Royston manager speaks after 5-1 win over Hatfield on Tuesday night

PAUL ATTFIELD, the Royston Town manager, doesn’t believe his team will ever have a better opportunity than this year to win promotion.

After coming close in recent campaigns – third place last season and fourth the year before – the Crows find themselves top of the league with 10 games to go. They have led the way for the majority of months since August but, in recent weeks, they have lost ground to their two main promotion rivals Dunstable Town and AFC Dunstable.

It looks like going right to the wire, but Attfield admits his side will never get a better chance to finish in top spot and earn their place in the next step of the football pyramid.

“We are three points clear with 10 games to go and we have been top for the majority of the season so no, I don’t think we will have a better chance,” Attfield told the Royston Crow.

“We’ve got more points than Chalfont St Peter had at this stage last season and likewise for Aylesbury the year before. The two Dunstable teams are good sides but it’s in our hands and we just have to make sure we win our games and we won’t have to worry about anyone else.

“Every game is going to be hard because even teams down at the bottom are fighting for points. But we are top of the league and if we want to do this [promotion] we need to win these games.

“By the time AFC Dunstable comes round [on March 31] we might be a few points ahead of them, but we need to give ourselves the best chance ahead of that.”

Royston got back to winning ways on Tuesday night with a comprehensive 5-1 win over strugglers Hatfield Town. Luke Robins scored twice, along with goals from Matt Standen, Ross Collins and Kaan Fehmi, and Attfield is hopeful the team can retain that level of performance going into Saturday’s match with mid-table London Tigers at Garden Walk.

“Once we went two goals up we looked comfortable and we could have won by a few more,” said Attfield. “We were very lively all around the pitch and all the players worked hard. There are still a few defensive problems but hopefully they will be sorted out in the next couple of games.

“Technically London Tigers are very good but we feel we can get at them defensively. Our next few games are against mid-table teams so [the win against Hatfield] has given us something to build on.”