Royston Town are through to the third qualifying round of the FA Cup – but the performance and manner of victory against Stamford left assistant manager Chris Watters exasperated.

It had all been going swimmingly for the Crows with a Brandon Adams double giving them a 2-0 lead at the break at Garden Walk.

But the Northern Premier League South East side, one level below Royston, were not done and two goals inside the last 15 minutes took the game to a penalty shoot-out.

And fortunately for the home side, they were the ones to prevail, winning 4-2.

Speaking to the club’s social media channels Watters said: “It was another 45-minute performance and the boys will know that.

“In a cup match though it is all about results and we are through, by hook or by crook.

“We weren’t ourselves and that has stop. We’re conceding too many goals at the minute but we know that.

“There were big changes in the side and the lads who came in did well.

“We worked on things, like corners, and it’s pleasing from a coaching point when they come off.

“In the first half we looked the more dominant team but probably gave ourselves too much of a pat on the back in the second half.

“We have to understand that we have to earn the right to play for 90 minutes.”

Watters though also wanted to focus on the positives, not least of which was the two saves from Joe Welch.

And he is confident that the finished article will come before too long.

“Fair play to everyone who stepped up [in the shoot-out] but we shouldn’t have been in that situation,” he said.

“Someone will take a hiding off us when it goes right but we aren’t doing it for long enough at the moment.

“There’s a lot of ability in the dressing room but it is just not clicking.”

The draw for the next round is tomorrow (Monday) while the next fixture is a league game against Biggleswade Town on Tuesday.