Royston Town’s 13-match winning run in Southern League Division One Central was ended via a disappointing 2-1 defeat at Kidlington on Wednesday night.

On a bobbly pitch this was a scrappy match that was won through sheer commitment from the home team, 18th in the table, who played it like their cup final and the league-leading Crows had no real answers.

Town lost possession too cheaply and too often and the home side punished them with two good goals.

Royston took the lead on 30 minutes with their only on-target shot of the game.

Ryan Towner set up Adam Watkins for a shot from the edge of the box which should have been saved, however, it squeezed under the diving keeper and in.

Kidlington were only behind for a matter of moments.

Keeper Joe Welch tipped a long-range shot over but from the resulting corner, Spyros Mentis sliced into his own net for 1-1.

There were no personnel changes at half-time and the briefly enlivened Crows had their best chance to regain the lead early on in the second period.

A corner was floated across and both Rod Orlando-Young and Ryan Ingrey striking the frame of the goal and the home side hacked the ball away.

The Crows were forced into a change on 50 minutes as Gus Scott-Morriss twisted his ankle on the poor and uneven pitch and had to be stretchered off.

Stuart Bridges came on at centre-back and Danny May went across to right-back with Dan Brathwaite slotting in at left-back.

With the game still in a rut, manager Steve Castle sent on his last two changes on the hour mark.

Towner and Rod Orlando-Young left the pitch for the equally attack-minded Kaan Fehmi and Matt Nolan to come on with Nolan making his debut for the Crows.

Continued effort was seen from the Crows but there was still no breakthrough or further attempts on the Kidlington goal.

Nolan appeared to be fouled leading up to the home side’s winning 74th-minute goal as he was clumsily deposited on the floor but the referee waved away appeals and Kidlington broke away quickly up the left wing and Tom Castle cut in and finished well low past the despairing Welch.

Royston host Fleet Town in the league on Saturday before another massive home clash, this time against main title rivals Farnborough, next Tuesday.