Player-boss Harriman admits Quorn beating has brought Diamonds 'back down to earth'

AFC Rushden & Diamonds player-boss Michael Harriman (Picture: Shaun Frankham)

But the player-boss is refusing to get downhearted over what he is hoping is just a blip from his side.

Diamonds went into Tuesday's game off the back of a stunning 4-0 win at Coleshill on Saturday, a result that saw them climb off the bottom of the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division.

It also took them to within three points of relegation rivals Rugby Town and safety, and with Rugby losing 6-0 at Anstey Nomads in midweek, no damage was done in the loss to Quorn.

"That brings us back down to earth," Harriman told AFCRD TV.

"We had the highs of Saturday, and then Tuesday is just frustrating because we just didn't start the game well enough, and we were punished for it.

"Quorn thoroughly deserved the victory and we weren't good enough, we didn't give a good account of ourselves, but if you are off it against good teams like that they will punish you.

"Quorn were very physical with us and at times they overpowered us all over the pitch.

"We needed to be stronger in the first 15 or 20 minutes when it was important we didn't concede, and we conceded a poor goal for the first, and then the second sums the night up.

"Nobody wanted to go and put a head on the ball and stop it from going into our net."

But looking at the bigger picture, Harriman added: "The beauty of it is, the boys have been excellent for the past six weeks to give themselves that opportunity to have an off day.

"Other results went our way so we are still in the thick of it.

"We now have nine days until the next game and we will work hard and be ready for that.

"We can't change the result, we can only learn from it and we will do. We are three points off it, we have that game in hand and nothing has changed.

"We have to be positive. Six weeks ago we were 15 points adrift, and now we are three points behind with a game in hand.

"We have had an off night, but now we regroup, we build that confidence again and we go at it."

Diamonds have a free weekend before hosting Peterborough United Under-21s in the semi-final of the NFA Hillier Senior Cup next Thursday (March 14).

Then just two days later they return to league action when they entertain Lye Town on March 16.