ROYSTON TOWN 0 CHALFONT ST PETER 3 (T Lewis 2, B Bubb) THE Crows relegation problems deepened as they dropped into the bottom three of the Spartan South Midlands League following a dismal second half display against Chalfont St Peter. As if boss Phil Sn

ROYSTON TOWN 0

CHALFONT ST PETER 3

(T Lewis 2, B Bubb)

THE Crows' relegation problems deepened as they dropped into the bottom three of the Spartan South Midlands League following a dismal second half display against Chalfont St Peter.

As if boss Phil Snowden did not have enough to worry about, his side lost keeper Chris Chambers early in the second half on Saturday with a dislocated finger which is likely to rule him out of the next three games.

Royston will now travel to Ayelsbury Vale on Saturday without Chambers, and suspended duo Michael Bloss and Allan Reid. They will also be without veteran centre half Stuart Brown for the rest of the season after he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon which is likely to need an operation.

Despite the return of Kojo Ofori, who had a quiet game in an unfamiliar central midfield role, the Crows never looked likely to snatch a vital win from this game.

With the sides immediately below them - Biggleswade Town and Haringey Borough - both having games in hand over them, and can catch them with a reasonable return from those matches.

The first half of the game bore a striking resemblance to the Crows' last home Saturday game - a 0-0 bore-draw against Ruislip Manor - with neither side looking likely to break the deadlock.

The only real action came from referee Mr Howes who seemed determined to book anyone who kicked the ball away, but seemed uninterested in several late tackles from both sides that should have earned cautions.

The similarity with the Ruislip game ended two minutes into the second half when Chalfont took the lead as Jerome Ouime whipped a ball in from the visitors' left and Terrell Lewis sent a sweet half-volley past Chambers.

Six minutes later Chambers was forced out of the action after hurting his hand in a collision with a forward after saving a fierce shot - leaving youth team midfielder Gregg Jackson to go in goal again.

Jackson did well to save a pile-driver from Lewis, while at the other end brothers Dave and Jez McMurrough both went close to levelling for the Crows after a good move.

Lewis continued to be the danger-man for the visitors, seeing a shot deflected and then heading over from the resulting corner.

Unsurprisingly he made it 2-0 in the 70th minute with a virtually identical move to the first goal as he was left free on the far post to casually fire a cross home.

Within a minute the game was over as a contest, and Ouime again powered down the left flank and crossed for Bradley Bubb to convert from eight yards.

Jez McMurrough joined his brother and Ryan Cannon in the referee's notebook as the game became increasing tetchy.

There was still time for Chalfont to miss a penalty in injury time, when Toby Francis somehow managed to blast the ball out of the ground after a needless foul just inside the box, but the Crows will have to improve if they are to avoid going into April with the threat of relegation hanging over them once again.

Snowden's side face a crunch home game against Colney Heath - who are one place above them in 18th spot - on Tuesday evening.

Royston: C Chambers (G Jackson), P Chappell, R Cannon, S Snowden, M Bloss, J Nash (K Blair), J McMurrough, K Ofori, D McMurrough, L Rogers, L Bates (R Gwynne). Unused subs: J Moule, B Jackson.

- To complete a miserable day for the Crows, their reserve side lost 1-0 at Tottenhoe on Saturday. They return home this Saturday when Cockfosters are the visitors to Garden Walk.