Royston Ladies II 1 Hertford Ladies III 0 KATE Nankivell s second-half goal was enough to give Royston victory on Saturday. Fourth from bottom in the league, Royston had to raise their game to be in with any chance of promotion at the end of the season.

Royston Ladies II 1 Hertford Ladies III 0

KATE Nankivell's second-half goal was enough to give Royston victory on Saturday.

Fourth from bottom in the league, Royston had to raise their game to be in with any chance of promotion at the end of the season.

With Hertford's marking somewhat lacking, the home side could afford to be extravagant with their possession and ran rings around the visitors' midfield.

The hard work of Jill Birch and player-of-the-match Nankivell on the left wing meant that the Hertford attack never really posed a significant threat to the home side, with the ball only making it into Royston's D three times in the entire first half.

Despite having the majority of the play, Royston simply could not find a way to break the deadlock before the half-time whistle, even with a couple of great crosses from Birch and Sarah Farmer.

After the break Royston pressed forward with purpose.

The pressure worked a treat and earned Royston a series of short corners, the last of which Nankivell smashed home from the edge of the D.

It was then a case of keeping up the momentum, and Royston came away with a well-deserved win.

# A Sarah Buckerfield goal gave Royston ladies' first team a share of the spoils at Luton Town on Saturday.

# Royston men's first team game against Rickmansworth was called off when the opposition arrived at the wrong time.

And the match against West Hertfordshire was abandoned when mud and leaves on the pitch made the surface dangerously slippery.