Saracens Vets 5 Royston Vets 15 ROYSTON returned from Saracens with a comfortable victory after a game which should have seen them score a hatful of tries. With the clear intention of running the ball, Royston were soon 10 points in the lead with two wel

Saracens Vets 5 Royston Vets 15

ROYSTON returned from Saracens with a comfortable victory after a game which should have seen them score a hatful of tries.

With the clear intention of running the ball, Royston were soon 10 points in the lead with two well taken tries.

The first was scored by Steve Bristow close to the posts. Colin Dacey had kicked Royston deep into the Saracens half with a penalty kick and with a tap ball down off the top of the line out the backs created the space for Bristow to charge over the line.

The second was the backs again creating the space in which to run. Wing forwards Stuart Highland, Paul Rabbetts and Tony Richardson charged up the blind side taking out the initial defence and then passed back inside for Paul Dacey. His silky running skills left Saracens trailing in his wake. However, neither was converted.

Royston rather went to sleep after such quick scores but with Saracens wishing to keep play tight and close to their big forwards and poor refereeing it conspired to flatten the game.

Saracens scored through their forwards close to half-time. Close driving play and they were over for five points. The strong freezing wind made conversions difficult and at halftime Royston was only just ahead by five points.

In the second half Royston were by far the better team again, but they felt they suffered some controversial refereeing decisions.

The speed of Terence Crook then saw him dance around the Saracens' defence and squeeze into the corner. Crook was nearly over for a second in the closing minutes only to be heavily tackled just yards of the try line.

Royston: R McDougall , R Gutteridge, T Boyce, S Rees, B Bergen, S Highland, P Rabbetts, T Richardson, C Dacey, P Dacey, C Murdoch, S Bristow, N Smith, T Crook, T Payne. Subs used: S Luckman, R Spragg.

- Royston's first team suffered a 20-0 loss at Barnet Elizabethans in the Hertfordshire President's Cup semi-final on Saturday.