Royston extend lead at top to eight points

Royston Town 6

Hertford Town 0

SSMFL Premier Division

A SCINTALATING display of attacking football from the Crows saw them completely overwhelm a poor Hertford Town on Saturday.

Over 200 people watched the match at Garden Walk, and but for several excellent saves from the visiting goalkeeper, the final scoreline would have been even more one-sided.

Royston manager Paul Attfield had said before the match he felt his side had lacked a bit of spark in recent weeks – but he could have had no such complaint after his team comprehensively outplayed Hertford from start to finish to extend their lead at the top of the table to eight points.

Royston flew into the game creating a wave of attacks from all positions and raced into a three-goal lead within just 12 minutes. They were in front inside two minutes when the ball was half cleared to Arin Fehmi, whose ball back into the box was controlled and placed into the net in a blink of the eye moment by Matt Standen.

Four minutes later the lead was doubled. Kaan Fehmi controlled a superb diagonal ball from his brother Arin, before cutting inside and hitting a fierce shot inside the ‘keeper’s near post from 12 yards.

On 12 minutes Kaan Fehmi raced onto a through ball rounded the ‘keeper and was brought down. The yellow card was possibly a let-off for the visitors as the Hertford ‘keeper was clearly the last defensive option but the same player picked himself up to score from the spot to give the Crows a three-goal cushion. However Kaan had to be replaced by Ryan Redford following an injury sustained by the foul.

The hosts continued to create chances with the Hertford stopper making a number of superb saves to deny Jack Bradshaw, Matt Standen and Ricky Young. Carl Edwards was also unlucky not to score with a header from a superb Tom Malins cross.

The half-time break did little to unsettle Royston’s rhythm and the fourth goal arrived in the 53rd minute when Bradshaw headed powerfully into the top corner from Endacott’s free-kick.

Arin Fehmi was unlucky not to score when his cross-cum-shot was superbly tipped behind for a corner before Endacott’s dinked shot from a tight angle beat the ‘keeper but came back into play off a post and just eluded Redford and Young’s reaction.

The fifth goal came on the hour-mark when Matt Standen raced into the area along the goal line and squared for Redford to score a simple of tap-in for his first goal for the club. And just three minutes later it was six when Young headed in at the near post following a corner.

Royston’s young goalkeeper Will Norris made three superb full-length saves to keep out a few late surges from the visitors.

Overall this was a superb showing from the Crows, who were warmly applauded at the end of the game from the appreciative crowd.

Royston Town: Norris, Endacott, A Fehmi, McGrandles, Beck, Bradshaw, Edwards, Malins (Clemo), K Fehmi (Redford), Matt Standen, Young (Robins).

Att: 210