| Date | Wednesday 17 August 2011 |
| Match | Hadley v Royston Town |
| Competition | Spartan South Midlands League: Premier Division |
| Result | Won 2-0 |
| Royston Scorers | Malins, K. Fehmi |
| Man of Match | Ross Collins |
| Attendance | 75 |
The Crows recorded a second consecutive victory with two late goals against Hadley on Wednesday evening. In all fairness the home side had to weather serious amounts of pressure from Royston and it always seemed it was only a matter of time before the goals arrived. Strikes from Tom Malins in the 73rd minute and league debutant Kaan Fehmi on 80 minutes secured the points.
The game started fairly evenly with the visitors winning a number of corners that were well delivered but equally well defended. Kaan Fehmi and Ricky Young both had half chances directed straight at the home keeper whilst Hadley were swift on the counter attack and created the best chance of the opening period when a forward broke through some weak tackles and saw his well drilled shot blocked by Jorden Gibson's legs.
From the 25 minute mark Royston began to gain complete control of the game and with Hadley struggling to contain the pace of football and swift player movement they packed their defensive third leaving their one forward completely isolated.
More corners were won, and half chances created but the sheer numbers in defence made it difficult to create clear chances. Ryan Lockett had a 20 yard effort just wide, Kaan Fehmi a close range shot deflected wide and the same player hit a scorching free kick from 25 yards a foot wide of the upright just before half time.
The barrage of pressure became more evident in the second half with the hosts struggling to get the ball out of their half with Royston maintaining excellent technical ability and pace in their game. Tom Malins headed two crosses just off target and Ricky Young had an angled drive blocked by the keeper in the early moments of the half.
Kaan Fehmi then had a shot deflected just wide from 20 yards and Ross Collins had an 18 yard shot from a central position blocked by a defender. Royston lost influential defender John McGrandles to a bad eye cut but maintained the assault. In a rare forage forward the hosts created one decent chance when Royston commited players forward in attack and one crossfield ball caught out their defence but their forward miskicked wide from ten yards.
Finally the opening goal came with much to the relief of the visiting contingent in the 73rd minute. Collins released Ricky Young in the left channel and his low angled cross found the unmarked Tom Malins who controlled and shot wide of the keeper from 10 yards.
Hadley had to change things in an attempt to get something from the game having defended for so long. This helped Royston to create themselves chances on the counter and the crucial goal arrived with an excellent strike from Kaan Fehmi with ten minutes remaining. Some decent play from the foward on the left of the area saw him cut inside and unleash a curling effort over the keeper and into the net via the top of the post.
Hadley tried to create in the latter stages but left their attacking intentions far too late for any possible comeback and a late Ryan Lockett header just missed the goal in the final moments but overall many many positives for The Crows to take from this fine victory
Team : Gibson, Whitaker (Endacott), Grinham, McGrandles (Bradshaw), Beck, Collins, Edwards, Malins, K Fehmi, Lockett, Young (OBrien) Unused : Matt Standen, A Fehmi
Paul Attfield commented: "For 70 mintes of the game we were completely dominant and had to show some decent patience. To control the game with the pace and skill we did away from home for such long periods is great credit to the team and their sheer determination to win it made it terribly difficult for our opponents. Although the goals came late it was the very least the players deserved and on another day we would have won by a far greater margin, it was great to watch from the sidelines."
