Royston Town 1 (G Tibbals) Buckingham Athletic 0 IT was three points in the bag on Saturday, as Royston sealed their first league win of the season. Graham Tibbals strike on the half-hour mark was enough to give Royston victory. After their victory in t

Royston Town 1 (G Tibbals)

Buckingham Athletic 0

IT was three points in the bag on Saturday, as Royston sealed their first league win of the season.

Graham Tibbals' strike on the half-hour mark was enough to give Royston victory.

After their victory in the FA Vase the previous week, Crows boss Phil Snowden hoped it was a win that would kick-start his side's slow start to their new campaign.

And after the game, Snowden told The Crow: "It's been a good performance today and I don't think we were ever really in trouble.

"It was a confident display and perhaps we should have won the game by a few more.

"The goal itself was a lovely one and it just shows what you can do when you keep it simple."

And it was a worthy winner, after a devastating pass and move combination down the right flank cut through the visitors defence.

With right-back Peter Chappell feeding Lee Rogers on the half way line, the captain brought the ball forward to find Carl Edwards on the touchline.

And with a delightful back-heel the industrious Edwards out-smarted his markers to return the ball to the on-running skipper who found an unmarked Tibbals, and he coolly stroked home from just inside the Buckingham box.

The lively striker could have doubled his tally five minutes into the second half when he headed straight at Buckingham keeper Colin Johnstone after a great break and clever cross by last week's match winner Seb Ndombe.

Half chances fell to Chris Geldart, Rogers, and Ndombe, with the latter testing Johnstone from outside the area.

Chappell impressed the Royston dugout with one Matt Le Tissier-inspired effort that involved five keep ups - the only thing lacking was the former Southampton legend's accuracy with the volley.

And at the other end, Royston goalkeeper James Scott had very little to do and was only really called upon inside three minutes when his brave dive denied Buckingham striker Andy Smith.

But Michael Baker capped a solid performance with an excellent clearance off the line after Scott was left stranded.

The Buckingham attack offered little threat, but the Royston defence looked calm when tested.

Geldart's performance at left-back will no doubt have left his boss impressed, while centre-back David Daniels tormented his opposite numbers with a series of powerful throw-ins.

Debutant Eddy Julu also did enough to stake a claim for a place in Saturday's FA Vase match, with a tidy and vocal performance in the middle of the park.

All in all it was a performance that deserved three points, and one that will serve as a reminder that there is a lot of potential for Snowden to work with.

However, despite the clear improvements, their inability to kill off the game when they really should have been two or three goals ahead, will also be a worry.

Against a more potent attack one goal might not be good enough.

Royston Town: Scott; Chappell, Geldart, Daniels, Baker; Hayden (Bloss), Julu, Edwards, Rogers; Ndombe, Tibbals (Cookson).