Burgess happy to see AFC Rushden & Diamonds come through a 'scrap'

Andy Burgess was delighted to see AFC Rushden & Diamonds come through a “scrap” as he made the dream start to life as the club’s interim manager.

Things may have changed in the dugout but it was business as usual for Diamonds on the pitch as their superb form continued with a 1-0 success over Hednesford Town at Hayden Road.

Captain Alex Collard headed home the only goal of the game from a Connor Furlong corner with 15 minutes to go to settle a scrappy affair and keep Diamonds firmly on course for a play-off place in the Southern League Premier Central.

Burgess was appointed as the interim manager on Thursday and he felt Diamonds emerged as worthy winners as they maintained their top-five position.

“It wasn’t pretty,” Burgess said.

“It was a fight, it was a scrap and it was about doing the right things at the right time and I think that’s how it’s going to be for the next 10 games.

“It will be about who makes the best decisions and then you need your moments of quality and I thought the ball in from Connor was magnificent and the skipper has headed it in at the back post.

“We weren’t great in the first half, I thought they were probably the better team without really hurting us.

“But we said that we needed to make better decisions in the second half and put the ball into better areas. I thought we did that and, in the end, I think we probably deserved the three points.

“If I was their manager I would probably point to the one-on-one in the second half where the lad has gone through and probably should have done better.

“But to give up one good chance in the whole game, I would take that. I thought we looked fine defensively.

“There was lots I saw that I think we could improve on but nothing major. And if someone had given me 1-0 on Friday night, I would have taken it.”

As expected, the Rushden & Diamonds legend received a hero’s welcome at Hayden Road and there was delight all-round after the final whistle blew.

In the end, it was a very happy homecoming for Burgess who added: “Everyone has been fantastic to me in welcoming me here. I felt like I recognised every face!

“We need the fans, especially in games like this. They can get us going and the players respond from that.

“I think the positivity has been huge. It’s been a difficult couple of weeks for the club and a lot of disruption and change but hopefully this shows the players are over that and we are into a new era.

“All I can say is that the players were magnificent and deserved the three points.”