In-form Thame will offer a stern test for Diamonds

Andy Peaks is expecting Thame United to offer a stern test for his table-topping AFC Rushden & Diamonds team this weekend.
Richard Buntings fine volley opened the scoring as AFC Rushden & Diamonds beat Northwood 4-0 at Hayden Road last month. That win, along with three others and a draw, were enough to give Andy Peaks men the team of the month award for November in the Evo-Stik South League EastRichard Buntings fine volley opened the scoring as AFC Rushden & Diamonds beat Northwood 4-0 at Hayden Road last month. That win, along with three others and a draw, were enough to give Andy Peaks men the team of the month award for November in the Evo-Stik South League East
Richard Buntings fine volley opened the scoring as AFC Rushden & Diamonds beat Northwood 4-0 at Hayden Road last month. That win, along with three others and a draw, were enough to give Andy Peaks men the team of the month award for November in the Evo-Stik South League East

Diamonds will be hoping to return to action at Hayden Road after their clash at Aylesbury was postponed less than an hour before kick-off last Saturday.

That allowed the likes of Beaconsfield Town and Cambridge City to close the gap on Peaks’ team, who will now head into this weekend’s clash with a two-point advantage at the top of the Evo-Stik South League East table.

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They are now gearing up to take on a Thame side who are in good form as they arrive on the back of a six-match unbeaten run in the league.

Diamonds enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win at the same opponents in the second game of the season back in August.

But Peaks knows it won’t be an easy task this weekend.

“Obviously our game was off last Saturday and others around us played and there were a couple who had good results so they made up a bit of ground on us,” the Diamonds manager said.

“But, for me, it’s just about us and we will just try to pick up more points.

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“And we have another tough game in front of us because Thame are on a nice little run.

“They are unbeaten in six matches so they will be coming here with a lot of confidence.

“But we have been going very well of late and we just want that to continue.

“We were there with a full squad at Aylesbury and I expect that to be the case again this weekend.

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“The squad is looking strong. Everyone is fit and we have players who are ready to step in if they need to.”

Diamonds were this week named the division’s team of the month for November.

They claimed four wins and a draw from their five league matches last month, scoring 14 goals and conceding just three in the process.

It was a run that took them to the top of the table and they have since followed it up with two more wins at the start of December.

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They will now be presented with an engraved glass memento to mark their success.

Diamonds, meanwhle, will be trialling a ‘drop off zone’ adjacent to the turnstiles at Hayden Road ahead of tomorrow's game.

The trial is taking place due to the limited parking at their new home and the new short stay parking zone will be policed by club stewards.

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