Nene Park - Rushden & Diamonds
Tuesday, September 27th, 2005
V Northampton Town, League Two 7.45pm
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Even though this was only the third competitive game between
Northampton and Rushden, there was an air of expectation from both sets of
fans. A local derby is always a special day out and this one was really
getting me excited. As a supporter of the away side, Northampton, I was
keen to see a Cobblers win after losing 3-2 here in March to a late goal,
that was a sickner.
I arranged to travel on the supporters club coach for the
relatively short trip across Northamptonshire. Due to the amount of people
going to the game there were some old double decker buses which would
ferry us to the ground. The journey was noisy and a bit uncomfortable but
I had a game of football to think of so I didn't really care.
After arrival I made my way down a slope to the turnstiles and
bought a programme. The amount of content and detail in the matchday
magazine didn't really live up to it's £2.50 price tag so I got my ticket
stubbed and walked to my seat. Needless to say with the game being a local
derby the home fans were far from our best friends so there was a lot of
non-friendly banter as the ground started to fill.
After looking around me I was quite impressed with my
surroundings. At one end there is a terraced stand for home fans, there
are small all seated stands at both sides of the ground, again for home
fans and the away end is facing the terraced home end, the best stand in
my opinion. Considering Rushden have only been a League side for just a
few seasons, I was even more impressed by what they had done.
The game was brilliant, one of the best I have ever seen.
Northampton took the lead in the first ten minutes and the AirWair stand
erupted. This lead was taken into the second half but disaster soon
struck, Diamonds had equalised and the three sides of the ground occupied
by their fans went crazy. Despite their goal, we never heard a peep out of
them whilst we continued to sing our hearts out. The noise from our end
paid off and one of the Diamonds players had scored for us, thank you very
much number 6 and we'll have the lead back, 2-1. Four minutes after our
lead was restored it was bettered, Scott McGleish pouncing on a mistake
from their keeper and Northampton were 3-1 up. That's how it
stayed.
Getting out always takes a while but was worth it due to the
result. The bus filled up and we were away and moving steadily back to
Sixfields. This was the only time I had ever heard chanting and singing on
the coach home but under the circumstances I joined in and we didn't stop
until the coach did, even then people were honking their horns in the car
park.
Overall, that was the best game I have ever been to. Exactly a
week before my 17th birthday, what an early present. I would love to go
back as a Cobblers fan but I just hope that win and many more this season
can get us into League 1. UP THE TOWN!!! |
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