Crows have leaders in their sights

Cheshunt Res 0 Royston Town 4 THE Crows moved within a point of Stony Stratford Town at the top of the South Midlands Division One table with four more goals seeing off Cheshunt Reserves on Saturday. Despite that, it was a strangely subdued performance f

Cheshunt Res 0

Royston Town 4

THE Crows moved within a point of Stony Stratford Town at the top of the South Midlands Division One table with four more goals seeing off Cheshunt Reserves on Saturday.

Despite that, it was a strangely subdued performance from Royston, missing captain Allan Reid in the middle of the park, with the equally youthful Cheshunt piling on the pressure in what was a slow first half for the visitors.

From the off, the home side attacked using their immaculate pitch to great effect, with their two tricky wingers causing Royston problems.

Fortunately for Royston, their final ball lacked the quality to hurt Damion Williamson's goal, with The Crows' defence working overtime to thwart the Cheshunt attack.

A couple of half-chances went begging for the home side, with one clear opportunity blazed over the bar.

Royston took the lead after 14 minutes when Peter Chappell's quick throw-in found Tom Malins, whose through ball was slotted home by striker Ashley Townsend.

Other than that Royston remained relatively quiet in front of goal, as their normally effective passing game never found its tempo, much to the annoyance of manager Paul Attfield - who vented his own frustrations at half time.

And it seemed to pay off, as The Crows returned to action with a spring in their step, despite Jamie Babbage having to scramble one Cheshunt effort off from the line early on.

Gradually, the visitors began to turn the game around, with defender David Cain going close with one effort, before striker Craig Hammond added a second after 66 minutes.

Royston's number nine grabbed his 21st goal of the season from the penalty spot, after Luke Robins was upended in the Cheshunt box, sending the keeper the wrong way with a confident strike.

Robins was then replaced by teenager Greg Jackson, who made an immediate impact, lobbing the ball over the top for Hammond to square for the advancing Townsend to make it 3-0.

The win was then completed in injury time following a howler from the home keeper, who put the ball on a plate for Malins, who calmly rolled it into an empty net from 25 yards.

Attfield said: "The scoreline was a fantastic one for us because there was never a four-goal difference between the two teams on that showing.

"We created five or six chances and scored four goals, which once again shows our strength up front.

"However, I was very disappointed with the overall performance, and the attitude that was shown by the majority of the players, in the first half especially.

"We played slightly better in the second half, but our collective work rate and desire were not at acceptable levels, and we got away with it."

And Attfield warned: "We will need to be better on Saturday when we face Stony Stratford Town."

Royston Town: Williamson; Chappell, Endacott, Cain, J Babbage; Galvin (Nicholls), Edwards, Malins, Robins (Jackson), Hammond (Tibbals), Townsend. (Sub not used): Flack.