Win over Hillingdon opens up three point gap at top after Dunstable lose at Tring

Royston Town 1

Hillingdon Borough 0

SSMFL Premier Division

TUESDAY night marked what could be a pivotal moment in Royston Town’s bid to earn promotion this season.

Ross Collins’ 61st-minute winner earned all three points against Hillingdon Borough at Garden Walk, and Dunstable Town’s 2-0 defeat away at Tring Athletic means Paul Attfield’s side have opened up a three-point gap at the top of the table with six fixtures remaining.

Attfield was understandably pleased his team finally have some breathing space from their rivals, and says he told his players at half time Dunstable were trailing by two goals.

“We played really well,” Attfield told the Royston Crow. “With every game our confidence is getting better and better because the defeat to Dunstable Town [on February 18] knocked us quite a bit.

“We knew Tring were two goals up at half-time and I told the players in the dressing room because I thought it would give them a boost and they came out buzzing in the second half and had a really good spell.

“It’s just about winning games now because it’s in our hands. All the games will be tough in different ways because all the teams are fighting for different things.”

And Saturday’s match at home to third-placed AFC Dunstable proves to be just that. The visitors are sure to test the Crows to the limit in search of a repeat of their 2-1 win over Town back in December. However, Attfield says his team are on top of their game at the moment and will be tough opponents for anyone.

“AFC are slightly out of the frame now but we have to make sure we keep battling away. We know we can score goals and we know we can keep clean sheets so we need to keep things going,” he added.

Royston played well in the first half against Hillingdon but the visitors showed why they have one of the best defensive records in the division by keeping the home team at bay. The Crows looked far more threatening in the second period and were unlucky when Lewis Endacott went on a mazy run before seeing his shot hit the underside of the crossbar.

Kaan Fehmi then saw his penalty saved after Jack Bradshaw was fouled, but the miss was forgotten minutes later when Collins finished off a neat period of play between Fehmi, Bradshaw and Luke Robins to earn his side a massive three points.

Royston Town: Norris, Endacott, Bradshaw, McGrandles, Beck, Collins, Edwards, Clemo (Matt Standen), Fehmi (Martin Standen), Lockett (Malins), Robins.