Boss Sandy relishing 'big weekend' after Diamonds get up and running with Bedworth win

Boosted by his players securing a first win of the season in Tuesday night's hard-fought 1-0 success against Bedworth, Sandy is relishing the challenge of two difficult tests over the August Bank Holiday.

First up, Diamonds travel to a Mickleover side relegated from Step 3 last season, and then on Monday afternoon they host Corby Town in the first big all-Northants derby of the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division campaign.

They are set to be contrasting fixtures, with Mickelover playing on an artificial pitch, which is a very different surface to the one Diamonds will tackle the Steelmen on at Hayden Road.

But Sandy is looking forward to both.

Starting with Saturday's trip to Mickleover, who also secured their first of the season on Tuesday, winning 2-1 at Boldmere, Sandy said: "I am not going to make excuses, because the pitch is the same for both teams.

"But I think we can see the quality of the games here, unfortunately, compared to the quality of the games we had at Rugby for example, in terms of both sides with the ball.

"I think at Mickleover we can go and express ourselves, and both teams will be buzzing off the back of their first wins."

And then looking ahead to the derby date with Gary Setchell's 100 per centers, Sandy, who is a former Corby Town player, said: "On Monday we have the derby with Corby at Hayden Road, so it is a big weekend.

"We are now three unbeaten, so we are taking a lot of positives into it, a lot of confidence into it, and I want a big crowd here on Monday to really get behind the boys.

"Corby will bring a big support, so we have to show we are the top dogs in Northamptonshire."