Nunn feels Diamonds are ‘in a good place’ for test at table-topping Tamworth

Diamonds were relegated from the Southern League Premier Central following a 0-0 draw with high-flying Leiston last Saturday.

But they followed that up by picking up their first win since January 2 as second-half goals from Jenson Cooper and Luis Pinto-Leite earned them a 2-0 success over Basford United at Hayden Road on Tuesday night.

It was a result that had been coming after an upturn in performances in recent weeks.

Now Nunn is preparing his players for the tough test of taking on former Diamonds boss Andy Peaks and his Tamworth team who are embroiled in a titanic tussle at the top of the table.

The Lambs are currently a point clear of Coalville Town in the race for the sole automatic promotion place.

And while Nunn there’s little pressure on his team now their fate has been decided, he insists he and his squad will be putting pressure on themselves to perform once again.

“We will go to Tamworth and try to build on what we have done in the last three games,” the Diamonds boss said.

“They are a good side, they have some brilliant players and they are top of the league for a reason.

“Peaksy has done a brilliant job there. We’ve come up against each other a few times now from my time at Biggleswade and we know we’ve got our own jobs to do.

“We will go there and we will hopefully be hard to beat and ask them some questions. That’s all we can do.

“We go there in a good place. When I say it outloud it sounds crazy considering we got relegated last weekend but we are in a good place at the moment and the boys are giving everything.

“We know there’s no pressure on us but we do put pressure on ourselves to perform.

“I don’t want us to just throw these games away. I want us to finish this season as strong as we can.

“There’s a few boys who won’t be with us next year, that’s obvious because that’s what happens in football. But they’re getting paid so they have to go and do their job properly.

“It’s a game to look forward to. It will be a big crowd, I know a lot of Rushden fans are going so, in a year where they haven’t had much to shout about, I want to give them something to sing and shout about on Saturday.”

Nunn, meanwhile, is hoping Michael Harriman will be at Hayden Road for “many years” after the former Northampton Town defender made his debut for the club in the midweek success.

Harriman brings some much-needed experience to what is primarily a young squad.

And Nunn said: “He’s an absolute gentleman.

“We met up at Rushden Lakes and had a coffee and good chat and if I didn’t have a business and he didn’t have to work, we’d probably still be there talking now.

“He is capable of having a major influence on this club. He’s calm, he talks, he’s been there and done it.

“He is a really cracking guy and he’s come in and been an absolute pleasure.

“I hope that he will be here certainly while I am here and for many years.

“He wants to play, he doesn’t want to travel very far and he feels like he can help the club and we feel we can help him do what he wants to do. It’s a good fit.”