Cambridge City chalk up home victory at the expense of AFC Rushden & Diamonds

Cambridge City have collected seven points from the last nine on offer in the Pitching In Northern Premier League Midlands Division following Sunday afternoon’s 1-0 home victory over AFC Rushden & Diamonds.

The bottom-of-the-table visitors arrived at Westwood Road without a point to their name so far this term, yet it was they that started the brighter of the two sides.

Nevertheless, the game’s first clear cut chance was carved out by City when Dan Cotton’s outswinging corner found Taylor Parr at the far post, but his header was cleared off the line.

Up the other end Rushden’s Will Jones saw a header cannon back off the crossbar, while the away team also had appeals for a penalty waved away by the referee.

The deadlock was eventually broken 10 minutes into the second half through Mikey Davis. After Bradley Rolt was upended just outside the box, Davis stepped up to curl in the resultant free kick beyond the reach of George Rose in the Rushden goal.

City then had the opportunity to wrap up the points when they were awarded a penalty for handball. Cotton stepped up, only to see his effort saved by Rose before Stefan Broccoli failed to convert the rebound.

As the final whistle approached Rushden poured forward in search of an equalising goal, but Joe Welch and his City defence kept them at bay to secure their side’s third league win of the campaign.

Thirteenth-placed City will head to Sutton Coldfield Town on Saturday (October 14) – a game in which they are likely to be without Lewis Darlington after he was forced off with an injury against Rushden.