Shocking start ensures struggling Diamonds are downed at Sutton Coldfield

Rushden found themselves 2-0 down inside the opening eight minutes at The Domino’s Arena, with Owen Parry netting both goals, with the home side also having a second-minute penalty saved by Ben Heath.

And although Jamal Adams pulled a goal back on the stroke of half-time they couldn't find a leveller.

The loss was a fourth in five games for the Diamonds, who are now 14th in the table and just eight points above the relegation zone.

Harriman's side have claimed just three points out of the past 27 available to them, and haven't won a league game since beating Coleshill 3-1 back on November 9!

Looking back on the loss at Sutton Coldfield, Harriman told AFCRDTV: "That was disappointing and we shot ourselves in the foot.

"We had a bad 10 minutes, and the hard bit is we were very good in the latter pages of the first half and going into the second half.

"But we can't keep giving teams opportunities to take two goal leads in the first 10 minutes of games.

"It is something we need to address quickly, and we will go back to basics and try and do it the way we need to do it, because something has got to change."

Diamonds are quickly due back in action on Tuesday night when they host a Coventry Sphinx side that is currently 17th in the table, just a point behind Diamonds.

Sphinx will be making their second trip to Northamptonshire in a matter of days, as they were thrashed 4-0 at second-placed Corby Town on Saturday.

"Every game is big, and we are running out of games to get to where we want to be as a grou," said Harriman.

"Sphinx will have a set way of playing, they will be strong, they will be physical and we are going to have to stand up to that.

"If we don't then we will find ourseves in a situation where we will be a couple of goals down again and that is not where we want to be.

"We have to make sure we put a team together that will fight and work hard and then let the quality shine through at the end of the game."