| Date | Saturday 8 November 2014 |
| Match | North Greenford United v Royston Town |
| Competition | Evo-Stik League Southern: Division One Central |
| Result | Won 5-1 |
| Attendance |
42 |
| Royston Scorers | Fehmi, Own Goal, Hart, Watters, Dobson |
| Crows MoM |
Reece Dobson |
Royston Town took the field resplendent in their new red and black stripey away kit against a struggling North Greenford side knowing that three points were not only desired but expected – they didn’t disappoint. A thoroughly professional performance was put in by the still injury hit Crows, in trying weather conditions, to bag the points and get back in the dry as quickly as possible.
A slightly different formation caught the eye with three at the back – Mentis, Wharton and Bradshaw, with the battling Bridges brothers in the middle, Endacott and Dobson as wide wing-backs, Watters just in front of them in the mythical No10 slot, with Hart and Fehmi out and out frontmen. It worked well and flowing action was seen especially in the first half before the torrential rain dampened the flow.
Early efforts to go wide didn’t quite happen but as soon as Lewis Endacott and Reece Dobson started to be located chances were created for both eager strikers whose off the ball intelligent running kept their markers more than busy.
The scoring was opened for the Crows on 23 minutes with Scott Bridges finding Kaan Fehmi with a cute diagonal pass and the lively striker’s exquisite first touch opened up the defence for him to shoot low under approaching Keeper Melvin Minter.
The lead was extended when a surprisingly unhalted jinking run by Reece Dobson saw his dangerous shot cum cross unfortunately run in to his own net by the rapidly retreating Gavin Suddell.
The hard working Gary Hart made it three just before half time latching on to a poorly defended Fehmi free-kick, stretching well to direct a flicked outside of the right foot effort into the corner of the net.
The only immediate change seen in the second half was the deterioration of the weather – for the entire second half both teams endured torrential rain that halted Royston’s pretty play, but still could not thwart their domination of this match.
A double substitution on 52 minutes saw Kaan Fehmi and Jack Bradshaw replaced by Ryan Ingrey and George Powell and it was Ingrey’s power play on the hour mark that saw him upended in the box and Chris Watters stepped up to drive home the resultant spot kick to make the score 4-0.
Reece Dobson, playing his best game of the season so far, made it five on 73 minutes with a fine football move involving Ingrey and Watters and Dobson made no mistake confidently striking home a central shot by the hapless Minter.
To slightly mar what was an overall pleasing performance from the sodden Crows, North Greenford dirtied the visitor’s clean sheet with a well taken goal, this time in the right end, from Suddell who then proceeded to hit the post again 2 minutes later.
These regulation but well won three points meant it was up to fourth place for Royston Town, with a game in hand on their fellow challengers to the early season table dominance of Kettering Town.
Team: Russo, Mentis, Bradshaw (Powell), Wharton, Bridges Scott, Bridges Stuart, Watters, Endacott, Dobson, Hart (Lockett), Fehmi (Ingrey).
Subs not used – Nightingale, Collins.
