Diamonds manager Peaks pleased with a shoot-out success

Andy Peaks was pleased with a good night’s work as AFC Rushden & Diamonds held their nerve to defeat neighbours Kettering Town in a penalty shoot-out in the quarter-finals of the NFA Hillier Senior Cup.

Coming into the game on the back of that dramatic 3-2 win at Hednesford Town at the weekend, Diamonds fell behind to their higher-ranked county rivals at Hayden Road as Connor Johnson put the Poppies in front early on.

Diamonds hit back early in the second half with Ty Deacon grabbing his first goal for the club since joining from Aylesbury United.

And, having seen things through to full-time, it then became the Dean Snedker show as the goalkeeper made two superb saves from Kyle Perry and Claudio Ofosu in the shoot-out while Sam Warburton, Will Jones, Nathan Tshikuna and then Connor Furlong all scored from the spot to win it 4-2.

“This is the last cup competition we are involved in so we wanted to go through, it was a local derby so we always want to be competitive against Kettering,” Diamonds boss Peaks said.

“But I have massive respect for them because they have a good team and they are in the league above so we knew it would be a tough night.

“To take it to penalties was great and then to win, I was really pleased. I am delighted overall.

“I was disappointed in the first half, we were well in the game but I felt there was more we could do. We could have pressed higher and I think we gave them a bit too much respect.

“They opened us up for the goal but, apart from that, they didn’t really hurt us and, equally, we got in some good areas ourselves at times.

“I just said at half-time that we needed to press a bit earlier and higher and make it more competitive and, for the first 15 or 20 minutes, we were really good and got our goal. I was really pleased for Ty to get it, he’s going to be a good addition.

“To be fair, we lost our way a bit after then and, being honest, they have had a couple of really good chances. But we dug in and we have to remember they are from the league above.

“We got to the final whistle and then our penalties were excellent.

“I just felt that if we got to penalties then Sneds (Snedker) would save at least one and he has saved two and we have hit four good ones.

“It’s always a lottery but I think both teams have come out of it with credit. I think it was a decent game, it didn’t look like anyone picked up any injuries and we got minutes into players.”

Diamonds are without a game this weekend due to their early exit from the Buildbase FA Trophy but they are back in Southern League Premier Central action next Tuesday night when they make the trip to take on fifth-placed Leiston.

“Kettering was a good game for us to have because we went in as underdogs on the back of three or four good results and there was no pressure at all,” Peaks added.

“It was a no brainer for us to go out and express ourselves but it’s a different ball game next Tuesday night.

“We are back to the league and we want to back up the last few results we have had.

“Leiston have a really good home record, it’s a trek on a Tuesday night so we are going to have to be at our best to get something.

“We will train twice before then and we will be giving ourselves the best chance possible to get something from the game.”