EYNESBURY Rovers entertain AFC Rushden & Diamonds on Saturday and joint manager Matt Plumb feels his team will need to play better than they did when they beat Buckingham Town 5-2 on Saturday to get a result against the league’s new boys.

Plumb was obviously pleased with the three points – but not necessarily with the manner in which they were won.

“It wasn’t too bad, but I was particularly happy with the way we played,” he told The Hunts Post.

“But it was a good three points, even if we weren’t pleased with the performance.”

Despite the negatives, Eynesbury are now up to fifth in the table – four points behind third-placed Rushden, but with a game in hand.

On Tuesday evening both clubs are in action again – Eynesbury at home to Bourne Town and Rushden at home to Bugbrooke St Michael.

But it’s not the fan-formed Diamonds that Plumb – who is joint manager with Martin Field this season - thinks are the best team in Division One of the United Counties League. He believes that title is currently held by top-of-the-table Sileby Rangers, the Northampton club who hoovered up many of the disaffected Long Bucky players after their town-mates won the Premier Division last season but failed to apply for promotion.

“Sileby are the best side we have played by a mile,” said Plumb of the team that beat Rovers 2-1 in early September. “But it will be hard game against Rushden who will be disappointed to have drawn with Burton Park Wanderers on Saturday. But they will have a hard game against Bugbrooke first.

Wherever Rushden had played this season - their first as a new club after the demise of the former Rushden & Diamonds - they have been well supported by an increasing number of travelling fans.

“It’s a big game – hopefully it will bring out a few of the locals as well,” said Plumb. “It should be a big crowd on Saturday.”

Only second-placed Oadby Town, who Rovers are yet to meet, have scored more goals than Eynesbury this season – so another five against Buckingham, the team currently sitting at the foot of the table, was no real surprise. Perhaps the only surprise on the day was that free-scoring striker James Freshwater didn’t add to his impressive tally.

Tom Coles opened the scoring in the 14th minute when he hit home a rebound after a Lee Bassett shot had struck a post. Coles and Bassett (another one off a post) had further chances, before Jack Weedon poked the ball home from close range for 2-0 in the 40th minute. A minute later it was 3-0 with Weedon the goalscorer again, this time after picking the ball up in midfield, driving forward, and hitting a low shot past the Buckingham goalkeeper Carl Knox.

Just three minutes into the second half the home side pulled a goal back through Kyle Simpson – but Bassett made it 4-1 in the 61st minute when he tapped home a ball headed back from the far post by Darren Woodend following a Freshwater free-kick.

Simpson scored again for Buckingham before the former St Neots Town winger Aaron Greene scored his first goal for Eynesbury, chipping Knox delightfully after coming off the bench.

Eynesbury: Andrew Wale, David Fisk, James Ducket, Barry Albone, Darren Woodend, Tom Coles (Ryan Inskip), Ben Colmer (Aaron Greene), James Freshwater, Nick Finney (Ben Cole), Lee Bassett, Jack Weedon.