An opportunistic goal by AFC Rushden and Diamonds striker, Tom Lorraine sends Kidsgrove Athletic to their third consecutive defeat as they lose 1-0 in front of 186 at the Novus Stadium.

Both teams were slow to find their feet in the game and the first chance fell to Harry Calyton in the 15th minute. Marc Grocott fed the ball through to the striker and his shot was well saved by alert Matt Finley.

Grove settled the quickest and controlled the first half of the match with quick passing combined with high pressure defending.
In the 19th minute a Lewis Bergin corner was headed against the Diamond’s crossbar by captain, Anthony Malbon.

Kyle Diskin, battled well in midfield and following a neat nutmeg in the 39th minute, he found his way to the corner of the penalty area where his powerful shot was blocked for a corner.

The resulting corner saw a repeat of an earlier chance for Malbon, as his header from Bergin’s corner was cleared off the line with Grove’s shouts for handball coming to nothing.

Grove were unfortunate to go in to half time level after having the better chances in the half.

On the hour mark, Dan Skelton’s outside of the foot pass sent Clayton through on goal, but under pressure by Diamond’s oncoming goalkeeper and chasing defenders, Clayton wasn’t able to direct the effort and it was saved by Finley.

It took until the 74th minute for Diamonds to break the deadlock, when a failed clearance by Grove defender, Leon Ashman, fell to the feet of grateful striker, Lorraine whose low shot nestled in to the back of the net.

With ten minutes remaining, Grove thought they were back in to the game when Ashman headed a Bergin free kick across the goal mouth for Malbon to poke the ball home, only for the assistant referee to flag for offside.

Grove pushed for the late equaliser with no reward. They will travel away to Stocksbridge Park Steels on the 25th February, hoping to get back to winning ways.