We chatted to Youth Team player Aynsley McDonald ahead of the Youh Team's big FA Youth Cup sponsored by e.on game against Northampton Town.

Rushden & Diamonds Youth v Northampton Town Youth
FA Youth Cup sponsored by e.on - First Round Proper
Monday 2^nd November 2009 - 7:00pm
Nene Park
Adults £4, Concessions £2

The North Stand only will be open for this game (due to an event in the South Stand) - cash at the door

You must be excited going into the game?

Yeah there is a real buzz around the place with the boys, Last year we were disappointed to go out, because we had got results against them in the league, so we were disappointed last year.

We're playing well as a team, we haven't conceded many this season. We've played Luton in the round before, it was a tough game, we started a bit sloppy but the lads did well, with some good performances, hopefully we can do it again on Monday night

Its seems strange to say at under 18 level, but you've got quite a bit of experience haven't you

Yeah there's a few of us, Matty Evans, George Cox, Connor Hayes, Nabil Shariff etc that are second years, so we played last season, and were involved a bit with the youth team the year before that. So a lot of the boys won't feel the pressure, because we've played in the stadium before and have played against Northampton before, we've got to start strong and hopefully we'll win the game

You mentioned Nabil, he's been scoring a lot of goals recently

Yeah he's been on loan at Newport, he scored a great finish in the youth league the other day, he's performed well offering us a different outlet up front. Its pleasing as a defender because you know if you put the ball up front he's going to hold it up and bring players into play

A new one who's come in is Sean Shields, he's done very well recently

Yeah he plays in that hole, and offers us something completely different. Not a lot of teams know what to do with him. He's done really well in training, had his chance and took it. He scored four goals for us against Rocester.

Yourself, you've been out on loan, how's that going for you?

Yeah I've been at Wingate & Finchley, I've been there for a couple of months. I've got my place at left back now, and I'm really enjoying it, got some good results for them. It gives me great experience to take back and pass on to the lads as well. I've learnt so much from it, thanks to Michael Stone who helped set that one up.

It must be great experience at that level.

Yeah it gives me the opportunity to judge the game differently, it just gets me used to playing at that adult standard week in week out. The tempo is very different, people are playing to earn their money at the end of the day, so its very committed, I'm not saying at youth level teams aren't committed but you can see that gap, so I'm learning a lot from it and developing well.

Is that the sort of thing that'll carry on for a bit?

Yes, I think I'll be at Wingate for the year, we're a couple of points off the playoffs at the moment, so if we keep working at that to stay there and then maybe we can push up the table nearer to Christmas.