No excuses from Peaks as Diamonds' run is ended

Just three days on from the fine 1-0 success at Nuneaton Borough, Diamonds were undone on home soil as the visitors took the lead through Callum Page and then won it when Joe Marsden scored direct from a corner after Ben Farrell had brought the hosts level from the penalty spot.

Diamonds’ fine run of form had moved them closer to the play-off places in the BetVictor Southern League Premier Division but they missed the chance to move into the top five.

And Peaks felt the warning signs were there beforehand.

“We have had some fantastic results in the last little while and I did say to the boys on Saturday that it is football and you can achieve so much and you think you have cracked it and then it will bite you on the backside,” the Diamonds boss said.

“Needham have had some decent results, they are good away from home and all the warning signs were there.

“We started poorly and we weren’t really in the game for 20 to 25 minutes and they scored.

“But then we played really well until half-time and got the goal but, in the second half, we didn’t really do it again and we gave an awful goal away.

“That galvanised them and it seemed to deflate us with the manner of it.

“To be honest, I am going to give Needham some credit.

“They were very hungry, they shut down the ball well and they have some good players.

“We certainly didn’t deserve to win the game and I think they should take a lot of credit because I thought they were pretty good.

“They beat us at our own game. They won more second balls than us and they looked hungrier.

“It’s just disappointing to have such a good run ended. We had the opportunity to go third and we haven’t taken it. There are no excuses, we have to be better.”

Diamonds are back at Hayden Road on Saturday when they take on rock-bottom Redditch United.