| Date | Saturday 1 August 2015 |
| Match | Cheshunt v Royston Town |
| Competition | Herts Charity Cup: Round One |
| Result | Won 5-1 |
| Attendance |
tbc |
| Royston Scorers | Watters(3), Hoenes(2) |
| Crows MoM |
Rhys Hoenes |
In this season opener Herts Charity Cup match Royston Town dominated a feisty match scoring five goals to one and played some exciting and determined football, always looking to push forward and always looking goal hungry. If this is a taste of things to come for the league season we are in for an interesting and rewarding campaign.
With some new faces taking their competitive bow, Steve Castle sent out his new look team to play on the front foot, constantly closing down their opponents and regularly shifting fast flowing play forward and involving the exciting front line as early as possible.
Assistant Manager Chris Watters notched a confident hat-trick – including two penalties – and man of the match front man Rhys Hoenes – in scintillating and dangerous form – scored two well taken goals and was involved in all of the Crows' scoring.
The scoring was opened on the quarter hour as a precise through ball by Stuart Bridges found the run of Hoenes who prodded the ball wide of the out-coming keeper but was brought down clumsily by the onrushing Glenn Williamson and the referee awarded a penalty. Watters executed a firm strike form the spot.
Cheshunt responded quickly and a missed Crows’ defensive tackle saw the ball arrive on the edge of the box and the score was equalised too easily.
From this punished error onwards Royston were dominant in this cup match and the central defensive partnership of the versatile Jack Bradshaw and skipper Liam McDevitt combined well throughout.
The visitors regained the league on 27 minutes with a similar combination to the first goal. Hoenes, going away from the goal, was tripped clumsily and the referee once against adjudged a foul in the box. Again Watters scored the penalty with this time the keeper getting a touch en-route. To make Cheshunt’s task harder home team No 4, Joe Kizzi saw his second yellow card for this misdemeanour following a previous more brutal attack on big Rob Mason minutes earlier.
The Crows turned the screw and the unplayable Hoenes got his first on 40 minutes with a clever lob pass finding the rapid striker and with a hint of unseen handball Hoenes hit a great right foot half volley finish.
The fourth goal came two minutes later as again Hoenes tore the home defence apart. This time down a right channel the defenders stood off slightly allowing a low cross that reached Watters who shifted the ball away from his favoured left foot and placed the ball past the keeper and covering defenders with a precise right foot finish to make the half time score 1-4.
The second half saw no immediate changes and Royston were still positive in their approach to this game and Cheshunt sat back a bit with Williamson busy and his defenders spoiling where possible. Hour mark subs saw the energetic Ryan Ingrey and the impressive Daniel Brathwaite replaced by Lewis Donovan and Tyler Corlett and ten minutes later Scott Bridges replaced his brother Stuart who had put in another solid shift continuing his impressive displays from last season.
Despite numerous chances to find the net only one further goal was scored. On 75 minutes – despite a wishful thinking stadium announcer calling it the 90th minute – The new Bridges sent a bouncing pass through and Hoenes capped his extraordinary and excellent match with a fine and nimble lob over the stretching goalkeeper.
Other plus points from this pre-league season game was Rob Mason getting another 90 minutes under his belt and the obvious strength in depth of this exciting squad that is taking shape that gives Steve Castle options all over the pitch.
Team: Yates, Scott-Morriss, Brathwaite (Donovan), McDevitt, Bradshaw, Bridges Stuart (Bridges Scott), Towner, Watters, Ingrey (Corlett), Hoenes, Mason. Subs not used – Dos Santos, Kilgallon.
