ST MARGARETSBURY 1 (K Cooper) ROYSTON TOWN 0 ROYSTON'S away-day woes continued on Tuesday evening as they slumped to a sixth straight defeat on their travels. A scrambled goal seven minutes after the break was enough to sink Mark Saggers' side. And alth

ST MARGARETSBURY 1 (K Cooper) ROYSTON TOWN 0 ROYSTON'S away-day woes continued on Tuesday evening as they slumped to a sixth straight defeat on their travels. A scrambled goal seven minutes after the break was enough to sink Mark Saggers' side. And although the margin of defeat was much closer than on their recent trips, the visitors never looked like ending their dismal run. With Sam Worthington injured and Joff Dobson unavailable, Saggers drafted Martin Westcott into the forward line for a rare appearance, but he saw little of the ball on a frustrating night for the Crows. Westcott left Garden Walk to join his home-town club Ely City in the summer, but with the Ridgeons League side without a game, he helped out the depleted Crows for the evening. The home side, who started the game one place clear of Royston, started strongly, with Steve Baker and Matt Maskell both having good early chances. Jez McMurrough, playing wide on the right for the visitors, had Royston's only real chance of the half, when he fired wide after a good run down the wing. But the rest of the period saw the ball more in the Royston half, as the visiting team, clearly lacking in confidence, were forced to defend in depth for long periods. Saints' striker Kevin Cooper sent a long range effort just wide, though there was a suspicion handball in the build-up, and also somehow managed to head a cross from Leo Turner over the bar when it seemed easier to score. Crows' keeper Barry White kept up his good form when he tipped Maskell's shot over the bar as the visitors managed to reach half-time on level terms. Royston started the second half strongly, and in their best spell of the game saw a shot from McMurough deflected for a corner. And they had a justifiable shout for a penalty as the ball appeared to be handled as it was crossed into the box. It was therefore frustrating for the visitors to see Saints take the lead in the 52nd minute. A needless corner was conceded, and Cooper was left unmarked in the box to fire through a crowd of players and in off the post from 12 yards. Graham Dove replaced Westcott in the Crows forward line as the visitors went in search of an equaliser, but they created little up front, and Saints continued to look more likely to add to their score. A frantic last few minutes saw Dove volley wide, and substitute Dave McMurrough and Stuart Snowden join Jason Nash in the referee's notebook as the game deteriorated. But clearly the Crows are going to have to show a major improvement if they are to avoid being sucked back into the relegation mire. Royston: B White, P Lamont, C Geldart, L Rogers, M Williams, J McMurrough, S Snowden, J Nash (D McMurrough), M Westcott (G Dove), R Cannon, M Saunders. Unused subs: C Silenti, M Thurogood. - The Crows are without a game on Saturday, as scheduled opponents Hillingdon are in FA Vase action. But on Tuesday they face another key game when Oxhey Jets are the visitors to Garden Walk.