The cause of Royston Town’s inglorious exit from this year’s FA Cup was easy to identify according to manager Steve Castle – simple football not done correctly.

The Crows eventually ended up on the end of a 3-0 defeat away to Isthmian League Premier Division side Bishop’s Stortford in the third qualifying round, Frankie Merrifield getting a brace for the home side before Correy Davidson wrapped things up late on.

Royston had a brief spell midway through the second half, and when it was still only 1-0, where they threatened to take the game by the scruff of the neck.

But it was a rare moment in a disappointing performance by the misfiring squad and Castle was honest in his appraisal.

He said: “We have very good players, everyone who has come to watch Royston over the last two or three years will tell you, we haven’t changed.

“There are lads out there who are under-performing and they know it. They are a very honest bunch but we’ve got to pull our finger out and make sure we get it right both in the league and future cup competitions.

“We lost a couple of big players in the summer but we have still got a very talented squad that are letting themselves down, on more than occasions.

“If the chance from Adam Murray goes in it will be a completely different story.

“But they went about it in the right way and we didn’t over the 90.

“It’s all well and good throwing everything at teams in a cup tie but the first goal was scandalous and we haven’t really recovered from that.”

Royston are back in Southern League Premier Division Central action on Saturday when they travel to Tamworth.