The Youth Team met Kettering Town Youth for the second time in cup competitions this season - this time in the last 16 of the Northants FA County Youth Cup - and again came out on top thanks to a 93rd minute strike from Sam Smith.

Following the close encounter in the FA Youth Cup back in October at the A-Line Arena which was won by Rushden on penalties, a decent sized crowd enjoyed the anticipated, highly competitive, tight match.

A fairly even first period saw few chances for either side with Rushden's best opportunities falling to Ben Nunn and Lewis Hilliard. Nunn's free kick after 26 minutes was comfortably saved by Stuart Dorrill in the Kettering goal and Hilliard's burst into the box and strike came back off of a defender to safety.

For Kettering, the best opportunities came in the 29th minute when the ball went over the advancing Joe Day but Aynsley McDonald was on hand to clear the danger and a corner towards the end of the half which came back off of the post. Ben Nunn fell awkwardly, having to be stretchered off in the 35th minute as Diamonds saw out the first half.

Half Time: Rushden & Diamonds Youth 0 - 0 Kettering Town Youth

Rushden started the second half well, making maximum use of the influential Lewis Hallford on the right wing to stretch Kettering and this good work paid off in the 60th minute when a short corner by Hallford was delivered into the box by Anthony Weston and met by the head of Jack Higgins to give the home team the lead.

Kettering then had chances, caused mainly by Rushden conceding unnecessary fouls in the defensive third and from one of these got their equaliser to set up a tense last 15 minutes.

Both sides had corners in injury time and the tie was sealed following a quick break for the Diamonds following a corner for the visitors. Joe Day caught the cross and quickly distributed the ball to Hallford whose ball forward was flicked on by Smith to Weston on the right side. His cross fell to Jake Beecroft who touched the ball to Sam Smith who controlled and finished from 12 yards with virtually the last touch of the match.

Full Time: Rushden & Diamonds Youth 2 - 1 Kettering Town Youth

Peterborough PSV now visit Rushden at Nene Park in the Quarter Finals with the date to be announced in due course.

Rushden Team: Day (Captain), Nunn (Cox 34 mins), McDonald, Beecroft, Higgins, Calcutt, Hallford, Smith, Tidswell, Hilliard, Weston.
Subs Not Used: Knighton (GK), A Phillips, Wigglesworth.