Former Lincoln City winger Bruno Andrade scored twice on his return to AFC Rushden & Diamonds, just months after being dismissed following an altercation with a teammate.
The 32-year-old, who won the League Two title with the Imps in 2019, struck in either half as Rushden secured their first league victory of the season, beating Nuneaton Town 3-2 at Hayden Road. Andrade opened the scoring after 23 minutes before restoring the Diamonds’ advantage three minutes into the second half, with James Clifton adding what proved to be the winning goal in the 59th minute.
Andrade was subsequently named man of the match as Rushden followed successive draws against Barwell and Coleshill Town with their first three-point haul of the Northern Premier League Midlands Division campaign. They remain unbeaten after three league fixtures, having also opened the season with a 5-0 FA Cup victory against Kimberley Miners Welfare.
His match-winning contribution came less than five months after his previous spell with the club ended following an on-field altercation with fellow forward Tyler Winters. Both players were sent off just 20 minutes into Rushden’s March fixture against Loughborough Students, leaving their side to complete the game with nine men.
Rushden announced two days later that Andrade and Winters would not be selected for the remainder of the season and were free to find other clubs. However, after finishing the campaign with Matlock Town and Boston Town, Andrade returned to Hayden Road during the summer.
“I want to say thank you to the fans, and I am obviously sorry for the incident that happened before,” he said after rejoining Rushden. “But it is a new season, a clean slate, and I am ready to give my all and finish the job that I started.”
Andrade had been the Diamonds’ standout performer before his departure, scoring 17 goals and providing a significant number of assists during the 2025/26 campaign. His brace against Nuneaton provided an immediate reminder of why the club decided to offer him another opportunity.
The Portuguese forward joined Lincoln from Boreham Wood in 2018 and helped the Imps win the League Two title during his first season at Sincil Bank. He scored 11 goals in 59 league appearances for City before joining Salford City in January 2020.
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