A MAKESHIFT Royston II side were beaten at home to local rivals Biggleswade II after conceding a soft late try. A dominant second half display was not rewarded when the referee failed to spot an infringement which allowed the visitors to steal the points.

A MAKESHIFT Royston II side were beaten at home to local rivals Biggleswade II after conceding a soft late try.

A dominant second half display was not rewarded when the referee failed to spot an infringement which allowed the visitors to steal the points.

Biggleswade started well and used the strong wind to good effect and kept Royston pinned in their own half for much of the first half.

Royston occasionally broke out through the boot of Letch or the strong running of Steve Bass at outside centre, but for the most part it was backs-to-the-wall defending with excellent tackling from Green, Letch, Collins and Morris.

The dam finally burst in the last 10 minutes when an overlap too many was converted by Biggleswade who missed the subsequent conversion.

In the second half, Letch used the wind to give Royston better territorial advantage but it was a typical poacher's try by Steve Bass that levelled the scores - only for Letch to miss the conversion.

Ten minutes later Royston made their dominance tell by pressurising Bigglewade into conceding a penalty on their 22, which Letch calmly slotted over to give Royston the lead.

Unfortunately, complacency set in for Royston and from broken play Biggleswade retook the lead.

The conversion was missed, though, and being only two points behind Royston threw caution to the wind in a desperate bid to win the match.

It wasn't to be, though, as the visitors scored a controversial try in the dying stages to snatch the win that will leave Royston with a bitter taste in the mouth after putting in a very good performance.