Draper doubles up as Doughboys make FA Cup progress, but Diamonds are dumped out
Wellingborough Town got their season off to a winning start as they eased into the Preliminary Round of the FA Cup with a 3-0 win at Deeping Rangers on Saturday.
The Extra Preliminary Round clash was the first competitive match of the campaign for Jake Stone's side, and they got off to a dream start as Danny Draper opened the scoring within the first 60 seconds.
They had to wait until 13 minutes from time to double their advantage through Charlie Green, before Draper wrapped things up in stoppage time, slotting home his second from the penalty spot.
The Doughboys now go on to play Bourne Town in the next round, with that match to be played at the Dog & Duck on August 16.
Stone's side can now concentrate on this Saturday's opening Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division clash of the campaign at Loughborough Students.
Borough then play their first home game of the season next Tuesday (Aug 12) when they entertain Rugby Town.
Saturday wasn't such a good day for AFC Rushden & Diamonds though, as they crashed out of the FA Cup at the first hurdle, losing 1-0 at home to Grimsby Borough who won it thanks to a penalty in first-half injury-time.
"I am really disappointed," Diamonds boss Elliot Sandy told @AFCRD. "The game was a really scrappy affair.
"Grimsby went quite direct and we started to do the same thing and go long, and that's not how we want to play and it just became a battle.
"It was a game of very few chances, and we are obviously disappointed to come off on the end of a 1-0 defeat with a debatable penalty.
"We huffed and puffed but didn't create enough to make it count."
Diamonds also begin their Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division campaign on Saturday when they entertain Shepshed Dynamo, before midweek trip to newly-promoted Rugby Borough on Wednesday, August 13.