Corby Town 2 Rushden & Diamonds 2

Rushden & Diamonds conceded two late goals to draw 2-2 with Corby Town at Rockingham Triangle on Monday evening.

Goals from Lee Tomlin and Sam Smith had given the Diamonds a two goal half-time lead, and Tomlin had also hit the post from a free-kick as the Diamonds dominated. The plan to only use Michael Corcoran for the first hour meant that a young defence conceded late goals to Jack Defty and Leon Mettam.

Paul Driver was in charge of the team on the evening, and he ensured the players in need of 90 minutes were given a full game. He also selected youngsters Aynsley McDonald and Bobby Aisien, the latter a 20 year old from Wingate and Finchley.

Corby manager Graham Drury was able to select 3 ex-Diamonds in his starting line-up, with Chris Hope, Phil Gulliver and John Turner starting the game.

With a good crowd viewing from the unusual confines of the Athletics Stadium, the Diamonds lined up with a youthful defence led by Michael Corcoran, alongside teenagers McGuinness and McDonald, with Bobby Aisien partnering him in central defence. Up front the emphasis was on experience, with triallist Trevor Benjamin leading the line - partnered by Sam Smith, with Lee Tomlin playing left midfield.

Although Corby had a strikeforce with tremendous experience of Jason Lee, Mark Stallard and Lawrie Dudfield, it was to the credit of the young back-four, and the leadership of Corcoran, that they created so few opportunities on goal during the first half. Young McDonald in particular looked at home playing against such seasoned opponents.

With Beecroft and Porter running the central midfield, the Diamonds were finding space down both flanks, although Pattison's final balls into the strikers struggled to find their mark, and Lee Tomlin saw several of his runs end with a tackle or a block, and so neither goalkeeper had a lot to do in the first 20 minutes.

The nearest the Diamonds came in that period was when Tomlin turned provider and threaded a ball through the Corby defence, but Sam Smith shot wide. Tomlin then tried to execute a neat chip that was only just over the bar and onto the top of the net. Chris Hope was still in control as he used to be at Nene Park, clearing the danger from a McGuinness cross, before good control and first touch from Pattison was followed by an errant shot.

Mid-way through the half the Diamonds took a deserved lead, as Lee Tomlin set off on a run through the centre of the home defence, and fired home a shot right into the corner of the net - hitting the stantion behind the goal that was holding up the net, leaving some initial doubt about whether the ball had gone just wide.

At the other end Lawrie Dudfield blazed high over the bar with a shot that might have had a trajectory similar to one of the javelins thrown in the stadium.

After 27 minutes the Diamonds scored their second, as Lee Tomlin knocked a pass towards Benjamin, but the striker was slow to react, and the ball went past him and a defender to the alert Sam Smith who nipped in ahead of the keeper and had a simple finish from the edge of the six-yard box.

Benjamin then picked up a free kick as he was fouled in the right channel just outside of the box, and the effort from Lee Tomlin hit the far post with keeper Duffy stranded.

Ex-Diamond John Turner did manage one further effort for the lack-lustre home side, but his shot was deflected wide.

Half-Time : Corby Town 0 Rushden & Diamonds 2

Paul Driver brought on triallist Michael Standing for Matt Pattison at the start of the second half - the 28-year midfield player having been with Lewes last season after a career that includes spells at Bradford City and Walsall before dropping into non-league with Oxford United and Grays Athletic.

The second half started as a stalemate, with little created by either side, although a pinpoint crossfield pass from Michael Corcoran finding Lee Tomlin on the left being the highlight of the early exchanges.

Corby brought on a number of substitutes including Steve Diggin early in the half, and he started to provide an attacking threat from the Steelmen for the first time in the game. On the hour mark the Diamonds replaced Michael Corcoran with 16-year old youngster George Artemi. Individually the defence continued to impress at they held off the increased threat provided by Diggin, but the benefit of Corcoran's experience in marshalling such a young defence was clearly missed.

Smith and Tomlin had both impressed in the first half, but were having a quiet period in the second until Smith set off on a number of powerful runs to the byline, but Gulliver and Hope were able to clear any threat from his crosses.

Good work from Joe Day helped to quell the increased threat on his goal, with one excellent claim when a long throw squirmed past its intended targets.

Just as the Diamonds looked like holding out, they conceded a goal to Jack Defty, as a long diagonal ball from the left was deflected to him on the right of the area, and he had time to fire home unchallenged.

That was the signal for those in the home crowd who hadn't left early to start getting behind their team more, and within two minutes they had forced an equaliser, with a similar long diagonal ball flicking off Aisien to Leon Mettam who fired home.

There was still time for the Diamonds to force two corners to try to get a late winner, but the home defence held firm to gain a draw that didn't look likely for the first hour of the game.

Although it is always disappointing to concede late goals, the results in such games are not as important as the performance, and the impressive showing from several of the youngsters, as well as Tomlin and Smith going forwards in the first half, and the work of Porter and Beecroft in midfield, meant that the travelling fans were not too disappointed. The aim was to give the players the necessary game time, and with that meaning Michael Corcoran was only due to play for an hour meant that the defensive organisation was lost in the last quarter, although individually the youngsters performed well.

Full-Time : Corby Town 2 Rushden & Diamonds 2

The Diamonds now have a day's break before the visit of Peterborough United on Wednesday evening.

Corby Town : Ayden Duffy, David Deeney, Paul Mayo, Phil Gulliver (Capt), Chris Hope, Gavin Strachan, John Turner, Steve Towers, Jason Lee, Mark Stallard, Lawrie Dudfield. Subs: Brett Solkhon, Mark Osborn, Jack Defty, Philip Watt, Leon Mettam.

Rushden & Diamonds : Joe Day, Jamie McGuinness, Aynsley McDonald, Max Porter, Bobby Aisien, Michael Corcoran (Capt), Matt Pattison, Jake Beecroft, Trevor Benjamin, Sam Smith, Lee Tomlin. Subs : Michael Standing (for Pattison HT), George Artemi (for Corcoran 60). Subs Not Used : Matt Evans, George Cox, Lewis Hallford, Nabil Shariff

Goals : Tomlin (23), Smith 27), Defty (86), Mettam (88)

Diamonds Man of the Match : Michael Corcoran

Referee Geoff Lawless

Attendance : Approx 750