Bronti strike seals excellent away-day victory

ROYSTON followed up their win against Oxhey Jets with a good away win at Stotfold on Saturday.

Josh Bronti’s strike 10 minutes from time sealed a deserved three points and, had Royston taken more of the many chances they carved out, the scoreline could have been a lot more convincing.

The last time Royston registered a 1-0 victory was in the first division on April 15, 2009 and with the defence looking to be getting back to their early-season best hopes are high that more impressive results like this will follow.

It was the hosts that started the game on the front foot and within 60 seconds a forward had hit a 25-yard effort against the frame of Lee Robinson’s goal before being scrambled clear. This jolted the Crows and within the next 10 minutes they had to withstand intense pressure as they attempted to get a foothold in the game.

The visitors gradually weathered the storm and got into some decent rhythm and began to dominate the rest of the game.

Like other games just lately, Royston created good chances but were unable to make any of them count but the backline were defensively sound with Nick Mulvaney and Liam McDevitt looking strong and commanding.

Royston’s first two chances were clear-cut and both came from set plays delivered by Ryan Lockett. Two well delivered free-kicks found runs of Nick Mulvaney and Carl Edwards with Mulvaney diverting an eight-yard free header straight at the ‘keeper before Edwards got little connection on his clear chance and the ball floated just wide.

George Brinkman caused plenty of problems to the two Stotfold centre-halves with his solid workrate and by half time both Stotfold centre halves and Brinkman had been cautioned in what was a tough battle and Royston had a penalty appeal turned down after the striker appeared to be hauled down in the area.

The one good chance Brinkman did have was angled inches wide of a post after a good run and turn in the area. Before half time Lockett was also unlucky not to score when he reacted well to a knockdown in the area before seeing his effort saved by the ‘keeper’s legs..

With no goals at half time, the visitors returned to give a much more assured second half show to what they have done in more recent games.

Lockett, Ross Collins and Edwards dominated the centre of the park. Royston’s quality in possession wasn’t quite matched by creativity in the final third and despite many good attacks a number of final balls were below the quality required to unlock the door.

Brinkman was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when he was crudely chopped down in the area after crossing for Ricky Young whose goal was ruled out for offside.

With 20 minutes remaining Attfield replaced Luke Robins with Bronti and his answer was to score the winning goal which had a touch of fortune about it. He did well to create space for himself on the left side before his floated cross deceiving the ‘keeper and dropped just inside the far post.

Stotfold livened up after the goal but didn’t have the creative flare to unlock Royston’s determined work rate and with a little more care the visitors could have maybe killed the game off on the counter attack but the points were well deserved.

Royston Town: Robinson, Endacott, Grinham, Mulvaney, McDevitt, Collins, Edwards, Young, Brinkman (Hayes), Lockett, Robins (Bronti).

Subs not used: McElvoy, Welch, Whitaker.

Attendance: 166