Following Saturday’s loss at league leaders Kettering Town, Royston Town got back to winning ways on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win over AFC Hayes.

Kaan Feemi’s eighth league strike of the season and a Hayes own goal handed the Crows their third win in five matches and lifted them back into the promotion picture.

Royston now lie in fifth, just five points off top spot.

Despite the weekend defeat to the early pacesetters, the signs are bright for Steve Castle’s men as the season heads into the winter.

The away side matched Kettering blow-for-blow throughout the 90 minutes and but for two clinical visiting finishes either side of the break, the outcome of this contest could have been very different.

Elliot Sandy’s audacious scisssor kick was worthy of taking a first-half lead in spite of the best efforts of Crows’ keeper Ron Yates.

Royston found themselves on level terms shortly after half-time as Feemi turned from lethal hitman to provider as his perfectly-weighted cross found Gary Hart, who leapt majestically to loop the ball beyond the flailing Kettering keeper.

The wind was firmly in the home side’s sails and had substitute Reece Dobson kept a cooler head when presented with a volley in the box, they would have turned the game.

His effort was blasted high over the crossbar though and his lack of composure was punished with 10 minutes to go.

Dubi Ogbonna, fresh off the Kettering bench, slalomed towards the hosts’ goal before slotting a side-footed effort beyond Yates.

An unjust and painful end following a valiant Crows’ display.