Stirring fightback earns Royston all three points after another slow start
Isaac Galliford scored Royston Town's late winner away to Redditch United. - Credit: PETER ELSE
Steve Castle was left slightly bemused but certainly delighted as Royston Town fought from behind to win away at Redditch United.
The Crows trailed 2-0 shortly after half-time but as they did against Needham Market just last month, they fought their way back to lead 3-2.
The difference then was Needham salvaged a 3-3 draw but the 10-men of Redditch were unable to do so, handing Royston all three points and dismissing the frustrations of Saturday's 2-1 loss to AFC Rushden & Diamonds.
Castle said: "The chairman has mentioned about us not playing for 90 minutes and we haven’t done that for him [here].
"We didn’t get going for whatever reason until we got to 2-1.
"Then the relief came back in droves.
"Saturday to Monday is a trying task for the lads and I had to make a couple of changes which didn’t particularly work straight away.
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"It was just to try and freshen legs because we’re not used to it.
"But this is a results business and we’ve got ourselves a decent result."
Adam Murray headed Royston back into the contest on 54 minutes and Redditch were a man short a minute later, Lewis Hudson shown a straight red card.
Brandon Adams scored from the spot to level it up and with five minutes to go Isaac Galliford grabbed the winner.
Castle said: "It can sometimes be a bit awkward playing against 10 men but we got ourselves in front and over the 90 minutes, we deserved it.
"It was a very quick game and there wasn’t a great deal of quality in it.
"Their pressing and tempo was better than ours in the first half but with the sending off we shaded the second half.
"[Playing against 10] was an opportunity for us to be patient and not shovel it forward."
And he wants them to take the momentum forward when they host Hitchin Town on Monday in a derby, kick-off at Garden Walk at 1pm.
He said: "We’ve beaten Hitchin this season but this will not be easy. They are fighting for their lives and I know Mark Burke will think he can get a result.
"We’ve got to make sure we have everything we can to throw at them and try and play a little bit more than them.
"It should be a decent game and hopefully there is a decent crowd."