Long Eaton United and AFC Rushden & Diamonds fought out a 1-1 draw in our FA Cup Preliminary Round tie, which means both teams must do it all again on Tuesday at Grange Park...

FULL REPORT:

AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1-1 Long Eaton United
Saturday 22 August 2026
FA Cup Preliminary Round
At Hayden Road, attendance 411

An even game produced a stalemate and a replay at Grange Park.

The hosts unleashed an early storm with plenty of action in and around the Blues penalty area, but without any real effort on goal. The first LEU chance came after five minutes as James Taylor crossed the ball into the area but the ball went out for a goal kick. It was JT in the thick of it a few minutes later as his header at goal took a slight defensive touch that was enough for the ball to go wide for a corner. The resulting corner was easily cleared by the hosts.

On the quarter hour, Long Eaton conjured up a great chance as the outstanding James Taylor battled his way into the area, slid a pass to an unmarked Evan Garnett, but with only the keeper to beat from 15 yards the Blues striker put the chance uncharacteristically wide.

The chances were certainly being made now, and just before the half hour, the Blues took the lead as a perfect cross from Harry Eden was met by JT who headed past Rushden keeper Charlie Woods. It was nearly two a minute later as Curtis Durose played in James Taylor but his shot at goal was straight at the goalkeeper.

A strange incident five minutes later produced a real let-off for Long Eaton as a weak shot from James Clifton seemed to evade everyone and it was a relief to see the ball run narrowly wide. There was time left in the first half for the Diamonds to win a free kick just outside the area only for Bruno Andrade to shoot high and wide, allowing the Blues to lead at the break.

Long Eaton started the second period with a chance for Connor Pace, who blazed a shot at goal only for a fortunate deflection for the home side to take the ball over the bar. On 55 minutes, Harry Eden brought down the Rushden number 11 John-Joseph O’Toole with a tackle that would be perfectly legitimate in the NFL, but unfortunately not in the FA Cup and was rightly yellow-carded. However, O’Toole decided he would actually like to be refereeing as well as playing and rushed up to the referee waving an imaginary yellow card. It appears the law change about that in pre-season passed O’Toole by, as he looked perplexed to get his wish granted by referee Daniel Jones and earned his own yellow card.

On 63 minutes, the hosts made a game changing substitution as Rhys Thorpe was sent on for O’Toole, as only nine minutes later Thorpe was the one to rise highest in the area to head home a cross from Bruno Andrade. This became an excellent spell for the Diamonds as they created several chances, but the Long Eaton defence held firm.

With Jahvan Davidson-Miller and Courtney Nyakhuwa introduced for the Blues, it wasn’t long before JDM danced his way through the penalty area to lay the ball off to Evan Garnett, but Charlie Woods in the Rushden goal made an excellent save. There was still time for a bit of controversy as Harry Eden fouled a Rushden player with a challenge that may well have merited a second yellow card, but the fuss made on the sidelines from members of the home team who also wanted to referee the match and demanded a red card may have helped make sure the referee didn’t produce a second card for Harry!

There was just time for a wonderful chance for Long Eaton as a pass saw Evan Garnett all alone in the penalty area in front of goal, but the expected tap in never came as the Blues striker was unceremoniously clattered and the ball cleared. Obvious penalty? Not given! Replay at Grange Park incoming!

Long Eaton United: Lewis King – George Atwal – Harry Eden – Callum Cocks – Jayden Cotterill – Gianluca Bucci – Curtis Durose – Luke Williamson – Evan Garnett – Connor Pace – James Taylor
Substitutes: Courtney Nyakuhwa (for George Atwal 68) – Jahvan Davidson-Miller (for Curtis Durose 78)