Sandy's pride despite defeat as Diamonds push high-flying Belper all the way
Elliot Sandy heaped praise on his players despite AFC Rushden & Diamonds slipping to a 2-1 defeat against Belper Town at Hayden Road.
At the end of a difficult few days that saw attackers Bruno Andrade and Tyler Winters sacked by the club following their on-pitch altercation in the 3-0 loss at Loughborough Students at the weekend, Diamonds showed plenty of heart and spirit, but were edged out to make it four matches without a win.
The defeat leaves Sandy’s men in ninth place in the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division and eight points outside the play-offs with just six matches to play, but the manager was delighted with his team.
“I thought the lads gave everything,” Sandy told @AFCRD. “My team talk was about everything that has happened, and how we can turn up and not really be at it, or we can show what a good team we are and the togetherness we have in the dressing room.
“I feel we fought for everything, and I am proud of the boys for the effort they put in.
“They have come up against a really good Belper side and matched them throughout the game.”
Both of fourth-placed Belper’s goals were as a result of unfortunate errors from young goalkeeper Symon Terenowicz, with the Birmingham City loan man having a night to forget on a horrible night for football, played in strong winds and heavy rain.
“The game could have gone either way, and it’s really unfortunate we were on the end of two bad goalkeeping errors, and I really feel for Symon,” said Sandy.
“He has stepped in at the last minute and did so well on Saturday, and it is one of those things.
“But we kept going, and that’s the character of this team. We could have crumbled and folded, but we have that desire and we have fought to the end.
“That was our best performance for the past four or five games, we were in their face, we put them under pressure, and we have had some really good efforts on goal.”
Will Russell was brought back into the team in place of Winters, and it was he who scored Diamonds’ goal 15 minutes from time to halve Belper’s lead, and Sandy was also pleased with Andrade’s replacement, Joziah Barnett.
“What we maybe lose with someone of Bruno’s quality, with those little sparks, we then gain with the work-rate and things of Josiah, Jordan (O’Brien) and Will Russell, who was superb and came in and got his goal.
“I know that going forward, the 16 I have, they will give everything for me, they will give everything for the badge and club, and that’s all I can ask for.”
Diamonds return to Midlands Division action on Saturday when they make the trip to relegation-threatened Bedworth United.