Stuart scored his first goal of the season against Kettering

Rushden & Diamonds captain Jamie Stuart says the squad have not given up on securing a Blue Square Bet Premier play-off place.

Monday's 2-1 defeat by Kettering was Diamonds' seventh consecutive league game without a win and leaves them eight points adrift of the top five.

But 34-year-old Stuart told BBC Radio Northampton they are remaining upbeat.

"The play-offs are not looking good at the moment, but you put a few wins together it all turns around," he said.

"We'll stay quietly positive but we've got to get the first three points back on the board."

The former Grays defender, who grabbed his side's only goal against the Poppies, admits Rushden are short on belief at the moment and says boss Justin Edinburgh has made it clear they must improve.

"Football's a confidence game, if you're confident you play well, at the moment it's a bit of a bad habit because we're not winning," he said.

"We're used to good habits here, a winning mentality, the gaffer's had a word with us all and we want to try and get past this."

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