NPL DIV 1 MIDS
By Oliver Mortimer

■ RUSHDEN’S first game back at Step 4 after relegation last season ended in defeat to Sporting Khalsa.
Home striker Will Jones had an early effort tipped behind before Khalsa captain Testa Robinson thundered a header off a post as last season’s beaten play-off semi-finalists began to dominate.
They scored the only goal two minutes before half-time when a Curvin Sanderson-Ellis penalty snuck under Rushden keeper George Rose. The visitors won another penalty on the hour mark, but a tame Sanderson-Ellis effort was saved.
Diamonds ...