Record crowd turns out at Hayden Road but Diamonds let lead slip to draw with Coleshill
A record crowd turned out at Hayden Road as AFC Rushden & Diamonds wrapped up their Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division campaign with a 2-2 draw with Coleshill Town on Saturday.
The attendance of 1,242 was the biggest through the turnstiles for an AFC Rushden & Diamonds home game, and it looked like they were going to be treated to a final day victory.
Elliot Sandy's side were leading 2-0 thanks to a 43rd-minute strike from Joziah Barnett and a second on 77 minutes from Cairo Taylor.
But Curtis Handley's red card four minutes from time gifted Coleshill the chance to get back into the game from the penalty spot, which they took.
The visitors, needing a win to secure a play-off place, then took full advantage of having an extra man netted a stoppage time equaliser and that was how it stayed.
The draw saw Diamonds finish 12th in the Midlands Division table, while Coleshill missed out on a top five finish by a point to Racing Club Warwick.
"A moment of madness has cost us the game," Sandy told @AFCRD.
"We were 2-0 up and cruising, looked dangerous all the time and missed a hatful of chances, and it probably sums up the end of our season.
"Ill-discipline from Curt has then cost us at the end, but I am proud of the lads and thankful for every player who has pulled the shirt on this season.
"We played really well and in the last six games we have probably been the best team in each one, and haven't won any of them.
"We have a good core, a good young group, and the foundations are there and we want to build on that next season.
"But Saturday was more about the community day, and the community coming out and the club having a record attendance.
"We put on a good performance, a good show, and hopefully that will bring them back next season."