AFC Rushden & Diamonds vs Long Eaton United
Northern Premier League – Midlands Division
26/04/2025 – 3pm KO – Hayden Road Sports Ground, Rushden, Northamptonshire
After confirming our place in the play-offs last Monday when we beat Grantham Town by four goals to nil at home, the Blues are back in action for the last game of the regular season as we travel to face AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
Let’s go and end the season a high!
Your away support will be crucial as you get behind the boys as they head into a pivotal part to the season, that being the play-offs. It does not get bigger.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds’ Season:
The Diamonds are currently sixteenth in the table with the potential of moving up to fourteenth on Saturday or they could finish the season in seventeenth as Coventry Sphinx sit only one point behind.
Seven of their twelve wins this season have come at home, therefore Saturday will prove to be a good test for the Blues ahead of the play-offs.
Rushden got off to a mixed start to the season, winning four of their opening nine games. Within this period they lost to Anstey Nomads 5-1 at home, however six days later they welcomed Loughborough Students to the Hayden Road Sports Ground and won 5-3. Two of Loughborough’s goals came in the last five minutes therefore it was a commanding performance from the Diamonds.
A month later the Diamonds put in another comfortable win over Grantham Town as they won 5-1. Goals came from all over the pitch for Rushden, highlighting their quality throughout the squad.
Late October through to early November was a successful period for Rushden as they went on a four-game unbeaten streak. Wins against Rugby Town, Boldmere St Michaels and Coleshill Town came in quick succession as the Diamonds looked to push on for the rest of their season.
However they failed to do so, after that win against Coleshill, Rushden did not win a game in their next ten league fixtures. Seven of those games being losses.
Their unwanted streak came to an end as they beat Coventry Sphinx by two goals to one on Saturday the 1st of February. That was the beginning of another solid run by Rushden as they went five unbeaten, beating Rugby Town, Sporting Khalsa and Boldmere St Michaels after the win at Sphinx.
AFC Rushden & Diamonds have had a poor end to the season with them only picking up one win in their last nine. This came against play-off confirmed, Worcester City.
Their top goal scorer is Jamal Adams who has 12 goals.
The Reverse Fixture:
AFC Rushden & Diamonds travelled to the Family Only Stadium on the 17th of September 2024.
We eventually came out 2-1 winners thanks to late goals from Jamie Hanson and Evan Garnett.
The Diamonds took the lead in the 22nd minute and we did not equalise until the 88th minute thanks to Jamie.
Evan then bagged a winner in the 90+2nd minute. Wow!
Current Form:
AFC Rushden & Diamonds are eighteenth in the form guide as they have had a poor end to the season.
Their current form looks like: DLWDLL.
They have scored three goals in their last six, these all came in the 3-1 win against Worcester City.
1-0 draws against Racing Club Warwick and Anstey Nomads earned Rushden two points, however three losses against Wellingborough Town, Shepshed Dynamo and Corby Town make up some poor form for the Diamonds.
We currently occupy eight position in the form guide.
It is three wins and three losses in our last six for us.
The nine-win streak was followed by three straight losses to Racing Club Warwick, Coleshill Town and Sporting Khalsa, however we replied in style to beat Grantham Town 4-0 on Monday to book a play-off spot.
Brad speaks ahead of Saturday’s fixture:
“He (Liam Loughlan) is fit now.”
“I don’t want anyone injured at this part of the season. We made as many subs as we could today (vs Grantham Town). Let’s just make sure we have got as fresh as a squad as possible.”
“Ev (Garnett) back, Loughy back and everyone raring to go ready for the play-offs.”
“We are full of confidence heading into Saturday. We will make a couple of changes but not to make ourselves any weaker at all, because we never make ourselves any weaker.”
“We’ll go there wanting to win because if we win it means we secure fourth.”