Crows overcome Conference North opponents on Saturday

Royston Town 2-1 Histon

Pre-season friendly

THE Crows continued their good pre-season form with a notable win over Conference North side Histon on Saturday at Garden Walk.

Despite being without a number of players due to injury and holiday commitments the team put on a good display in hot conditions and were well worth their win. Histon, two divisions higher in the non-league pyramid, were making their first outing of the season and were under new management as of just a few days previously. Their early rustiness was shown up by a vibrant Crows team who raced into a two-goal lead inside 10 minutes.

A patient build up in the opening attack of the game on two minutes gave Ryan Ingrey a chance to shoot from just outside the box with the keeper squirming the ball to Matt Standen who finished from eight yards.

Royston continued to press and won a corner which Ryan Lockett whipped in to the near post. Luke Robins met the delivery which the keeper parried but Martin Standen reacted quickest to head into the net from six yards.

Moments later it could have been three when another corner caused havoc in the visiting defence with Matt Standen having a close-range shot blocked on the line by a combination of keeper and defender.

The game began to settle and Histon started having more of the ball, looking particularly threatening on the counter-attack. But the Crows defended well limiting their opponents to just half chances with Will Norris in goal dealing with any routine comings.

Histon were able to make a number of changes at half-time with Royston boss Paul Attfield having limited options and a smaller squad on the day. The larger squad was probably more beneficial in the hot conditions and the fresher Histon legs started the second half brightly and scored within five minutes.

A decent delivery 25 yards out from a wide position was met by an equally fine header from Dan Holman 10 yards out giving Norris no chance. Histon continued to press but created few chances with their best coming from a bullet header that brought an excellent one=handed stop from Norris.

The Crows did themselves full justice by wrestling control of the game in the remaining quarter and created several chances to extend their lead. Matt Standen cut inside a centre-half and shot from 18 yards which the keeper blocked while Robins had two good sights on goal, one which flashed wide and another lob that sailed wide.

The best chance fell to Dan Apostolos after a sweeping move cut open the Histon defence but his angled 18-yard effort smacked the face of the crossbar and was scrambled clear.

Overall this was another excellent work out for the side with notable absentees and the players would have benefited from the work rate put in by themselves in sweltering conditions.

Royston squad: Norris Endacott Wilson Bradshaw MartinStanden Collins Lockett Bronti Ingrey MattStanden Robins Brennan Beck Apostolos Reynolds.