Defender Diamond not getting carried away by victory over Sky Blues

Town halted a run of five straight defeats as they claimed only their third win in 13 Sky Bet League One matches, and secured their first home win since October 29 by dispatching the troubled Sky Blues, who were reduced to 10 men midway through the first half.

The Scotsman was obviously delighted with the performance and the much-needed victory, but as the Cobblers prepare to travel to Walsall on Saturday he warned his team-mates abd the club’s supporters that claiming one win doesn’t mean the team have turned any sort of corner.

“One win doesn’t make your season, and we know how difficult this league is to sustain a run,” said Diamond.

“It is a start, but it is only that, and we need to follow the result up against Coventry with two, three, four, five results on the spin, and then we can start talking about turning corners.

“I think it would be naive to think we have done anything special, it is one win and that’s all it is.”

But he added: “Saturday was fantastic and I was delighted for the team as a whole.

“We kept a clean sheet, and we hadn’t done that for a number of games, and then Keshi (Anderson) to come in and score three goals was brilliant for him, and great for the crowd as well.

“We’ve not given them a lot to shout about in recent weeks, so Saturday was a sweet one and a great day’s work all-round, for the team and for individuals.”

Anderson’s second-half hat-trick was the obvious high point on a good day for the Cobblers, and as a defender, Diamond wasn’t surprised to see the Crystal Palace man make his mark.

“I don’t think you can ask for much better than that on your first start, and he has been brilliant in training,” said the former Aberdeen man.

“You could see glimpses of what he is about, having to come up against him in direct opposition with him being a striker and me a defender.

“It was great for him, and hopefully he can kick on now and keep scoring.”

Diamond spoke to the media this week, and the scars from the fractured cheekbone he suffered back in November were clear to see.

It can’t be easy for a player whose effectiveness depends on putting his head in where it hurts week in, week out, but the 31-year-old says he is now fully over what happened to him.

“The recovery went well,” said Diamond. “The injury happened against Peterborough, and they said I would be out for eight or nine weeks, however the speed of recovery was quick.

“I managed to be back within four weeks, albeit that I had to play a couple of weeks wearing a mask, but I got the all clear from the surgeon.

“He said that once it had knitted back together well then it will be strong, and I don’t even give it a thought any more which is good for me, and I am back playing and where I want to be, in the firing line.”