ROYSTON TOWN 0 HAREFIELD UTD 4 (D Jordan 2, G Williams, M Livesey) THE Crows relegation worries increased as they slipped into the bottom two of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division with another heavy defeat on Saturday. Three goals in a n

ROYSTON TOWN 0

HAREFIELD UTD 4

(D Jordan 2, G Williams, M Livesey)

THE Crows' relegation worries increased as they slipped into the bottom two of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division with another heavy defeat on Saturday.

Three goals in a nine-minute second-half spell killed off any chance the Crows had taking any points from this game.

Conceding several goals in a short space of time seems to a recurring problem for Phil Snowden's team this season, with their heads clearly dropping after Dan Jordan had put the visitors 2-0 up.

Snowden's team now have only Haringey Borough below them in the table, and although the north London side are six points behind Snowden's team, they have four games in hand and - like the rest of the league - have a considerably better goal difference.

Harefield arrived at Garden Walk occupying fourth place in the table, but Royston matched them for long periods of the first half without ever looking likely to put the ball in the back of the net.

Rob Coldrake nearly gave the visitors the lead in the second minute, when he headed just wide from Luke Eldridge's corner, but Royston settled after that and had a good spell of pressure.

Dave McMurrough picked up a needless booking after an altercation that also saw Harefield's Alex Brown going into Mr Woolf's notebook.

Then Lee Rogers saw an effort go wide and Stuart Snowden had a free-kick on the edge of box blocked.

McMurrough was lucky to escape a second booking for a late tackle, before the visitors took the lead against the run of play in the 20th minute, when a harmless looking throw-in from the left was glanced by Jordan past a motionless Royston defence and into the far corner of the net.

Neither side created anything of note during the rest of a dull first half, but the second period stated in lively fashion with Snowden heading off the line after a mistake from keeper Ken Kemato, while at the other end Steve Flower did well to save at Dave McMurrough's feet after he had broken through the visitors' defence, and Graham Tibals headed over.

Jez McMurrough also saw an effort deflected wide for a corner before Harefield scored what proved to be the killer goal in the 65th minute.

A ball in from the left found Jordan in acres of space, and he had time to turn and fire home.

Within two minutes it was 3-0, when substitute Michael Livesey met a left-wing cross and volleyed the ball past Kemato.

Royston clearly did not learn from those two goals, and the scoring was wrapped up in the 73rd minute when another ball from the left was slotted home by Gary Williams to round off another miserable afternoon for the Crows.

Royston: K Kemato, P Chappell, B Poole, S Snowden, R Cannon, J Nash, J McMurrrough, G Tibbals, D McMurrough, L Rogers, S N'Dombe. Subs: B Purkiss, M Bloss, R Gwynne.

- The Crows face two tough away games in the space of four days this week. On Saturday they visit sixth placed Oxhey Jets, and next Tuesday they travel to Broxbourne Borough.

- Tuesday's trip to Tring Athletic was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch, with the Crows still waiting for a date for the rearranged game.

- Royston have released Kojo Ofori following a dressing room incident after the Colney Heath game last week.

The temperamental winger had played only two games since returning to Garden Walk following a spell at Enfield.

"Following an incident in the dressing room, we decided that we no longer wanted Kojo at the club," said chairman Graham Phillips.

"Unfortunately, although Kojo has a lot of ability, he lacks direction.