AFC Rushden & Diamonds will face arguably their toughest test in their short history tonight when they take on Northampton Town’s Under-18 side in the County Cup.
It is a chance for the phoenix club to renew the intense rivalry between the two Northamptonshire sides that grew following the formation of the original Rushden & Diamonds in 1992.
The two teams met four times competitively, with Rushden’s only win being a famous late 3-2 victory at Nene Park in 2005, and they will lock horns once again at Kiln Park.
AFC Diamonds boss Mark Starmer has warned his side they will face a step up against the Cobblers, but is not ruling out the possibility of an upset.
“It's a different level of football, but funnier things have happened,” he said. “They're going to have to be up for it and I shouldn't have to do anything.
“If they can't motivate themselves, they shouldn't be playing football.
“They're going to have to work hard, they're going to have to make tackles, and they’re going to have to do everything they possibly can to stop Northampton playing.
“If they can do that it's an even game, but you can play anybody, stand five yards off of them and they'll look world beaters.
“We do that too often and we can't do that or else it will be a tough night."
Rushden go into the match having let slip a one goal lead at Woodford United in the Northants Senior Youth League last week, going on to lose 3-2.
Mason Thomas’ 22nd minute strike had put the visitors in front at the interval before Woodford levelled through an unfortunate Elliott Ames own goal on 55 minutes.
Ashley Stewart and Ed Kostiuk were also on target for the Reds, and although Thomas added his and Rushden’s second from the penalty spot, they could not grab an equaliser.
Starmer said: “I thought at half time, at 1-0 up, we had done reasonably well, held our own and got a goal.
“I said to them at half time to expect a battle and that they would have to work twice as hard second half to keep the clean sheet, don't give them a sniff and you might get something on the break, but it didn't turn out that way.
"I said to them after the game that you can't afford to just switch off for 20 minutes or do what you like - you've got to do what you did in the first half and for the last 15-20 minutes for the whole game."
"They do it in stages, they don't do it for 90 minutes yet and I can't expect them to because they are young lads.
”But they have got to learn, and that will be a harsh lesson because they haven't deserved to lose.
“It was just a 20 minute spell where they switched off, haven't tackled and got done."
