CROWS boss Paul Attfield says his team are not far away from really challenging teams in the top six next season. Royston have dropped a lot of points against those teams above them in the league this season, but Attfield believes his side is more than ca

CROWS boss Paul Attfield says his team are not far away from really challenging teams in the top six next season.

Royston have dropped a lot of points against those teams above them in the league this season, but Attfield believes his side is more than capable of bucking the trend next time around.

"We've dropped points against teams in the top six but only by fine margins," he said.

"With a little bit more luck then maybe we would have got something out of those games, but the players certainly know they've got the ability to compete against the best sides in this division."

Royston had been on an excellent run of form before losing to Aylesbury on Tuesday and, despite those wins coming against teams below them in the league, Attfield insists his team were capable of getting the three points on Tuesday night.

He added: "Aylesbury are class compared to what we had been playing but the lads were confident going into the game but we just didn't carry the tempo that we'd shown in recent weeks into the game and that cost us in the end."

The games continue to come thick and fast for the Crows as they travel to lowly Haringey Borough on Thursday night in the hope of getting back to winning ways.

It will be only their third away fixture in 16 outings, and they will be without the services of striker Russell Bull who serves a suspension following his sending off against Aylesbury.