| Date | Saturday 14 March 2015 |
| Match | Marlow v Royston Town |
| Competition | Evo-Stik League Southern: Division One Central |
| Result | Won 2-0 |
| Attendance |
86 |
| Royston Scorers | Fehmi, o.g. |
| Crows MoM |
Ryan Ingrey |
Royston Town consolidated their current fifth place league position with another gritty win and pleasing clean sheet – whilst some of the rival teams around them notably stuttered.
The Crows dominated the first half with solid defensive work and barn-storming attacking movement. They should probably have had more than the two goal lead at the interval but Steve Castle must have been pleased with the shape and approach of his starting line up selection.
It was as early as the 4th minute when the Crows took the lead with the marauding Ryan Ingrey perplexing his marker and delivering a low right wing cross for pumped up skipper Kaan Fehmi to slide in and finish low and hard – this saw the consistent striker notching his 89th goal in Black and White edging closer to the magic 100.
It was more explosive work from the indomitable Ingrey that forced Royston’s second goal on 19 minutes as this time his probing right foot cross was volleyed firmly into the net by Marlow’s retreating Dan Bailey for an own goal as again Fehmi was the lurking target.
With Chris Watters and Ryan Wharton linking up with the attacks well from full back positions it looked like Royston would add to the goal tally, but a combination of frantic Marlow defending and nondescript ultimate finishing saw the score-line unchanged at half time.
It was clear that Marlow had come out with a different agenda in the second half as they certainly reduced their visitor’s match domination with a series of move stopping fouls and hold ups. It was a muddled second 45 minutes with Royston constantly trying to recapture their previous flowing rhythm but at all junctures their movement and flow was fractured.
Fehmi, not for the first time in recent games, was removed from the fray for visible indiscipline giving Reece Dobson another substitute appearance and whilst his forward motion was at times electric his overall work-rate and will to tackle back was lacking. Billy Baird, promoted from the reserve team, was given a run at left back replacing the hobbled Gary Hart and a late cameo by Gus Scott-Morriss for Wharton completed the in game shuffles.
The second half was disappointing after such a positive and purposeful performance in the first period but the team had done more than enough to take another vital three points and with Liam McDevitt and George Powell continuing to link well at centre back, giving Ron Yates good protection, a comfortable fourth successive clean sheet was recorded.
Onwards and upwards to the home fixture against play-off rivals Hanwell Town on Saturday as the Crows continue to stake their claim for their highest ever football pyramid finish and a still possible tilt at the play-off lottery.
Team: Yates, Wharton (Scott-Morriss), Watters, Mentis, Powell, McDevitt, Bridges Scott, Bridges Stuart, Fehmi (Dobson), Hart (Baird), Ingrey.
Subs not used – Boot, Theobald.
