Rushden and Diamonds 1
Exeter City 0.

Saturday 29 March 2003.

Referee: A Hall

Att: 4921

BBC match report – 

Rushden & Diamonds continued their promotion push with a win over struggling Exeter at Nene Park.

Duane Darby settled the game with a header on 57 minutes to keep the Grecians at the bottom of the table.

The visitors enjoyed the better of the early exchanges and could have taken the lead in the first minute when Sean Devine latched onto James Coppinger's cross only to shoot over.

Five minutes later, Devine was in the action again when he ran onto Steve Flack's pass but Billy Turley saved well.

In the 37th minute Exeter went even closer to opening the scoring when Justin Walker's 20-yard free-kick hit the crossbar.

Diamonds' best chance of the half came three minutes before the interval when Onandi Lowe's 25-yard half-volley was superbly saved by Kevin Miller diving to his right.

Six minutes after the interval Rushden's Duane Darby ran onto Turley's punt to create a one-on-one only for Miller to save well again.

Diamonds finally made the breakthrough after 57 minutes from a well-worked set-piece. Stuart Gray flicked on Andy Burgess' corner and Darby headed the ball home from close range.

The visitors continued to create chances and within three minutes of the goal Devine created danger when he turned well in the area and shot across the face of goal.

After 72 minutes Devine was again in the thick of the action when he turned well only to see his close-range shot hit the crossbar and rebound to safety.

Diamonds introduced new signing Dean Holdsworth and he almost scored after 73 minutes when he beat two defenders only to be thwarted at the last moment by impressive Miller.

In the dying seconds Exeter almost levelled but Turley produced a fine save to deny Flack's header.

Rushden & Diamonds: Turley, Bignot, Edwards, Hunter, Underwood, Hall, Wardley, Burgess, Gray, Lowe, Darby. Subs: Holdsworth, Mills, Sambrook, Duffy, Dempster.

Exeter: Miller, Hiley, Curran, Todd, Power, Coppinger, Walker, Ampadu, Pettefer, Flack, Devine. Subs: Baker, Roscoe, Kilheeney, Fraser, Cronin.

Referee: A Hall (West Midlands).