Now the hard work starts as Diamonds hit the top

That was the reaction from Andy Peaks after AFC Rushden & Diamonds moved to the top of the Evo-Stik South League East last night.

Diamonds made it four wins in a row as they beat fellow high-fliers Cambridge City 2-0 at Hayden Road thanks to goals from Tom Lorraine and Joel Gyasi.

The victory was enough to put Diamonds on top of the pile on goal difference after previous leaders Moneyfields had their unbeaten start ended in a 3-2 defeat to Uxbridge.

Peaks was pleased with his side’s display but insists he and his players will “take nothing for granted” after they hit top spot.

“I thought we were good, I was pleased with the performance,” the Diamonds boss said.

“We are ticking along at the moment to be honest. They were a good side but I thought we defended well when we needed to and we looked quite dangerous.

“We knew we were going to have a lot of the ball, we knew we would have to be patient and we knew they would be a threat when they broke.

“It was just as important to me that we kept it tight and I thought we defended well as a team and I thought the work-rate people put in the desire they showed to put blocks in was really good.

“It was probably one of our best performances of the season but I think we have had a few of them.

“We have been on a great run and I have said for weeks that we have a team that is capable of going on a run like this.

“But now the hard work starts because we there to be shot at even more now we are top.

“It’s a nice position to be in but we will take nothing we granted. We will have to work even harder now.”

Peaks, meanwhile, was full of praise for Lorraine whose header late in the first half broke the deadlock.

It capped a hard-working display from the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.

And the Diamonds boss added: “Everyone knows what I think of Shanks.

“He gives us a bit of everything and he will run through a brick wall for us.

“He is getting a few goals for us and he is a real handful but I thought he epitomised the whole team and I was delighted for him to get his goal again.”

Diamonds are back on home soil on Saturday when they entertain seventh-placed Hartley Wintney.