AFC Rushden & Diamonds boss Burgess keen to add further attacking option

Andy Burgess is hoping to add another attacking player to the AFC Rushden & Diamonds ranks before they take on Tamworth at Hayden Road on Saturday.

Diamonds will head into the clash with the Lambs and former boss Andy Peaks on the back of a 2-1 defeat at Southern League Premier Central rivals Peterborough Sports on last night (Tuesday).

Diamonds took the lead courtesy of a bizarre own-goal from Luke Warner-Eley, only for Sports to level almost immediately through Lamine Sherif.

And it was the hosts who nicked all three points when Dan Jarvis struck with nine minutes to go.

Burgess, who added striker Lauric Diakiesse to his squad from Kettering Town ahead of the game, was left frustrated with a lack of a cutting edge in the final third.

And he is hoping to give his squad a further option in that department as they bid to bounce back and maintain their own push for a top-five finish.

“I said a number of times on the bench that it was nip and tuck and it was one of them where one more goal would win it,” the Diamonds interim boss said.

“We knew their strengths and what they are good at with putting the ball into the box and, in the end, we gave a free-kick away in a dangerous position and they have scored from the second phase.

“It’s frustrating because we identified where their strengths and weaknesses were and I thought in the first half we pressed really well and there was a good intensity.

“But what let us down in the whole game was the quality and decision-making in the final third.

“The character and personality is great and brilliant but there are going to be times where we are not able to score goals in the last minute or score a goal from a set-piece so we have to be better in open play.

“We did get into good positions but we didn’t create enough chances.

“We lost two important players (Ravi Shamsi and Ty Deacon) before I came in in terms of goals at the top of the pitch so it’s important we give ourselves options.

“Lauric won’t be the last to come in and we will hopefully have someone else in the building by Saturday because we need to be better in that part of the pitch.

“Lauric adds to our options. He’s hungry, he’s keen and he’s a powerful boy. He showed glimpses of it on Tuesday.

“But I think we are struggling to get an identity of how we’re going to score goals in open play.

“We have got lively players but we need to be better and that will be the aim before Saturday.”

Defender Liam Dolman missed the defeat at Peterborough due to injury but Burgess is hopeful he will be back for the weekend, especially after Ryan Hughes was forced off with a hamstring injury.

“Liam’s had a hip flexor that has been tight for a month or so now but he’s managed it through training and games,” Burgess added.

“We just felt we couldn’t risk it on Tuesday but he will be back in contention for Saturday.

“Ryan Hughes went off with a hamstring injury on Tuesday and Matty Slinn also has a hamstring issue so they will both be out for Saturday.”