Boss backs Diamonds to hold nerve as race hots up
Justin Edinburgh has backed Rushden & Diamonds to hold their nerve in the final push for a promotion play-off place.
They are fourth in the Blue Square Premier going into tomorrow's home game against relegation-threatened Gateshead after three of their close rivals for a top-five finish suffered midweek defeats.
Diamonds have only lost one of their 11 league games since the start of December with seven clean sheets – including two successive 1-0 away wins.
Maintaining that form over the final 11 matches would surely keep alive the hopes of a return to the Football League via a Wembley final.
Diamonds boss Edinburgh said: "We are confident and competitive.
"We can see the finishing line. Now we need to keep our nerve and composure if a few doubts creep in.
"There have been some funny old results of late from other teams.
"If we stick together then I'm sure we won't be too far away.
"We've got 11 cup finals, starting tomorrow when the points will mean as much to Gateshead as ourselves. They are fighting for their lives to stay up.
"It's going to be a difficult game so we need the crowd to remain
patient, get behind the team and be vocal. Hopefully we can go on to win.
"We've had them watched a couple of times and I've seen DVDs of their last two away games. We know what to expect.
"Of course, they have got one of our former players Daryl Clare up front. We know he's dangerous in and around the box.
"But it's all about us. We've seen the other side of what we can do by grinding out results, being resilient and rolling our sleeves up.
"At home it should be different. Hopefully we can find our scoring boots again but if it takes another 1-0 win then so be it.
"Three successive clean sheets have been justified and we defend as a team.
"Since the rumours about Dale Roberts going to Gateshead at the end of the January transfer window, he has been outstanding.
"Those clean sheets have given us a platform to win games."
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Weather for Kettering
Monday 13 February 2012
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 2 C to 7 C
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Temperature: 4 C to 7 C
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