Diamonds boss Peaks content with 'a good point'

Andy Peaks was happy to settle for “a good point” as AFC Rushden & Diamonds kicked off their Pitching In Southern League Premier Central campaign with a 1-1 draw at Nuneaton Borough.

Diamonds held the lead at half-time after summer signing Lorrell Smith won and then converted a penalty.

But the game turned early in the second half when Ross Oulton, whose return to Diamonds was confirmed ahead of kick-off, was sent-off for a challenge.

Nuneaton levelled through Andre Brown on 65 minutes but the 10 men saw things out to secure a share of the spoils.

And Peaks felt the red card was a major turning point in the contest.

“I think it’s a good point,” the Diamonds boss said.

“I have said before I would take a point at most places on the road and especially at a club like that with good resources and with the players they have signed.

“But if you’d asked me at half-time, I would have said we were really good value for three points.

“The sending-off makes a big difference but then I thought we showed lots of character to still get a point from it.

“I didn’t think the challenge merited a straight red card and I don’t think the referee did but the linesman got involved and that was the decision they came to.

“But based on the challenges throughout the game, I don’t think it was a straight red.

“It was disappointing and Ross was a big player to lose and we had to change our game plan after that. But we did it really well. They had a lot of possession but the boys put some great blocks in so credit to them for that.”

Peaks was delighted to see Smith get off the mark for the season, especially after a tough week for the striker who joined Diamonds from Brackley Town in the summer.

“It was a good introduction for Lorrell,” Peaks added.

“He has had a tough week with a family funeral so it was a difficult one for him. But he has got up and running. He got the penalty and tucked it away and then he had a brilliant shot in the second half which produced a brilliant save from their goalkeeper.

“He is a good addition and he will only get better and better. He’s got a lot of pace and he gives us something different.”

Diamonds can now look forward to a return to Hayden Road on Tuesday night when they entertain lower-ranked Newark in the first qualifying round of the Emirates FA Cup.

And Peaks believes the game is the biggest one his team will play in the early stages of the season.

“Tuesday is our biggest game in the first couple of weeks because the FA Cup game is a one-off,” the Diamonds manager said.

“If you have a bad result in the league, you’ve got 40-odd matches to put it right.

“You don’t get that in the FA Cup and we are playing a team that has a lot of belief and some good players. It will be a different game altogether and we will have to be at our best.”