It may not have been fantastic Christmas viewing but Royston Town's win over Hitchin Town on Boxing Day was still enough to bring a smile to manager Chris Watters' face.

A Kian Harness penalty on 19 minutes was enough for a 1-0 win in Southern League Premier Division Central and enough to lift them up a place to 17th.

It also means they have put the sequence of eight games without a win behind them and gone unbeaten in the last three.

Watters said: "I do have to apologise to the fans. We knew it wasn't going to be a classic, we knew it wasn't going to be one for the purists.

"With the lads not being able to get on the pitch over the Christmas period, we knew we had to go direct but we also think that works against Hitchin.

"[The improved run] feels lovely though.

"We said seven points from the last three games and we've hit our targets.

"And I've felt that defensively over those games, the boys have been phenomenal.

"At one point we weren't scoring at one end and shipping at the other and we knew we had to do something.

"To a man, they have given honest work so massive credit to them. They are giving us a foundation to build on.

"First half we were outstanding. We were on the front foot, we didn't let them get out and we were picking up nice little pockets and getting balls into the box.

"If I had a gripe it was maybe we wasted opportunities from set-pieces which are controllable moments that we can be better at.

"We knew we would have to ride the storm but the work rate was outstanding and hard work wins you games.

"We're defending as a unit."