Luke Robins shines during win over Hatfield Town on Tuesday night

Royston Town 5

Hatfield Town 1

SSMFL Premier Division

ROYSTON produced a glittering performance to see off relegation-threatened Hatfield Town on Tuesday night to move back to the top of the table.

There were stages in this game – especially in the second half – that the Crows’ football productivity was back to optimum level as an accomplished attacking performance was too much for the visitors to cope with at Garden Walk.

It was actually Hatfield that started the better and were unlucky twice in the first five minutes when their pacey striker raced clear but once shot just wide and was thwarted by Will Norris on the other.

Royston soon settled, though, and broke the deadlock on 15 minutes when Man of the Match Luke Robins crossed for Matt Standen to tap home. It could have been two shortly afterwards but Kaan Fehmi’s shot found the inside of the post before half-time.

The slender advantage was taken into the interval, after which Hatfield had another early opportunity blocked before Royston gradually got on top and put together some excellent moves. Their lead was doubled on 58 minutes when a good move involving Matt Standen and Robins ended with the later crossing for Kaan Fehmi to convert from close range.

Unfortunately the lead only lasted just over 60 seconds as the Crows switched off from a corner allowing a free header from eight yards that beat Norris at his near post.

This didn’t deter Paul Attfield’s side and they restored the two-goal cushion seven minutes later with a stunning 12-yard angled strike from Robins across the ‘keeper after being set up by Kaan Fehmi.

The remaining two goals arrived in quick succession with Robins again scoring after converting Jack Bradshaw’s cross before Ross Collins evaded a fragile offside trap to beat the ‘keeper from the edge of the area.

Chances to score more goals continued with Rhys Lawrence shooting into the side netting from a narrow angle while Robins missed the chance of a hat-trick when he fired a penalty wide after he was brought down by the ‘keeper.

The result was never in doubt, though, and the team will hope to replicate this performance when they host London Tigers on Saturday.

Royston Town: Norris, Clemo (Martin Standen), Endacott, McGrandles, Bradshaw, Collins, Edwards, Malins (Beck), Fehmi (Lawrence), Matt Standen, Robins.

Royston Town Vets eased to a comfortable 4-1 win over Walkern Vets on Sunday.

Town took the lead after 15 minutes when Nick Humphreys’s pinpoint cross was headed in by Matt McQueen. Humphreys got his own name on the scoresheet with a rasping left-foot drive from a free-kick that the Walkern ‘keeper could only watch in amazement as the ball whistled past him into the roof of the net.

Town continued to outplay the opposition and deservedly extended their lead when Carlo Silenti tapped in from close range. In a more even second half Town added another goal with a header from Leete before the visitors scored a consolation goal just before the end. The Vets are away to Hemingford next Sunday.

Vets: Dobson, Smith, McQueen, King, Pinner, Barthrop, Silenti, Henry, Moulding, Humphreys, Leete. Subs: Wenlock, Allen, Coughlin.