Sandy ready for 'huge' Boxing Day derby date as in-form Doughboys head to Hayden Road

It is a clash between two sides very much on the up, with their respective wins at the weekend lifting them up to the fringes of the promotion play-off race in the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division.

Diamonds won 2-1 at Shepshed Dynamo to go 12th, five points off the top five, while the Doughboys' 4-1 home success against Loughborough Students saw them go ninth, four points outside the play-off places.

It is the first meeting between the sides since Borough secured a last-gasp 1-0 win at the Dog & Duck in March, with last season's meeting at Hayden Road ending in a 1-1 draw.

The derby date is Sandy's first in charge of Diamonds after he took over from Michael Harriman in the summer, and he is looking forward to the showdown.

"It is a huge match," Sandy told @AFCRD. "Wellingborough are flying and the signings they are making and what they are doing as a club, they are pushing.

"They are probably looking at it like us and thinking we can make those play-offs.

"It is a game that is big for both teams, it's a local derby, a lot of the players know each other, and I think Jake Stone is a great manager.

"He has managed locally for a long time and I don't think I have managed or played against him, but I know he is a good bloke and he has done really well there, so I am looking forward to us testing ourselves.

"I am urging the Diamonds fans to come out and get behind the lads, because we are on a decent run and need you to come out and back us against our rivals from down the road."

The Doughboys make the short trip up the A45 having won three matches in a row, while Diamonds are on a run of just one defeat in seven games.