Keeper Colin grabs hat-trick!

Ridgeons 2 Royston Town Vets 5

COLIN MacArthur swapped his goalkeeping gloves for shooting boots on Sunday as his dazzling hat-trick helped Royston Vets to a comfortable 5-2 win at Ridgeons.

After a break of four weeks without a game, Royston looked out of touch early on, and it came as no surprise when the home team took the lead, when a Ridgeons defender broke through the Royston defence and after his initial shot was saved, slotted home the rebound.

However, Town began to get back into the game and following a sustained period of play around the opposition penalty area and some good work by Chris Bowers and Kevin Barthrop, the ball eventually fell to MacArthur in the six-yard are,a and he made no mistake.

Royston started the second half in a more determined mood and deservedly took the lead after 15 minutes, when MacArthur again found himself in the right spot to score from close range, following good approach play by Dave Cooper and Paul Lewis.

And they went further ahead when Ian Allen won a tackle on the edge of Ridgeons' penalty area and put Barthrop away down the right, and his cross found an unmarked MacArthur who completed a well-deserved hat-trick.

Slack marking at the back allowed the hosts to reduce the arrears, but that turned out to be a consolation effort, as Town surged back on the attack.

In an effort to clear the ball, the home keeper passed it straight to Barthrop, who calmly slotted in goal number four.

Town were now in total control and produced the goal of the game when Lewis collected the ball on the right wing, turned, and crossed the ball into the box, where Barthrop rose to head home an excellent goal.

Royston Town Vets: Chaffey; King, Cannon, Flack, Allen; Barthrop, Bowers, Cooper, Lewis; McArthur, Gore.

Royston Town Vets travel to Buntingford Town Vets on Sunday.