Diamonds 'a different animal' as they look to set record straight against high-flying Belper
Elliot Sandy has warned high-flying Belper Town that his AFC Rushden & Diamonds team is 'a different animal' to the one beaten so comprehensively when the two teams met four months ago.
Diamonds made the trip to Derbyshire in mid-October and were beaten 3-0 in a match-up that Sandy admitted was 'men against boys', and the pair lock horns in the return fixture at Hayden Road this Saturday (ko 3pm).
Sandy's side will go into the match full of confidence after claiming two wins on the road this week, results that have seen them rise up to seventh in the Pitching-In Northern Premier League and to within touching distance of the play-offs.
Diamonds followed up Saturday's 3-1 victory at Bourne Town with a hard-fought 1-0 success at Coventry Sphinx on Tuesday night, and they suddenly find themselves at the top end of the table as they go into the business end of the season.
They are just two places and two points off fifth-placed Coleshill, while Belper in second place aren't out of sight yet either, with Diamonds nine points behind them with a game in hand - a win for Sandy's men at Hayden Road on Saturday and that gap is down to six.
Sandy admits any kind of return from this weekend's clash will be 'a great result', especially after what happened when the teams met previously.
"On Saturday we have Belper and for me they battered us when we played them before, especially in the second half when it was men against boys," Sandy told @AFCRD.
"We had a lot of injuries that day though and we are a different animal now, but they are a very good team and I have a lot of respect for what they are doing there.
"To get anything from that game would be a great result."
Reflecting on a great couple of wins on the road, Sandy added: "That is massive for us.
"We have seen in this league how difficult it is to beat teams, and yes the sides were below us, but the sides down there are all taking lots of points at the minute.
"To get six points against two really good teams is great as you don't get any gimmes in this league, and I am just delighted."
So what about Diamonds' play-off chances? Sandy believes his team has a chance, but that it will be difficult.
"It's nice to actually be up in that mix because we seem to have been 13th or 14th for the whole season," admitted Sandy.
"There are probably seven or eight teams that are all trying to fight to get in the play-offs, and I think for me Anstey, Belper and Carlton are nailed on.
"They are the three best teams I have seen by a long way, and then you have Basford who are quite a way ahead of everyone else.
"That means there are a lot of good teams who are fighting for fifth, and if we were to be able to do that it would be an absolutely unbelievable achievement and we will give it a really good go."