ROYSTON dropped closer to the relegation zone when they suffered another heavy defeat in their first home game, against Waresley at Therfield on Saturday. Bowling first, Royston made a decent start and heads still remained high despite a couple of early d

ROYSTON dropped closer to the relegation zone when they suffered another heavy defeat in their first home game, against Waresley at Therfield on Saturday.

Bowling first, Royston made a decent start and heads still remained high despite a couple of early dropped catches.

Skipper Adam Newman took the first wicket, opener Sharp falling for just six.

At the half-way point, things looked fairly even with Waresley reaching 78-2 after 24 overs.

A good spell by Chris Hootton (2-18 off seven overs) as well as two wickets from Will Graham meant Waresley were in trouble at 156-7, but Royston failed to ram home the advantage and take wickets in the final overs of the innings and were eventually faced with a victory target of 219.

They got off to a disastrous start, with Newman being bowled in the first over for a duck.

There was a steady flow of wickets, and at 88-8, Royston's only hope was to at least pick up some batting bonus points and frustrate the opposition into a draw.

However, they collapsed to 114 all out, leaving team manager Richard Temple again frustrated.

"It was another pretty depressing performance" he said.

"Again, we've far too many bowlers going for more than four runs an over, and too many batsman getting started but then getting out.

"On a wicket with some variable bounce, trying to pull good length balls was always going to be a recipe for trouble.

"We were unlucky with a couple of decisions, some that were unplayable due to the variable bounce, and some great catching by the opposition ,but in the end we just didn't bat, bowl or field well enough to deserve to win."

With Royston now second-from- bottom in the 11-team Tucker Gardner League Division Two, they host mid-table Fordham on Saturday, while the seconds return to action after a week off, with the short trip to Bassingbourn.