St Ives Town had only themselves to blame for their second lacklustre performance and zero points return of the Christmas-New Year period. 

Their hosts, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, were sitting bottom of the Southern League Premier Division Central table and on a seven-game losing run, with new manager Chris Nunn making wholesale changes to his squad. 

The one thing not to do with a side in this situation is to give them anything, but Ives had not read the script at Hayden Road on January 2. 

Goalkeeper James Goff made a mistake of trying to clear a 10th-minute back pass, firing his attempted clearance at Jenson Cooper on the edge of the penalty box. 

The Diamonds forward accepted the gift and rolled the ball into an empty net to put his team ahead. 

But when it looked like Ives were going into half-time a goal behind, they were also presented a gift in the most unlikely fashion. 

A well-worked move involving Tyrone Baker, Jonny Edwards and Johnny Herd ended with the latter hanging a cross into the penalty area that looked a comfortable catch for Diamonds ‘keeper Dean Snedker. 

But he let the ball slip through his hands and Ives were level. 

Nabil Shariff was lurking and despite the efforts of Courtney Lashley to keep it out, he was able to force the loose ball over the line. 

Ives were in control during the second half but Snedker redeemed his earlier mistakes with excellent saves to deny Jordan Williams and Kieran Higgs. 

But there were chances at the other end as Connor Tee was unlucky to see a curling effort rebound off the crossbar on 81 minutes. 

And another quick Diamonds break three minutes from time decided the game. 

Andy Mandjoba burst through to lay off Tee, who picked out the unmarked Miguel Ngwa at the far post to grab a winning second goal. 

There was still time for Snedker to stop Enoch Andoh’s strike at the death, as Ives prepare to host Mickleover at Quattro-Tech Westwood Road on January 7, 3pm. 

St Ives Town: Goff, Casey, Herd, Cowling, J. Williams, Milne, Shariff, Hottor (Johnson, 83’), Edwards (Andoh, 74’), D. Williams (C) (Higgs, 53’), Baker. 

Cautions: St Ives – J.Williams. 

St Ives supporters’ man of the match: Paddy Casey. 

Attendance: 436.