| Date | Saturday 11th March 2017 |
| Match | Royston Town v Chalfont St Peter |
| Competition | Evostik League Southern: Division One Central |
| Result | Won 4-0 |
| Attendance |
234 |
| Royston Scorers | Powell (2), Orlando-Young, Ingrey |
| Crows MoM |
Martel Powell |
Team: Welch, Towner (May), Scott-Morriss, Bridges Scott (Nolan), Frater, Bridges Stuart, Castiglione (Ingrey), Watkins, Frendo, Powell, Orlando-Young.
Subs not used – Fehmi, Brathwaite.
Royston took another big step towards the division title with another emphatic score-line after another impressive second half performance against a team that tried hard to hold back the flood but ultimately could not match the determination of the Crows.
It was a stagnant first ten minutes enlivened only by visitor’s keeper Carl Dennison giving the Royston forwards two chances to nick the ball off him as he lingered dozily outside of his box. Firstly, Rod Orlando-Young pounced and nicked the ball but took the ball too wide before he could shoot allowing the red-faced keeper and his defenders to recover. The second time he wasn’t so fortunate – on 20 minutes John Frendo also stole the ball between keeper and defender and this time fed it sideways for Martel Powell to hit a difficult ball first time into the gaping net to take the lead. 1-0.
Frendo had an excellent chance to double the lead two minutes later but couldn’t sort his feet out for a clean shot and the ball was deflected wide.
Further half chances manifested with Adam Watkins prominent in most of the good build up play but no clear-cut shots could be made and the half-time lead was still only the one gifted goal.
Steve Castle swapped Ryan Towner for Danny May at right back at half time and the Crows set out once again to win this game.
The second half performances from Royston recently have been more than enough to kill off their opponents and today was no different.
The referee and his not so helpful assistants featured far too much for the wrong reasons in this half as they made a series of dumb-founding decisions that only served to frustrate both teams.
Josh Castiglione and Rod Orlando-Young were causing all sorts of problems for Chalfont as they conjured runs that stretched their respective full-backs and the latter had a great chance on the hour when he found himself the recipient of a great pass by Frendo – but his first touch gave himself too much to do and the chance was gone. Orlando-Young redeemed himself 6 minutes later when his first touch this time was excellent and he ran onto a Watkins pass and hit a really good finish past Dennison. 2-0.
The rampant Orlando-Young followed this up with a fine cross three minutes later and man of the match Powell leaped well to head home at the far post. 3-0.
Castle used this score-line to rest some players and Castiglione took a breather for Ryan Ingrey to get a run-out and skipper Scott Bridges took a well earned rest with one eye on Farnborough next week as Royston switched to 4-4-2 and Matt Nolan came on to partner Frendo up top.
With three minutes to go Ingrey scored the fourth goal as he controlled a high through ball well and showed good strength to power on and shoot a low left foot shot home. 4-0.
Last minute and Matt Nolan was denied a goal that would have been the Crows 99th in the league this season when the referee was far too quick to blow for a keeper out of his box handball as the loose ball spun wide for Nolan to tap in. The keeper was only punished with a yellow card and the free-kick was shot over.
Another multiple goal to nil score-line and the Crows march resolutely on to title winning glory. Big game against main rivals Farnborough next Saturday is more of a must win for them as Royston still sit top by 17 points clear.
