another set-piece, this time a free-kick just over 25 yards out from the Leighton goal. Despite Lee and Hoban showing initial interest in striking the dead-ball, Jepson stepped up and curled it to the keeper’s side. A deflection left the Reds stopper motionless as the ball flicked the outside of the left post and went behind for another corner kick for the visitors.
The hosts, after recording a good away victory over Potters Bar Town last time out, still remained a threat on the counter-attack, and it was a corner of their own which produced an opportunity five minutes from the end of the half. Winger Lewis McBride curled a deep kick in and defender Andrew Fagan directed his downward header wide of the near post when perhaps he should have troubled Finlay.
With a couple of midfield fifty-fifty’s resulting in stoppages, there was four additional minutes to the end of the half. Diamonds had one last chance before the whistle as a Hall free-kick found Liam Dolman, and his flick-on in turn found Lee to lash a volley over the bar. The whistle was then blown on an entertaining and event-filled half full of half-chances but with little in terms of clear goalscoring opportunities.
Half Time: Leighton Town 0-0 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
The sun which had been prevalent for the majority of the opening period had now given way to an intermittent breeze sweeping across the playing surface, and both sides returned to the pitch with the game on a proverbial knife-edge as the game resumed.
It was the Diamonds who created the first chance of the half, and crucially it led to the opening goal. A long free-kick by Lee was only partially headed away by the Leighton defence, and Sandy cleverly anticipated where the ball was going to drop. As it fell for him just inside the box his subsequent shot was brilliantly blocked, but it rebounded for Tom Lorraine to sweep home with goalkeeper Kirkwood still on the floor as he tried to save the initial effort. Remarkably this was Rushden’s first away league goal since January 23rd and their first in 409 minutes of away league action.
In comparison to the enterprising and quick pace of the first half, the early stages of the second half were relatively quiet with the Diamonds continuing to close down the hosts quickly and with efficiency. Brad Harris came on in place of the tidy and hardworking Manship after the midfielder had picked up a knock, and Jon Stevenson replaced Sandy who had picked up a yellow card shortly prior to the alteration.
Stevenson was straight into the action with Lorraine playing the ball back to Lee and his curling cross finding the diminutive striker at the near post. After a precise first touch on his chest to set himself, he dragged the resulting left-footed effort wide of the far post.
Two minutes later, in the 68th minute, Stevenson showed excellent close control again after Dolman had ended a bout of head-tennis to flick the ball into his path, but his shot again drifted wide of the post. Moments later the Diamonds earnt a corner on the left which Hall whipped into the six-yard box, and Kirkwood unconvincingly helped the ball out for another corner on the other side.
The home side hadn’t threatened greatly in the second half, but the longer the game went on and the longer the score remained 1-0, the more Leighton felt confidence to grab an equaliser. In the 74th minute a quick throw-in saw the ball passed across to James Hatch 25 yards out, and his fierce effort flew just over the crossbar.
Four minutes later a seemingly innocuous chipped ball over the Diamonds defence seemed to have been dealt with by Connor Kennedy as he shepherded the ball towards the byline and out for a goal-kick, but Reds substitute Aaron McKee managed to nick the ball from him. He produced a cross across the six-yard box, and with Finlay covering his near-post, it seemed inevitable that the waiting Leighton striker would head the ball home. However, Jason Lee came to the rescue and superbly headed the danger away to preserve Rushden’s 1-0 lead.
Leslie had entered the fray in place of the goalscorer Lorraine shortly before this chance, and he slotted in behind Stevenson in a new-look 4-2-3-1 formation. This ensured the Diamonds remained solidified and strong especially in the middle of the pitch, and aside from one long-throw from the right side which the away side managed to clear after the ball pinned about, Leighton weren’t able to threaten a leveller anymore.
After five minutes of added-on time, and a couple of bookings for Leighton players, referee Barry sounded the whistle for the end of the contest and for a hugely important three points for the Diamonds.
Full Time: Leighton Town 0-1 AFC Rushden & Diamonds
Having lost four of their last five games and with Aylesbury, Egham, Chalfont, Kings Langley and St Ives all emerging victorious from their fixtures, this was a majorly significant triumph for the Diamonds. Despite results rightfully taking priority over performances at this stage of the season, the performance was an improvement on recent weeks with many half-chances being created, the midfield linking up well and the defence keeping their second consecutive clean sheet. The recent signings of Jepson, Manship and Lee all performed well, and Jack Ashton also continued his excellent form since his return from injury. Confidence will now be taken into the next league fixture this coming Tuesday (5th April) when the Diamonds travel to Arlesey for the re-arranged game which was originally postponed on Easter Monday.
Diamonds Man of the Match: Tom Lorraine
Attendance: 236
Match Report by Ollie Mortimer
Leighton Town | AFC Rushden & Diamonds |
1. Bradley Kirkwood 2. Ibrahim Kallon 3. Maxwell Ibeto 4. James Hatch 5. Andrew Fagan 6. Jordan Jenkins 7. Lewis McBride 8. Joe Nyama 9. Alkali Darboe 10. Ben Gallant (C) 11. Josh Murray
Substitutes: 12. Aaron McKee (for Nyama 61) 14. Kerran Birch (for Ibeto 82) 15. Lorenzo Green 16. Terana James (for Murray 71) 17. David Brown | 17. Matt Finlay 2. Connor Kennedy 3. Jason Lee 4. Jack Ashton 5. Liam Dolman (C) 6. Tom Manship 7. Andy Hall 8. James Jepson 9. Elliot Sandy 10. Tom Lorraine 11. Claudiu Hoban
Substitutes: 12. Shawn Richards 13. Jon Stevenson (for Sandy 63) 14. Lewis Leslie (for Lorraine 76) 15. Dan Quigley 16. Brad Harris (for Manship 55) |
Goals: None | Goals: Lorraine (49) |
Yellow Cards: Jenkins (90), Hatch (90+2) | Yellow Cards: Sandy (58) |
Referee: Shaun Barry Assistants: Doug Steele, Lee Grimsey |
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