Royston see off Stotfold at Garden Walk

Royston Town 4

Stotfold 2

ROYSTON Town maintained their 100 per cent start to the season with deserved win over Stotfold on Tuesday night.

The visitors also went into the match with an unblemished start to the season and they got off to a good start when they went ahead after nine minutes through Lee Harman.

Strikes from Ross Collins and Kaan Fehmi got the Crows back on track but former Town striker Bobby Dance levelled from the spot just past the hour mark. However Paul Attfield’s side continued to push for the three points and they were duly rewarded with and instant reply from the spot through Ryan Lockett and a late goal from Dalton O’Brien.

With the hosts dominating territory from the kick-off Stotfold opened the scoring out of nothing having won a corner with their first meaningful attack in the ninth minute.

The delivery was miskicked by Ricky Young at the near post and Harman bundled the ball home from close range. The Stotfold forward was a constant threat for the visitors in the first half with his pace and movement causing problems but central defenders Jack Bradshaw and Jason Beck did a good job on him all evening.

The set-back didn’t deter Royston, though, and they were level midway through the half when a slick move released Tom Malins whose low cross was converted by skipper Collins from close range.

Straight from the restart Stotfold could have retaken the lead when a defensive slip let in Harman but his deflected shot was superbly tipped onto the crossbar by Jorden Gibson and scrambled away.

The game became scrappy with committed challenges and the referee was kept busy taking seven names before the interval. The moments leading up to half time were crucial for the home side. Entering injury time another controlled build up eventually worked its way to Kaan Fehmi and he was given too much space on the edge of the area to control a fine curling effort into the top corner. Immediately from kick off Ryan Lockett had a superb chance to extend the lead when he raced into the area but his shot was superbly blocked by the Stotfold ‘keeper.

The tides turned in the second half with Stotfold looking the more threatening in the early stages with Royston struggling to maintain the qualities they showed in the first half. Royston dug in but the pressure finally told on 66 minutes when Dance scored a penalty after Bradshaw had fouled.

This lead lasted a matter of seconds as straight from kick-off Malins was released down the right and his low cross found full-back Ashley Grinham who was cynically tripped in front of goal. Lockett gave the ‘keeper no chance from the spot.

This really knocked the wind from Stotfold’s sails and Royston went onto control the rest of the game and the scoring was completed late on when O’Brien got behind the visiting defence to score at the second attempt after the ‘keeper had blocked his initial effort.

Royston Town: Gibson, Endacott (A Fehmi), Bradshaw, Grinham, Beck, Collins, Martin Standen, Malins, Lockett, K Fehmi (OBrien), Young (Edwards).

Attendance: 157