Old Tottonians 3 Royston 31 ROYSTON returned to league action on ­Saturday and came away from North ­London – an area where they have struggled to pick up points – with a comprehensive five-try victory. Head coach Kevin Green said: This was an extremel

Old Tottonians 3 Royston 31

ROYSTON returned to league action on ­Saturday and came away from North ­London - an area where they have struggled to pick up points - with a comprehensive five-try victory.

Head coach Kevin Green said: "This was an extremely important psychological win for us, having travelled down to North London three times this season and losing on each occasion.

"The bogey of travelling down the A10 has now well and truly been broken."

And The Crows started the game all guns blazing and opened the scoring after 10 minutes with Will Phillips driving over the line.

The hosts then used the wind to great advantage in pulling points back with some astute kicking pinning Royston back, and after conceding ­several penalties Royston gave away three points when the Old Boys' fly-half slotted over a well-taken penalty.

However, the kick turned out to be the hosts' last opportunity as the visitors began to take control. After 30 minutes Jack Sirret and Scott Easy ­combined to find winger Michael Schurch for a coolly taken try, with Jason Deards converting.

The Sirret and Easy combination struck again moments later, this time freeing Steve Patmore, who powered over from 10 metres as Royston went into the interval leading 17-3.

Twenty minutes into the second half Deards released Schurch for his second try of the game, with Schurch adding two more points with the conversion.

Steve Bass then charged down one half-hearted kick from 30 metres to run in under the posts, before Schurch rounded a fine day with another calm conversion.

Green said: "I was extremely pleased, not only with the result, but also with the manner in which it was achieved.

"Not only did we score five tries, which were split between the backs and forwards, but we also restricted the opposition to just a penalty, and didn't allow them across our line.

"This was a crucial result for us, and an excellent start to the second half of the league season - and it has set the platform for the coming weeks."

Royston: Guttridge, Dummett, Patmore, Fidler, Phillips, Bibey, Ryall, Easy, Barker, Deards, Bass, McDermott, Clay, Schurch, Marvell. (Subs): Mills, Wallis.