Manager happy with his players despite defeat at Colney Heath

CROWS boss Paul Attfield insists he was extremely pleased with the way his team performed against Colney Heath on Monday despite losing the match 2-1.

All was going according to plan when Ryan Lockett gave Royston a second half lead but they were dealt a double blow when Colney grabbed an equaliser straight after Ross Collins was sent off for a second yellow card before the home side sealed a maximum return by scoring the winner 10 minutes from time.

The manner of the defeat is one which Royston have not been averse to this season but Attfield is determined to focus on the positive football his side produced on the day.

“We played well considering we hadn’t had a game in three weeks,” said Attfield.

“We controlled the game but Ross’ sending off came at a pivotal moment when we should have found ourselves a few goals up. It was a double-whammy and from then on it was backs to the wall from our point of view.

“As a team we played well. We were very energetic and you never know what you are going to get after having not played for a while but I thought we passed it extremely well.

“The game obviously became quite open after the sending off but we were the better team up until then. And, of course, when the game is open like that you leave yourself open and in the end it was a similar story to our other defeats this season.”

Royston now turn their attention to Saturday’s match at home to second placed Tring Athletic who have enjoyed a successful campaign so far having won 15 of their 20 league games to date.

And Attfield, who will be able to choose from a near fully-fit squad bar the absence of John McGrandles who still has one match left to serve of his suspension, says it will be another close match between the two sides.

He added: “We’ve always been evenly matched with Tring during my time at Royston but if we can play like we did on Monday then we will give ourselves every chance of getting a win.

“Not having played many games lately has been frustrating. Between August and November you get used to training and playing matches every week but then when the Christmas and New Year period comes around and matches start getting called off then that’s when everyone starts switching off.

“Now we have a situation where it’s like starting the season all over again – a bit like pre-season back in the summer.

“It’s highly frustrating but no team gains an advantage from the situation but whoever copes with it the best shouldn’t find it to be a problem. It will take a while for the players to get their match fitness back.

“We’re not massively far off Chalfont but they have been building for four or five years for this moment and I’m not going to go over the top about the games we’ve lost this season in which we’ve largely shot ourselves in the foot.

“It’s been a frustrating season but we’ll keep on going.”