Date | Saturday 10 December 2011 |
Match | AFC Dunstable v Royston Town |
Competition | Spartan South Midlands Football League: Premier Division |
Result | Lost 2-1 |
Royston Scorers | K. Fehmi |
Man of Match | John McGrandles |
Attendance | 106 |
After seven consecutive league victories Royston's impressive run of form and results was undone in bizarre circumstances at third placed AFC Dunstable on Saturday.
Trailing by one goal it seemed The Crows had done enough to earn a point when Kaan Fehmi headed in Ryan Lockett's free kick a minute into added time but within ten seconds of the restart and without a Royston player touching the ball AFC Dunstable were allowed to snatch victory in naive fashion.
Apart from the opening 25 minutes of the game Royston had enough possession and control of the contest to have a big say on the final outcome but they clearly lacked a cutting edge in the final third on the day and when chances were created the home keeper was never tested.
The opening period of the game was definitely the home side's as they started the game far better than a sluggish Royston effort. They could easily have been two goals up in the opening ten minutes as free headers from a free kick and a corner should have tested Will Norris's goal but were off target. In the opening period the visitors were often caught giving the ball away but gradually improved as the half progressed.
From the half hour mark onwards Royston began to exert pressure and decent composure on the ball saw them create chances. Martin Standen shot just wide from the edge of the area and the best two moves of the first half created clear chance for Ryan Lockett and Kaan Fehmi but both efforts went wastefully over the crossbar as the half remained goalless.
Throughout the second half the Crows were largely encamped in the home half but AFC worked hard to get number behind the ball, limiting space but increasingly the visitor's final decision making or final ball didn't have the quality to break the deadlock. The way the game was going it was probably no surprise the hosts opened the scoring with their first venture forward of the half. A left wing cross as slightly deflected but the forward did well to react quickest in the area, control and left foot volley into the corner from ten yards.
Will Norris in the Royston Goal had little to do in the game but moments later made a very good one handed stop from a 16 yard shot with the follow up drive flashing across the face of goal and wide.
The final 20 minutes were all Royston, as they threw bodies forward in attack. In open play Kaan Fehmi had the best chance when he raced into the area with his angled drive beating the keeper but not the superb goal line clearance of a defender . Then from a set play free kick out wide from Ryan Lockett, the delivery missed everyone but hit the far post and rebounded kindly for the home side.
It was a late set play from Lockett again that saw Fehmi head in from just six yards to seemingly gain The Crows what would have been a deserved point but the high celebrations turned to despair within seconds when from the restart the forward ran straight down the middle of the pitch and threaded a ball through the wide channel and continued his run to convert the square ball from eight yards with no Royston challenge in sight.
A remarkable end to the game and with Dunstable Town gaining a 5-3 win at bottom of the table Holmer Green, the Crows lead at the top of the table is now cut to just two points
Team: Norris, Apostolos, Grinham (Lawrence), McGrandles, Beck, Martin Standen, Edwards, Malins (Young), K. Fehmi, Matt Standen (Robins), Lockett Unused : Clemo Cain