Boss Burgess believes Diamonds on right track despite winless start

Despite the fact they currently sit bottom of the Southern League Premier Central Division.

The Hayden Road boss saw his side claim just a single point from their Bank Holiday double header, with Monday's 3-1 defeat at St Ives Town following on from Saturday's 1-1 draw with Ilkeston Town.

Burgess was obviously disappointed with the points return an the fact Diamonds are still winless after six matches.

But he was pleased with many aspects of his team's performance for long periods of both matches.

The problem for his team is at both ends of the pitch, with players failing to take chances at one end, and keeping clean sheets at the other.

Speaking after Monday's defeat, a deflated Burgess said: "There were loads of really good things in the first half, in the way we were moving the ball and in terms of what we are trying to do.

"The way we played on Saturday and Monday is a lot closer to being how I want us to be. We have to pass the ball, we haven't got a centre forward who can play on his own and win headers, win flicks and hold things up.

"We have got players who are goalscorers, and runners in behind, so we need to create, we need to build things.

"Our goal showed that, there was good football on the edge of the box, and there were times in the first half when we got in behind, and we had good awareness of when to go a little bit longer and when to keep it short.

"There was good movement from wide areas and there loads of good things in terms of patterns of play, but it's all about what happens in both boxes, and our final ball wasn't quite there."

Burgess had to rebuild the Diamonds squad over the summer, and he added: "The players want to play good football, and show good entertainment.

"But scoring goals is the most entertaining thing and we need that end bit.

"I don't want us to come away from that, and we made one or two errors on Monday, but that will happen if you are asking the players to pass the ball.

"The mentality we have got, and the way we have played in the past two games, has shown that we can do it that way."

The Diamonds take a break from their league struggles this weekend when they travel to Essex Senior League Premier Division side Enfield in the first qualifying round of the FA Cup on Sunday (ko 1pm).

The north Londoners play at what is a step below Diamonds, but Burgess knows it is going to be a testing encounter.

"It will absolutely be a test, it will be tough," said Burgess. "We need to go there, we need to put in a performance and get a result, because that is the most important thing.

"We have to make sure this is a game that kick-starts our season.”