Royston Ladies 1 Saffron Walden Ladies 3 ROYSTON started this clash against high-flying Saffron Walden slowly with some slow defending from the outset. Goalkeeper Laura Price did well to deny Walden an early goal with some superb reflex saves.

Royston Ladies 1 Saffron Walden Ladies 3

ROYSTON started this clash against high-flying Saffron Walden slowly with some slow defending from the outset.

Goalkeeper Laura Price did well to deny Walden an early goal with some superb reflex saves.

Eventually Royston's lack of possession gave the opposition the chance to capitalise, and their failure to hold on to the ball resulted in a soft goal.

Royston tried to turn the game around, and started to play good hockey, moving the ball around well, but still conceded another goal just before half-time.

After the break Ellie Mann and Lize Botha made some useful attacking run, and gave Royston some good opportunities going forward, but Walden dealt comfortably with most of them.

And early in the period, Walden increased their lead with a goal on the break.

After this Royston tightened up their defence and started to look more dangerous, with good movement up front from Martine Powley and Sophie Gathercole.

Royston won several short corners, but could not take advantage of these until Ruth Askham slipped to ball into Jenny Last on the right post for her to hammer a shot into the net for a consolation goal.

Royston Ladies II 2 Welwyn Ladies III 1

ROYSTON, who started the match second from bottom in the table, continued their unpredictable season with a deserved victory over the league leaders.

They immediately seized the initiative, and dominated possession early on, and were extremely unlucky to be caught out on the break, an unfortunate deflection seeing the ball slip past goalkeeper Laura Price to put them behind.

However, Royston continued to push forward and were rewarded 10 minutes before the break when Lucy Davidson's clever play found Sarah Farmer, who smashed a fine shot straight into the Welwyn goal from just inside the circle.

Farmer, who earned herself player-of-the-match, then held her nerve to convert a penalty flick, awarded after a foul on Davidson, 10 minutes before time.

Royston's defence held strong as the visitors searched for an equaliser, surviving a last-minute penalty corner to ensure all four points for the hosts.

After a disappointing defeat the week before, the comeback left the players in high spirits as again they attempt to climb away from the bottom of the table.

St Neots Ladies IV 2 Royston Ladies III 0

THIS was always going to be a tough game for Royston, against a St Neots side rich in form and sitting at second place in the league table.

Royston put in a good first-half performance, but the defence were put under constant pressure from the St Neots attack.

Solid defending from Teresa Smith, Laura Price and player-of-the-match Jo Pearce managed to keep it 0-0 at half-time.

After the half-time chat, Royston came out more aggressively and the attackers tried hard to get through the St Neots defence with some great play from Kirtsy Penfold and Heather Polge.

But the hard work from St Neots finally paid and they scored two fine goals in quick succession.