Harriman tells Diamonds they have to focus solely on doing their own job

​Boss Michael Harriman says AFC Rushden & Diamonds have to stay totally focused on their own job as they bid to complete what will be a remarkable great escape at Walsall Wood on Saturday.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Apr 2024, 11:48 BST
The Diamonds players celebrate Ryan Inman's late winner against Shepshed (Picture: Shaun Frankham)The Diamonds players celebrate Ryan Inman's late winner against Shepshed (Picture: Shaun Frankham)
The Diamonds players celebrate Ryan Inman's late winner against Shepshed (Picture: Shaun Frankham)

Diamonds were 1-0 winners over Shepshed Dynamo on Saturday thanks to Ryan Inman's late strike, but they still slipped back into the Pitching-In Northern Premier League relegation zone.

Rugby Town's 4-0 home win over Walsall saw them leapfrog Diamonds on goal difference, and they have also scored more goals, and now it goes down to a final day shootout to avoid the drop, with rock-bottom Gresley Rovers out of the picture.

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The survival equation for Diamonds is that they go to Walsall Wood knowing they have to better Rugby's result at Boldmere St Michael's.

And if Rugby win, Diamonds will have to win by a margin of three more goals than their rivals manage.

Harriman told AFRDCTV: "We can only focus on ourselves and we will now have to go to Walsall Wood and win the game.

"We knew on Saturday we couldn't stay up or get relegated, so we knew it was going to go down to the last game.

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"We know what we need to do, so we will go and do that, and it puts the emphasis on Rugby as they have to go to Boldmere and win the game.

"Let's just see what happens."

Looking back on the win over Shepshed, Harriman said: "It's a fantastic result, although the last seven or eight minutes were probably the longest minutes I have had in football.

"We were very good the whole game, I think we showed a lot of desire and heart.

"They threw the kitchen sink at us at the end, but the boys stood up to it well and got over the line."

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Goal star Inman was overjoyed to have netted his 84th-minute winner, and says Diamonds are determed to make the most of their survival chance this weekend.

"In January, if you had said we were going to take it down to the last game of the season then I think everybody would have bit your hand off," said Inman.

"It is a massive, massive chance to save ourselves.

"Walsall Wood are a good team and it is hard at this time of the season, because you go there thinking teams might be on the beach and then they turn up with no pressure and play a great game.

"So we are expecting Walsall's best and we have got to match that."