Rushden & Diamonds are the latest former Football League side to visit Priory Lane as they take on Eastbourne Borough in the Blue Square Bet Premier on Wednesday night (September 29).
In spite of a respectable performance, Borough suffered a 4-0 reverse at Mansfield on Saturday – but they are developing a reputation for taking the pain of heavy defeats out on their next opponents. After they lost 4-2 at Tamworth on opening day, Garry Wilson’s side spanked Hayes & Yeading 5-0 a few days later, and they also put five past Altrincham a week after losing 4-0 to Barrow.
Rushden will be the next side to run that particular gauntlet in a repeat of Borough’s first-ever fixture at this level in 2008-09, when a Curtis Woodhouse penalty earned the visitors three points in a tight game.
Both teams are neck-and-neck in mid-table with similar records, on 14 points after the first 11 games. Rushden edge it on goal difference, despite their 1-0 defeat to Sussex opposition, in the shape of Crawley Town, on Sunday. It is because that match, screened live on Premier Sports, was pushed back that this one has also been moved 24 hours, from Tuesday to Wednesday.
Borough have been at their irresistable best at home, netting 17 goals in five matches, and will fancy their chances against a Rushden side that have won just once away from home this season (at Northamptonshire rivals Kettering).
Rushden moved to strengthen their squad last week by capturing target man Tim Sills on a three-month loan deal from League Two club Stevenage. The 31-year-old, who scored against Borough while playing for Torquay, was part of Stevenage’s Blue Square Premier title-winning side last term. Former Borough midfielder Joe Keehan, who signed a pro deal with Rushden in the summer, is yet to make an appearance for his new club, but has been an unused substitute on three occasions.
