A superb second-half display saw Royston Town blow away Barton Rovers in Southern Division One Central on Tuesday evening.

Following an even first period during which Barton had held the high-flying league leaders to 0-0, Steve Castle’s Crows scored four times in the second half to move 17 points clear at the top of the league.

Only a monumental collapse would see Royston fail to win the title, while looking at the league table there are other milestones to reach if they carry on this path.

Town are only six short of a century of goals in the league with the four added on Tuesday night making it 94 in 34 games, while there is also the opportunity to bring up a century of points with 87 already in the bag and a possible 24 left to claim.

Tuesday night showed the sort of progress that this team has made this season.

It was way back in September when Royston suffered their only home loss of the season to Barton who made the Crows look very ordinary that night with a humbling 6-3 win. The superb current Royston squad have come a long way since that painful night and with a pleasing 4-0 away win can claim the 7-6 aggregate victory over the two games.

Castle and Chris Watters again delved into their deep player pool and came up with a starting line-up to suit the match. Rod Orlando-Young – whom had been instrumental for Barton in the home match before transferring to the Crows – was lined up eagerly against his previous team, while Kaan Fehmi and Matt Nolan were brought back in with Scott Neilsen, Josh Castiglione and John Frendo on the strong and enviable looking bench.

Barton’s keeper Tim Coulton picked up an early knock that encumbered him throughout the match following a clash with Orlando-Young but it was only in the second half when he was beaten.

Stuart Bridges opened the scoring with a free-kick on 59 minutes before Matt Nolan doubled his side’s lead three minutes later.

Castiglione then made it three with a low effort into the Barton goal before, with just one minute left on the clock, Royston added another through substitute Frendo whose quality touch made it 4-0.