Dramatic win was the highest of highs for Diamonds boss Peaks

AFC Rushden & Diamonds boss Andy Peaks described his team’s incredible 3-2 win at Hednesford Town as one of the highest highs of his managerial career.

Diamonds looked to be heading for defeat as they trailed the Pitmen 2-0 with just five minutes of normal time remaining in the Southern League Premier Central clash in the West Midlands.

But a stunning turnaround started with Ryan Hughes heading home Ravi Shamsi’s corner and then, shortly after, Shamsi brought Diamonds level with a superb strike into the far corner.

And then, in the last of five minutes of added on time, Diamonds claimed a dramatic winner when young striker Will Jones headed home his first senior goal for the club from another Shamsi corner.

It was a stunning finish and boss Peaks was unable to hide his sheer delight.

“Looking back over my managerial career, I can’t think of many higher highs than winning that game like we did,” he said.

“I thought it flattered Hednesford massively at 2-0, we had as many chances as them and it looked like being another one of those days where we had done well but not done enough.

“But to go and score three goals after making a few changes has left us all buzzing to be honest.

“I don’t think you’ll see any better celebrations than the one we had in the dressing-room and I am just pleased for all the boys because they deserved it.

“The biggest problem we have at the moment is getting the players to believe they can be a good team.

“We aren’t a million miles away and I keep saying it week after week that we are in every game until the last minute.

“I have been hearing reports of what other managers say about us. And I am hearing things like ‘this team never goes away, they have a good shape, they have a great spirit’.

“And we all have to start believing what other people are saying about us.”

Peaks, meanwhile, paid tribute to Shamsi and Jones for their roles in the incredible win.

“Ravi is different from what I have had here before,” the Diamonds boss said.

“I have always had players who head and tackle and do all the horrible bits of football but he has special moments in him.

“He could do nothing all game and then, in the space of 10 minutes, he could win you a game.

He gets his goals and his assists and he is worth his weight in gold.

“With Jonesy, he has come through the academy, I have coached him since he was 12 and he has probably played more minutes than he expected this season because of injuries.

“He is used to playing every minute of every game and scoring lots of goals at under-18 level.

“But he loves the atmosphere around the place and the boys love him.

“He will score goals at this level and higher but it was like a fairytale him coming on and getting that winner. It was the absolute icing on the cake.”

Diamonds are back in action on Tuesday night when they host Kettering Town in the quarter-finals of the NFA Hillier Senior Cup.