AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2 Bromsgrove Sporting 1 - Jon Dunham's verdict

A tremendous season looks set to continue beyond next weekend’s final-day home clash with Nuneaton Borough after Diamonds rounded off an excellent 24 hours for the club with a crucial 2-1 success over Bromsgrove Sporting at Hayden Road.

On Friday, it was confirmed that Andy Burgess is now the club’s permanent manager after initially being appointed in an interim role.

And the boss celebrated that news in style by guiding his team to a well-deserved win as Diamonds bounced back from their midweek loss in the NFA Hillier Senior Cup final.

The victory keeps Diamonds three points clear of sixth-placed Alvechurch with two games to play but, all of a sudden, they are now just one behind Rushall Olympic and could yet nick fourth place in the final table.

Another win at St Ives Town on Easter Monday would all-but complete the job and give Diamonds the chance to play for a place at Step 2 next season.

At this stage, it’s all about wins and after drawing their last three league matches, Diamonds produced the two big moments of quality to secure all three points.

It wasn’t a classic game or performance but Burgess’ team were well worth the victory that moves them that bit closer to where they wish to be.

Understandably, you could sense some nerves around Hayden Road at times and that was certainly the case in a first half that struggled to get going.

Diamonds did threaten inside the first minute when Nathan Tshikuna’s shot was spilled by visiting goalkeeper Oliver Taylor before the ball was scrambled away.

But it wasn’t until six minutes before half-time that Diamonds broke the deadlock.

It owed a lot to the delivery of Tshikuna who crossed from the left and young striker Will Jones arrived on cue to head home his first league goal at Hayden Road.

It was a worthy reward for Jones who impressed with his excellent work-rate in what was an eye-catching overall display.

Bromsgrove started the second half brightly and Callum Ebanks headed over the crossbar before Dean Snedker made a smart block to deny the same player after he beat the offside trap when the ball was clipped back into the area.

However, Diamonds had some breathing space with 17 minutes to go.

Connor Furlong had only been on the pitch nine minutes when Jordan Graham knocked the ball down to him on right-hand side.

The winger cut inside and then curled a magnificent left-footed shot into the far corner. A goal worthy of winning any game.

The energetic Fernando Bell-Toxtle could have put the icing on the cake when he could only shoot weakly at Taylor after exchanging passes with Tshikuna.

Instead, Diamonds had to endure a nervy finale when their defence, marshalled superbly by Patrick Casey and Liam Dolman on his 300th appearance for the club, was breached.

Just as the game ticked into stoppage-time, Jamie Molyneux’s shot squirmed under Snedker to halve the deficit.

Bromsgrove did carve out one more half chance with Joshua Quaynor firing high over the bar after arriving at the far post.

But Diamonds saw things out to secure a crucial and well-deserved three points.

Three more on Monday and they can really start to think about the play-offs…

Diamonds: Snedker; Diamond, Casey, Dolman, Warburton; Johnson (sub Furlong, 64 mins), Bell-Toxtle, Akubuine, Tshikuna; Jones (sub Diakiesse, 80 mins), Graham (sub George, 78 mins). Subs not used: Snelus, Nixon.

Bromsgrove: Taylor; Raison (sub Molyneux, 56 mins), Kettle, McGrath; Dugmore, Willis, Candlin (sub Goddard, 56 mins), Hayward, Quaynor; Ebanks (sub Letford, 69 mins), Barnes-Homer. Subs not used: Marusiak, Perkins.

Referee: Matthew Jackson.

Goals: Jones (39 mins, 1-0), Furlong (73 mins, 2-0), Molyneux (90 mins, 2-1).

Booking: Kettle (foul).

Northants Telegraph man of the match: Will Jones - the young striker produced an impressive, hard-working display alongside Jordan Graham. Throw in his first league goal at Hayden Road and it added up to an excellent afternoon.

Attendance: 478.