Mixed emotions for Burgess as Diamonds fail to break win duck

And there were mixed emotions for boss Andy Burgess, who was pleased with how his team played and was encouraged by that, but was left frustrated with their failure to close out a first win of the season.

Diamonds led at the break thanks to Connor Tee's strike on 41 minutes, but just after the hour mark the visitors levelled thanks to a header from a free-kick by Montel Gibson.

Both sides then had chances to win it, but it ended in a stalemate that leaves Diamonds bottom of the table on two points from five games ahead of their trip to high-flying St Ives on Bank Holiday Monday.

"That was two points dropped, I think," Burgess told AFCRDTV.

"We've again gone ahead, had a great chance at 1-0 up but their keeper makes a brilliant save and the ball his the underside of the bar.

"Yes, they have had chances, but so have we, and I felt the only way they were going to score was from a set-piece because they have good delivery.

"But it does feel like two dropped.

"I think in the first half that is probably the best we have played, the shape was really good, and we tried to play a lot more than we have done and at half-time I was really pleased.

"They changed their shape for the second half and were on top, scored their goal which was too easy, but then we have had chances.

"It is frustrating again, but I am a lot more upbeat than I have been for the past few weeks."

Diamonds now travel to third-placed St Ives on Monday, and Burgess feels that a first of the season is just around the corner for his team.

"There were some really good things in Saturday's game, some really good performances," said the Diamonds boss."I am just gutted we haven't held on and got over the line to get that first win.

"But we need to go to St Ives now, and if we can go there and get the three points then a haul of four over the Bank Holiday weekend is a decent return.

"But we have to go there and do that, we have to go there with the right mentality.

"I think we have come a long way in a short space of time, and I think we are closer to where we want to be.

"Effort and enthusiasm are non-negotiables and should be there every week, and they are, everyone is working their socks off.

"We will grow from the 90 minutes against Ilkeston, we'll learn from it, and we will go again on Monday with an honest group of lads, who are improving as a squad, and I am confident going into that game.

"I know that when it clicks for 90 minutes, I don't think there is a team in this league that will be able to deal with us."