It’s a massive weekend, says Diamonds boss Burgess

AFC Rushden & Diamonds manager Andy Burgess. Picture courtesy of Hawkins Images

Andy Burgess knows a “massive” bank holiday weekend lies ahead for AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

One point from their first four matches has left Diamonds rooted to the foot of the early standings in the Southern League Premier Central.

With the pressure slowly beginning to build, Burgess’ team entertain Ilkeston Town at Hayden Road on Saturday before heading to St Ives Town on Bank Holiday Monday.

And Burgess is under no illusions of how important the quickfire double-header is.

“It’s a massive weekend for us,” the Diamonds boss said.

“We need to go out and get two wins if we can and we will be working hard to try to get that.

“We are obviously disappointed and the lads are down at the minute but we have got a big week in terms of picking them up and putting the results, not so much the performances, behind us.

“We have a home game on Saturday and a decent away trip on Monday. They are huge games.

“Saying you find out about people when the chips are down is very prevalent at the moment and we are finding out about people. We can’t be an unlucky team. We have to work hard to forge our own destiny.

“The fact of the matter is, we are in a difficult position and bottom of the league.

“But the only way we are going to get out of that is by rolling our sleeves up, working hard and sticking together.”

Diamond suffered a third successive defeat as they lost 2-0 at Alvechurch last weekend.

And Burgess knows a lack of goals is a big problem for his team to solve having found the net just twice in their four matches so far.

“It’s all about what happens in both penalty areas,” he added.

“Against Alvechurch I thought we were good for the last 20 minutes of the first half and I thought we were the better team in the second half until they scored.

“But it’s about converting those moments we have into goals and we aren’t doing that at the moment and we have to cut out the silly mistakes at the other end.

“We haven’t been brilliant by any stretch of the imagination but we have been okay and we have been in the games.

“We just need to be better at the top end of the pitch and convert the chances and possession we have into goals.”