‘Fine margins’ will be vital in Diamonds' play-off bid

Diamonds will be hoping the weather allows them to return to Hayden Road tomorrow (Saturday) to take on fellow top-five contenders Rushall Olympic.

The battle for play-off supremacy in the BetVictor Southern League Premier Central couldn’t be more intriguing.

The current top four of leaders Tamworth, Peterborough Sports, Bromsgrove Sporting and Royston Town look well set but the final play-off place is well and truly up for grabs.

It’s currently occupied by Coalville Town after they edged out Diamonds 1-0 last Saturday.

But just six points separate fifth-placed Coalville from Barwell in 13th with Diamonds and Rushall being two of those teams in that batch.

Diamonds were left to rue last weekend’s defeat after Nabil Shariff saw a penalty saved and boss Andy Peaks knows those “fine margins” will be crucial during the final 13 matches of the season.

“It’s certainly been a more competitive league than last year,” the Diamonds boss said.

“Even now there are some freak results and you saw that with Redditch beating Nuneaton last weekend.

“We have got 13 games left and it’s all about who can string a run of results together.

“Rushall are in the same boat as us but it’s up to us to try to start another good run on this weekend and that’s our aim.

“But, given how close the league is, it’s all about who makes the fewest mistakes and then takes their chances at the other end.

“I have watched last weekend’s game again and we competed with a really good team for the whole game and we were really unlucky to come away with nothing.

“But it comes down to those fine margins and the key moments in both penalty boxes. You have to capitalise on the mistakes and try not to make too many yourself.”

Peaks will be forced into at least one change to his team for this weekend after Jesse Akubuine was sent-off for a two bookable offences at Coalville, meaning he now has to serve a one-match ban.

The Diamonds boss admitted Akubuine’s absence is a “blow” with the midfielder impressing in recent weeks.

But it’s not all bad news as Peaks is set to be boosted by the return of two key players.

“Ben Farrell has been away with work for the last two weekends and that was something I knew about so he will come back into the equation,” the Diamonds manager added.

“And Ben Acquaye will be in the frame again after his ban, which is really welcome news.

“It’s a big blow that Jesse will be missing because he has been exceptional since he has come into the team, but it gives us something to think about in training and we will try to find the right formula that helps us get the result we want."