Rushden & Diamonds Captain Jamie Stuart spoke after the draw at Ebbsfleet, and also gave his thoughts on the forthcoming game against his former club - Grays Athletic.

At Ebbsfleet we saw the first clean sheet since the opening away game of the season, and were rock solid at the back. How difficult was it, for you as Captain, and as a team, to follow up the fabulous performance at Barrow on Saturday?

I felt very confident personally going into Tuesday's game. I thought the boys would be full of confidence and on a high. In the warm up before the game, though, I felt that the boys were a little bit lethargic, perhaps still thinking about the Barrow game. That gave me a horrible feeling, and then as we went into the game and I could see it was the case. We weren't as composed as we normally were.

It was physically a battle, a lot of the ball kept coming back to us, meaning defensively we couldn't get out, and the balls weren't sticking up front as we didn't adapt to their closing down on the ball.

It's a point away from home, and any point away is a good point. Securing a clean sheet and winning a point, you must be satisfied with that?

Yes, and that's the positive side, in that we've got a clean sheet. We've always said if we can go away from home and pick up points and do well at home, we'll be there or thereabouts. So that's the positive side to it - we did get a clean sheet and we did pick up a point - but we want to do better than that. We feel that going to places like Ebbsfleet, we can pick up three points, so were a little disappointed, but the positive out of it was the clean sheet.

Going back to the Barrow game on Saturday, was that the highest scoring game you've been involved in?

Yes, probably, I think it's up there or thereabouts. It was our first away trip with a hotel stay, spending the night together as team. There was a good bit of banter, plus a good laugh and when we got up we were in high spirits before the game. Obviously the journey took it a bit out of us, but I thought it's the best start we've had. The boys up front, the midfield, were on fire, was creating lots of chances. I thought we tore them apart up front and in midfield.

This Saturday, at home to Grays, another game in front of the Diamonds faithful and the first game against your former club, where you played for five years?

Same as any game really, I'm a Rushden & Diamonds player; I want 3 points, and that's what I'll be aiming for. It would be nice to see a few faces, I don't know if there are many still at the club, there may have been a lot of changes, but we'll wait and see. The three points are my priority.

Looking at the season as a whole, it's only a few games in, is it where you want to be in terms of playing performance and in points gained?

I think there's more to come. Results like those at Eastbourne or Ebbsfleet, where they're games we feel we should be winning and we know we can go a little bit further and we can pick up three points. We're not far off, we're getting there, as the season's going on, we're getting better and better. We're not a million miles away.

Your normal partner, Simon Downer has been injured recently so you've played with Curtis Osano at centre half last couple of games. How's that gone?

It's gone really well, I'm really pleased with Curtis. He listens, he's a good athlete, he's a good player all round. The main thing is he listens to me and I think he works well. Defensively I think we've been sound for the last couple of games.

We conceded a goal at Barrow, which we're disappointed with, but secured a clean sheet on Tuesday. It's going really well, I'm really pleased.

We always talk about getting goals from the back four. You got your first goal the other week. Do you think the defence can contribute more goals?

Yes, I think I said at the beginning of the season, I want to contribute some goals to this team, I believe I can, the deliveries have been very good, especially from Lee Tomlin. He's played some excellent balls in and if he carries on doing that I'll get a few more.

Thanks for your time.

For a full preview of the Grays game see here.